Sabres Training Camp Thread

[Weave]

36 minutes ago, Archie Lee said:

I’m not downplaying the significance that a coaching change can make. I was counting it up today though, and in my years of being a cognizant fan there have been close to 60 head coaching or manager (baseball) changes on the sports teams I cheer for. I don’t recall a single one where the incoming coach received anything but initial praise for some change they made to how the team practices or prepares (more tempo, more relaxed, more serious, more approachable).  Give me an NHL average power-play. The push-ups I can take or leave. 

A review of the welcome Kreuger, welcome Wowwie, and welcome Donnie threads verifies your observations.

I certainly don’t wish Lindy failure, but a critical mass of the fanbase were sure ready to put him out to pasture at the beginning of this ***** show.  I am not leaving my “show me” position any time soon.

[Flashsabre]

29 minutes ago, Weave said:

A review of the welcome Kreuger, welcome Wowwie, and welcome Donnie threads verifies your observations.

I certainly don’t wish Lindy failure, but a critical mass of the fanbase were sure ready to put him out to pasture at the beginning of this ***** show.  I am not leaving my “show me” position any time soon.

I don’t care if they brought in 1977 Scotty Bowman. After 13 years without the playoffs it’s “show me” time across the board.

[RochesterExpat]

5 hours ago, #freejame said:

I haven’t played on a ton of hockey teams, nor have I played in the NHL, but I don’t know of any hockey player who looks at on-ice pushups as a punishment. It’s a corrective action only in that it looks like one. Skate ‘em hard, and none of this wall to wall stuff. 

I played 15 years of hockey and by the time I was a teenager being told to do an on-ice push up was humiliating. It wasn’t the push up itself that sucked. It’s the fact the whole world knew you were getting punished. At least taking a lap wouldn’t be obvious to anyone not seriously following practice. Doing a push up? Nope, everyone knows.

[Doohicksie]

49 minutes ago, Weave said:

a critical mass of the fanbase were sure ready to put him out to pasture at the beginning of this ***** show.  I am not leaving my “show me” position any time soon.

16 years as coach is just too long for any NHL team.  The Sabres needed a change of coach and Lindy needed a change of scenery.

If you look back far enough you can see me saying, "Lindy's been through so much with this team he deserves to stay as long as he wants to" and later "He's lost the room, it's time to go."  I still think I was right on both occasions and I'm sure Lindy is well aware of what's on the line both for him personally and for the franchise.  I think he's up to the task.  I really do.

[PerreaultForever]

35 minutes ago, Doohickie said:

16 years as coach is just too long for any NHL team.  The Sabres needed a change of coach and Lindy needed a change of scenery.

If you look back far enough you can see me saying, "Lindy's been through so much with this team he deserves to stay as long as he wants to" and later "He's lost the room, it's time to go."  I still think I was right on both occasions and I'm sure Lindy is well aware of what's on the line both for him personally and for the franchise.  I think he's up to the task.  I really do.

I'm pretty sure this is Lindy's last stop. He either succeeds here or he doesn't but there won't be another coaching job after this one. I'm hoping he will be here for a fairly long time (which will mean he succeeded)

[Doohicksie]

7 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

 

Did you know that guy, Kyle Chandler, is from Buffalo?

[GASabresIUFAN]

4 hours ago, Archie Lee said:

I’m not downplaying the significance that a coaching change can make. I was counting it up today though, and in my years of being a cognizant fan there have been close to 60 head coaching or manager (baseball) changes on the sports teams I cheer for. I don’t recall a single one where the incoming coach received anything but initial praise for some change they made to how the team practices or prepares (more tempo, more relaxed, more serious, more approachable).  Give me an NHL average power-play. The push-ups I can take or leave. 

Hope springs eternal and at least we know that Lindy is a competent coach and has won with very different kinds of lineups.  That said, I thought RK was a bad hire the day it was made and think less of it now.

I wrote then

"I hate to say this but he sounds like Ted Nolan.  Motivator but not an X and O guy.  This teams real structure and real coach'em up coaching.  Motivation is not enough.  Who is going to provide the structure?  Who is going to make sure that Risto isn't overplayed and who is going to teach him how to pass to facilitate the breakout?  Not Krueger.

On second thought, my initial reaction of Meh! was wrong. This is a bad hire."

Edited September 20 by GASabresIUFAN

[Doohicksie]

10 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Hope springs eternal and at least we know that Lindy is a competent coach and has won with very different kinds of lineups.  That said, I thought RK was a bad hire the day it was made and think less of it now.

I wrote then

"I hate to say this but he sounds like Ted Nolan.  Motivator but not an X and O guy.  This teams real structure and real coach'em up coaching.  Motivation is not enough.  Who is going to provide the structure?  Who is going to make sure that Risto isn't overplayed and who is going to teach him how to pass to facilitate the breakout?  Not Krueger.

On second thought, my initial reaction of Meh! was wrong. This is a bad hire."

I tried the find the silver lining but I think I had him pegged from the outset:

  

On 5/14/2019 at 11:35 PM, Doohickie said:

I think this about where I'm at.  I was against the hire before it was announced; this guys sounds like someone on a late-night cable channel self-help motivational infomercial. 

However, my general impression of FHCPH was that he was too reserved, so reserved that the players almost fell asleep on the bench.  Maybe an infomercial motivator is what we need.  Plus yeah, he should understand the Eurotrash better than XHCPH.

 

[PerreaultForever]

2 hours ago, Doohickie said:

Did you know that guy, Kyle Chandler, is from Buffalo?

I did not. Even better then. 

[PerreaultForever]

1 hour ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Hope springs eternal and at least we know that Lindy is a competent coach and has won with very different kinds of lineups.  That said, I thought RK was a bad hire the day it was made and think less of it now.

I wrote then

"I hate to say this but he sounds like Ted Nolan.  Motivator but not an X and O guy.  This teams real structure and real coach'em up coaching.  Motivation is not enough.  Who is going to provide the structure?  Who is going to make sure that Risto isn't overplayed and who is going to teach him how to pass to facilitate the breakout?  Not Krueger.

On second thought, my initial reaction of Meh! was wrong. This is a bad hire."

Ideally you want a motivator who is also a good coach. You can get away with a motivator if his staff are really good at all the X's and O's. I'm pretty sure Pegula thought he had the talent he needed and they just needed motivating. Dumb hire. I think most of the hockey experts said it was an "out of the box thinking" sort of hire and liked the guy and wanted him to succeed, but clearly we saw he was clueless. 

We know Lindy can coach. He's done it many times before. We also know he has seen it all and all types of players and personalities. Lastly, we also know he can win in the current league as he did with New Jersey the year before, so he's not an outdated dinosaur. The only thing we need to see now is if these players can be coached and motivated. One would think yes, but we need to see it.

[LGR4GM]

If this team isn't in a playoff position at Christmas, it was another failed offseason. 

[FrenchConnection44]

 

[WhenWillItEnd66]

24 minutes ago, FrenchConnection44 said:

 

You cannot tell me that poor practices does not translate to a more crappy product on the ice when it counts. Our last few coaches practices were considered a joke by multiple sources with very little accountability. This should definitely light a fire under some players!! Really and truly hope it translates to better regular season play. TBH though with our crazy preseason schedule i would not expect to see it until game 4-5. 

[Weave]

2 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

If this team isn't in a playoff position at Christmas, it was another failed offseason. 

Statistically, Thanksgiving might be the time.

[LGR4GM]

 

 

[That Aud Smell]

3 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

If this team isn't in a playoff position at Christmas, it was another failed offseason. 

23 minutes ago, Weave said:

Statistically, Thanksgiving might be the time.

The standings around American Thanksgiving are overwhelmingly predictive of which NHL teams will make the playoffs.

[Doohicksie]

4 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

If this team isn't in a playoff position at Christmas, it was another failed offseason. 

As much as I like to dispute your pessimism, I won't even argue that point.

[Doohicksie]

1 hour ago, LGR4GM said:

Kulich-Krebs-Rosén

Those guys are like Flounder and Pinto visiting Omega Theta Pi in Animal House.

 

[Taro T]

1 hour ago, LGR4GM said:

 

 

Didn't take long for Krebs to move from 9 to 13.

[dudacek]

25 minutes ago, Taro T said:

Didn't take long for Krebs to move from 9 to 13.

And in case any one is really interested, looks like Jack Rathbone is #11 on D 😁
 

 

[IKnowPhysics]

4 hours ago, FrenchConnection44 said:

 

We need to start doing this in beer league.

[TheAud]

43 minutes ago, dudacek said:

And in case any one is really interested, looks like Jack Rathbone is #11 on D 😁
 

 

Great hockey name, if nothing else. 

[That Aud Smell]

48 minutes ago, dudacek said:

And in case any one is really interested, looks like Jack Rathbone is #11 on D 😁

5 minutes ago, TheAud said:

Great hockey name, if nothing else. 

B0ner?

[DarthEbriate]

38 minutes ago, IKnowPhysics said:

We need to start doing this in beer league.

I need to start doing this every time I make a Star Wars reference. Gonna get ripped this season.

[Cityo'Rasmii]

3 minutes ago, That Aud Smell said:

B0ner?

Major Wrath or BadToThe