BFHS 4/20/24: Major domino falls with Granato’s exit as crucial offseason awaits
Kris Baker and The Athletic’s Matthew Fairburn catch up on a busy week of Sabres news on the heels of Matthew’s extensive conversation with now-former head coach Don Granato.
24 Comments
Chris, thanks for your comments on Coach Q. It is exactly how I feel about him. I don’t think enough people have been saying the facts this week in our rush to anoint the next Sabres coach. I do not think Terry Pegula would hire him even if the league reinstated him.
My past self wants Ruff to return, but logically I think Gallant.
Kudos to whoever made the woke comment: you're absolutely correct. Terry isn't as bad, but Kim is the most woke owner in professional sports.
I like Ruff better than any of the other potential coaches mentioned.
The coach must come from outside the organization. The team needs someone who is not tainted by familiarity. The team needs new, fresh eyes to evaluate everybody without prior bias. Brindamour (if available), Berube, Gallant, McClellan, Evason are in the mix. I would exclude: Ruff, Peca, Appert, Boudreau.
The Sabres need to clone Wendel Clark.
I wish they weren't again needing a veteran guy because the coaches I have interest in aren't those sorts – guys like Jay McKee or Todd Nelson or Jeff Halpern who aren't experienced bench bosses at the NHL level.
From the pile of recycled guys, it seems inevitably like it is going to be Ruff and eh, whatever.
Brind'amour
Thanks
The fact that the roster doesn't have someone in the locker room to kick them in the ass when needed as well as a wishy washy coach led to this point, so it isn't all on the coach. I would like to hear Baker Fairburn opinion on hiring Lindy as president of hockey operations and Berube or Gallant as coach because of the way they seem to have similar styles of play/coaching. I would also like to hear Matthew's take on the idea that Pete Guelli having any impact on this decision.
Great exchange here, both on top of your games. Love the Cozens & Western Canada culture working in Buffalo environment
Berube is by far the most interesting candidate to me. I like everything about his coaching style for where this team is at, except this team not being particularly well built for the heavy forecheck style he has employed in the past. But if he accepts this position then that I think that would implicitly mean that he's okay with adjusting that to this kind of team, so that wouldn't be a concern to me if he takes the job.
Cozens has to say that though. If he didn’t he would sound like an idi0t.
Player names: Dakota Joshua, Brandon Duhaime, Yakov Trenin or old friend Will Carrier in UFA for the bottom 6. Give me two of those and tell them to not worry about the puck for the first five minutes of a game? The home crowd would be so into it with a couple of hit shifts pulling them all forward.
Bring back Ted
Gallant, Berube, Quennville. Not Lindy.
I just want an experienced coach with a winning pedigree.
You bring up Quenneville, call him a “great coach”, and talk about risk like it’s simply a business decision. This is a dude who swept sexual assault under the rug and then gave the abuser a recommendation so that he could get a job at a high school where he assaulted minors.
I don’t give a shit about his record, Quenneville is not a human being I want near my hockey team.
I think any of the coaches mentioned would fit the need being expressed by the Sabres in the media.
However, the only players that will be ready from day 1 will be Tuch, Clifton, and Byram, due to the fact that they played for cup winners/contenders. Of the remainder I think 4 or 5 others will step up to the challenge in a short amount of time.
No matter the sport, the great teams talk about how competitive practices were. Given that, the guys on the 3rd and 4th lines have to put up a serious challenge to the top line guys on a daily basis. If they won’t/can’t, you gotta bring guys in that can.
I’m not sure this team can be one of those hard hitting checking teams, but that can play tougher = block shots, take away space with their speed, get better at face Offs!!!, win puck battles.
More importantly, support your line mates when someone gets the business from an opponent after the whistle. Get a glove in the face, give a shove, and start jawing.
I’m cool with berube, ruff, brind amour. I’m ok with gallant, McClellan. Others no
McClellan
I fully understand the Quenneville appeal from a purely hockey perspective. I don’t want him as coach and I hate how everyone tip toes around what happened. If he wants to be considered for a coaching job that all needs to be up front for everyone to know and talk about
idk if this is even possible, but i'd be all for lindy if they could bring in peca as an associate head coach with the plan of him eventually taking over. maybe they could have james patrick coach the defense too
I told you last pod cast Granato had to go. In 12 hours he was gone.jost gone. Girgensons gone.Oloson, Clague, Bryon, Comrie. Krebs is a maybe. Robinson I would like to stay. He has some grit and structure.
Ruff. Gallant.Berube. McKlellon.
Trades… Owen Power, Samuelson, skinner(retain salary) 2 prospects and next years first round pick… to Ottowa for Tkachuk, and Chycrun. Free agents Jake DeBrusk. Offer sheet Middlestadt.
P..S Rousek, Biro, Ostand, Rosen, Kulich, Neuchev and Savoie are small if not outright midgets.
P.S. Kyle’s last name is pronounced o-Po-So. No K