John Wawrow says the Coaching Search Should be Completed Within the Week

[GASabresIUFAN]

7 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

It's going to be Granato. Deep down you all know it. 

We all knew it when the season ended.  I may be in the minority on this one, but I'm ok with the choice.  We are going to be a very young team and we need a teacher and someone with patience. That is Granato.  Is it the choice with max PR value? No.  Is it the best choice for this group? Possibly.   I thought he did well in his tryout, I just don't like that he worked for Rasputin.  I hope Girardi stays coaching the D.  

Assuming Granato is the guy, does this help or hurt keeping Jack or Sam or does it matter at this point?

[steveoath]

2 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

I may be in the minority on this one, but I'm ok with the choice.  We are going to be a very young team and we need a teacher and someone with patience

I don't think you're in the minority. I think that if we are hitting the rest button and going for picks and prospects for Jack/Sam/Risto then you are spot on. He was quick to bench vets that didn't pull their weight and seems to hold people accountable, unlike RK who said he holds people accountable then clearly didn't. (Except Skinner - who seemed to bear the brunt of the blame for everything from him).

[LGR4GM]

Matt Ellis, if he becomes a full time assistant under Granato, would mean that Matt Ellis may be the most important Sabre added to the team during the 10 year playoff drought due to his impact. 

[Norcal]

11 hours ago, dudacek said:

I don’t think this coinciding with the Brind’Amour timing was coincidental.

The meeting today was either to offer him the job, or tell him it was being offered to someone else.

I wonder if it was Donnie all along, unless Rod shook loose. I wonder how serious all these other interviews were.

I also wonder if the Florida trip is a rubber stamp, or a final test - the “second interview”

I wonder how much interaction Donnie has had with Terry?

 

The timing feels like that kind of meeting. I'm thinking the latter part of the bolded but I'd be ok with Granato based on the small sample size and the way the players responded to him.

I'd add also I would keep Ellis and Girardi if they would stay on as assistants. 

[GASabresIUFAN]

5 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Matt Ellis, if he becomes a full time assistant under Granato, would mean that Matt Ellis may be the most important Sabre added to the team during the 10 year playoff drought due to his impact. 

...and he'll become the Matt Ellis of NHL assistant coaches.

[JohnC]

12 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

We all knew it when the season ended.  I may be in the minority on this one, but I'm ok with the choice.  We are going to be a very young team and we need a teacher and someone with patience. That is Granato.  Is it the choice with max PR value? No.  Is it the best choice for this group? Possibly.   I thought he did well in his tryout, I just don't like that he worked for Rasputin.  I hope Girardi stays coaching the D.  

Assuming Granato is the guy, does this help or hurt keeping Jack or Sam or does it matter at this point?

That Jack and Sam issue has been settled. You would be better off focusing more on the return than on the inevitable departures. 

[LGR4GM]

3 minutes ago, JohnC said:

That Jack and Sam issue has been settled. You would be better off focusing more on the return than on the inevitable departures. 

I don't think the Reinhart issue is settled. 

[JohnC]

6 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

I don't think the Reinhart issue is settled. 

I respectfully but strenuously disagree. As I stated in another post I re-listened to KA's post interview after the Jack interview. He made it clear that he wanted players who wanted to be here. Reinhart is a classy person who stated clearly that he was tired with the situation he is in. And I'm sure in his exit interview with the GM that he mad it clear that it was time for a change for him and the organization. 

 

[GASabresIUFAN]

1 hour ago, LGR4GM said:

I don't think the Reinhart issue is settled. 

I agree.  IMHO Sam emerged as a real on ice leader for this team last season.  With a jack departure, that would make him the No. 1 center and possibly team captain if he stays.   He'd also get a lucrative long-term deal to stay.

Edited June 18, 2021 by GASabresIUFAN

[Thorner]

2 hours ago, JohnC said:

It's time that the franchise be run in an orderly and professional way. The situation that KA inherited included a coach he didn't hire and whose strongly held views devastated the operation. My impression of KA is that he is deliberative and detail oriented. He seems to recognize the importance of rebuilding the organization that was deliberately stripped. I like his Karmanos hiring. And I'm assuming that Granato will be hired soon. That will be a good hire. 

Yesterday, I again listened to KA's post season comments after the Jack interview. The repeated  theme of his comments to the press was that he is excited about the enthusiasm of the young players.  And he was close to being explicit that he was going to shed players who don't want to be here. So there is no mystery about  what Jack, Risto and Reinhart's status are. Next year's team is going to be rebuilt around the young core who are bought in and committed to being here.  Now let's wait and see what the return will be for these burnt out players who were tired of the situation they are in. Giving them a fresh start is the right thing for them and for the organization. 

 

Do you think they've realized they need to be surrounded by capable vets, or do we trot out kay-see Mitelstadt as our 1C next season?

Disagree outright with the last bolded, obviously

 

[Thorner]

32 minutes ago, JohnC said:

I respectfully but strenuously disagree. As I stated in another post I re-listened to KA's post interview after the Jack interview. He made it clear that he wanted players who wanted to be here. Reinhart is a classy person who stated clearly that he was tired with the situation he is in. And I'm sure in his exit interview with the GM that he mad it clear that it was time for a change for him and the organization. 

 

"here" is the operative word. It doesn't mean "on the Buffalo Sabres". It means: "on a rebuilding buffalo sabres team"

[Eleven]

1 hour ago, LGR4GM said:

I don't think the Reinhart issue is settled. 

I think you're right, even though he has more bargaining power than Eichel has.

[GASabresIUFAN]

35 minutes ago, Eleven said:

I think you're right, even though he has more bargaining power than Eichel has.

but likely less trade value.

[Sabel79]

Because this is the Sabres under the Pegula regime, I’m gonna go ahead and put a sneaky five bucks on either Scotty Bowman making a surprise return behind the bench, or Painbot 5000 from Teen Titans.  
 

Wait, how are there no Painbot 5000 gifs on the internet?  I’m so tired… 

 

[Sabel79]

Ooh, found one.  
 

 

[Radar]

2 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

I don't think the Reinhart issue is settled. 

Hope not. Still hope they can sign him but I'm not confident. Jack gone for sure unless no close to reasonable offer is out there which I doubt.

[Eleven]

1 hour ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

but likely less trade value.

Definitely less trade value.

[JohnC]

2 hours ago, Thorny said:

"here" is the operative word. It doesn't mean "on the Buffalo Sabres". It means: "on a rebuilding buffalo sabres team"

You are off the mark. Reinhart wants out and Jack wants out. Period! Their reservoir of patience has been exhausted. Both of these players have been with the team for years. Last season, the Sabres had the worst record in hockey. For these two guys,  and more so for Reinhart, they will not be on the Sabres next season. The situation is not complicated. Samson has contract leverage. Odds are he will not be willing to sign an extended deal. 

The discussion about how it should be is irrelevant and wasteful. KA will be making his personnel decisions based on the reality of the situation. Common sense indicates that players who were our key players will soon be our former key players.  

[JohnC]

2 hours ago, Thorny said:

Do you think they've realized they need to be surrounded by capable vets, or do we trot out kay-see Mitelstadt as our 1C next season?

Disagree outright with the last bolded, obviously

 

The core of the team will revolve around young players such as Cozens, Dahlin, Mitts, Thompson, Joki, Ullmark (if he signs), Bjork (if not taken in the expansion draft) and maybe Samuelsson and Bryson.

Will there be some veterans added to the mix beyond Okposo, McCabe (if signed) who are currently not signed?  Yes.  

[LGR4GM]

14 minutes ago, JohnC said:

The core of the team will revolve around young players such as Cozens, Dahlin, Mitts, Thompson, Joki, Ullmark (if he signs), Bjork (if not taken in the expansion draft) and maybe Samuelsson and Bryson.

Will there be some veterans added to the mix beyond Okposo, McCabe (if signed) who are currently not signed?  Yes.  

Ullmark is 27. 

[Thorner]

22 minutes ago, JohnC said:

You are off the mark. Reinhart wants out and Jack wants out. Period! Their reservoir of patience has been exhausted. Both of these players have been with the team for years. Last season, the Sabres had the worst record in hockey. For these two guys,  and more so for Reinhart, they will not be on the Sabres next season. The situation is not complicated. Samson has contract leverage. Odds are he will not be willing to sign an extended deal. 

The discussion about how it should be is irrelevant and wasteful.1 KA will be making his personnel decisions based on the reality of the situation. Common sense indicates that players who were our key players will soon be our former key players. 2

1 

 

2https://clip.cafe/casino-royale-2006/my-friend-mathis/

 

 

Edited June 18, 2021 by Thorny

[Crusader1969]

3 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

We all knew it when the season ended.  I may be in the minority on this one, but I'm ok with the choice.  We are going to be a very young team and we need a teacher and someone with patience. That is Granato.  Is it the choice with max PR value? No.  Is it the best choice for this group? Possibly.   I thought he did well in his tryout, I just don't like that he worked for Rasputin.  I hope Girardi stays coaching the D.  

Assuming Granato is the guy, does this help or hurt keeping Jack or Sam or does it matter at this point?

100% agree  - he wont cost much and if he is just here for a 1 or two to teach before moving onto an "experienced / High profile" coach, im good with that

[JohnC]

4 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Ullmark is 27. 

So what? Developing goaltenders usually take more time. He has gone through the system and worked his way up. 

[PerreaultForever]

4 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

We all knew it when the season ended.  I may be in the minority on this one, but I'm ok with the choice.  We are going to be a very young team and we need a teacher and someone with patience. That is Granato.  Is it the choice with max PR value? No.  Is it the best choice for this group? Possibly.   I thought he did well in his tryout, I just don't like that he worked for Rasputin.  I hope Girardi stays coaching the D.  

My view is a little more cynical (shocking :)) . To me he will be chosen because 1. the fan base will accept the choice. 2. he's the cheapest option 3. he's set up to be the next fall guy. Likely a 2 year deal. If we win, great, rehire, bigger contract with term, new era, kudos all good. If we still lose (as we very well might with a young team) then KA gets a second coach before he's on the chopping block himself. Same old same old. 

If we were to bring in a big name coach we'd have to give term and then if we still lose what then? Who to blame besides the owners? KA has to take the fall in that case and thus, the choice of Granato is the safe and obvious one for all. 

[LGR4GM]

11 minutes ago, JohnC said:

So what? Developing goaltenders usually take more time. He has gone through the system and worked his way up. 

So you were talking about "young" players. Ullmark is a 27 year old 7 year veteran. He's not some 22 year old kid.