Nolan coach of the year?

[DetDannyWilliams]

NHL Network said last night that Nolan just might as well be this years NHL coach of the year.

[coastal]

Couldn't agree more

[SpikedLemonade]

Time to scapegoat Nolan and fire him.

[JATMtheJATM]

Time to scapegoat Nolan and fire him.


well, you just said in the other thread that the sabres announcers are pissed at the teams effort. wouldnt that fall on the coach? so what is it? would firing him make him a scapegoat, or has he lost the room and the efforts not there, justifying a firing?

you are all over the place here.

[SpikedLemonade]

NHL Network said last night that Nolan just might as well be this years NHL coach of the year.


well, you just said in the other thread that the sabres announcers are pissed at the teams effort. wouldnt that fall on the coach? so what is it? would firing him make him a scapegoat, or has he lost the room and the efforts not there, justifying a firing?

you are all over the place here.

Yes it is on him and he needs to be fired now.

The scapegoat is the fact he was hired to be the figurehead of a 2 or more year tank.

The Sabres need to fire him just so they look like they belong in the NHL like other teams fired their coaches this year.

The problem is of course who do you hire?

The Sabres are years away from making the play-offs so a good teacher type coach for the next 2 & 1/2 years would be wise.

Someone, like Nolan was, that is desperate for a job.

[JATMtheJATM]

Yes it is on him and he needs to be fired now.

The scapegoat is the fact he was hired to be the figurehead of a 2 or more year tank.

The Sabres need to fire him just so they look like they belong in the NHL like other teams fired their coaches this year.

The problem is of course who do you hire?

The Sabres are years away from making the play-offs so a good teacher type coach for the next 2 & 1/2 years would be wise.

Someone, like Nolan was, that is desperate for a job.

ill bite. i agree. dont fire him just to fire him, make sure a replacement is a good one.

and i have an idea. jeff blashill of the grand rapids griffins. he is stuck behind mike babcock and if babcock returns to detroit, blashill remains stuck in grand rapids. of course, detroit doesnt want to lose him, and has him locked up, but if buffalo came knocking, they would really have to let him to talk to the sabres. provided of course, he wants the job. i would assume he would take an NHL job over being stuck behind babcock again.

[SpikedLemonade]

ill bite. i agree. dont fire him just to fire him, make sure a replacement is a good one.

and i have an idea. jeff blashill of the grand rapids griffins. he is stuck behind mike babcock and if babcock returns to detroit, blashill remains stuck in grand rapids. of course, detroit doesnt want to lose him, and has him locked up, but if buffalo came knocking, they would really have to let him to talk to the sabres. provided of course, he wants the job. i would assume he would take an NHL job over being stuck behind babcock again.

Sure why not?

A guy like him if not him.

The point I was making is that whoever you hire right now will have a losing record for this year, next year and the year after.

He is likely to be fired again and leaving the coach hired for the 2017-2018 season a better opportunity.

The Sabres are 2 new coaches away not just one.

[JATMtheJATM]

Sure why not?

A guy like him if not him.

The point I was making is that whoever you hire right now will have a losing record for this year, next year and the year after.

He is likely to be fired again and leaving the coach hired for the 2017-2018 season a better opportunity.

The Sabres are 2 new coaches away not just one.

not necessarily, one thing murray has is patience. and if they hire a new young coach, and improvements are made (which, there should be) that might be enough to keep him around.

[SpikedLemonade]

not necessarily, one thing murray has is patience. and if they hire a new young coach, and improvements are made (which, there should be) that might be enough to keep him around.

How much patience will Pegula have if the Sabres and Bills don't make the play-offs over the next 3 years?

Buffalo fans will turn on him and the goodwill Pegula currently has will be gone.

Higher ticket prices and a losing product don't mix in the long-term.

[JATMtheJATM]

How much patience will Pegula have if the Sabres and Bills don't make the play-offs over the next 3 years?

Buffalo fans will turn on him and the goodwill Pegula currently has will be gone.

Higher ticket prices and a losing product don't mix in the long-term.

the sabres have some of the lowest priced tickets in the NHL. its been that way for years.

[Dude]

No coach can win with this team. Firing Nolan is pointless.

[JATMtheJATM]

No coach can win with this team. Firing Nolan is pointless.

and thats the point. jeremy white of WGR was saying that the idea of this season is to finish 30th. next year, murray (according to white) plans to ice a different team that will be more successful (hopefully)

[SpikedLemonade]

Well, that is 10 losses in row.

Tomorrow night should be 11 consecutive losses.

11 consecutive losses going into the All-Star Break and being last or second last in the league gets a coach fired for a real NHL team.

Then again, when other then less than a handful of times in their 45 year history have the Sabres ever been a real NHL team?

[mightysimi]

If they make the playoffs Paul Maurice will be coach of the year. You take the top 4 d off any team for a month and see how they do.

[SpikedLemonade]

John Vogl ‏@BuffNewsVogl 29m29 minutes ago
Ted Nolan is encouraging the Sabres who are trade candidates to "make it happen" with fine play. "Maybe somebody will see you and want you."

[coastal]

lol

thats funny

[SpikedLemonade]

lol

thats funny

It is, but don't accuse the Sabres of intentionally tanking. They are just rebuilding.

[JATMtheJATM]

It is, but don't accuse the Sabres of intentionally tanking. They are just rebuilding.

Glad you finally get it!

[Mace]

I feel real bad for Nolan, this is probably his last coaching shot and he deserved better. I picture him stamping on his skates in practices like a little kid, red in the face and screaming "SHOOT SHOOT SHOOT DAMN YOU.", in a spray of hair gel and frustrated tears, windmilling his arms and falling down, weeping in useless rage as everyone gets quiet. Irbe comes over and helps him up, hugging the silently crying Nolan and getting him to the bench, where Nolan recovers and just sits there, staring at his feet for a long time. Murray is up in the seats, takes another swig of Bourbon, adjusts his glasses, and tries not to watch.

[gebobs]

My mind was made up about Nolan in November. He didn't have the team ready for the season.

Coach of the year though! That's hilarious. Almost as funny as Vote For Rory in '07.

[SpikedLemonade]

....Just remember that he refused to sign a confidentiality agreement when Murray handed him a three-year deal. Nolan knows what has happened behind the scenes. He knows where the bones are located, the whys and why nots that have gone unanswered since he arrived. This is likely his last job.

You want to fire him? Fire him.

I’d love to hear what he had to say......

http://buckyandsully.buffalonews.com/2015/02/13/nolan-will-pay-price-organizational-failure/

[Downinfloflo]

Nolans gone the the day after the season ends....

I saw an article about Luke Richardson being a guy they are looking at.

[JATMtheJATM]

just read that as well. i wouldnt mind jeff blashill from grand rapids if babcock stays in detroit.

[Downinfloflo]

just read that as well. i wouldnt mind jeff blashill from grand rapids if babcock stays in detroit.

You think he would leave Detroit to go to a full blown rebuilding team???

Only teams that would be in the running for him would be someone ready to make a cup run..

[JATMtheJATM]

You think he would leave Detroit to go to a full blown rebuilding team???

Only teams that would be in the running for him would be someone ready to make a cup run..

No, I said blashill coming to buffalo.

I mean yeah I would love Babcock in buffalo, but no it's not happening. I was talking about blashill, the grand rapids head coach.

[snow1989]

Nolan was pretty much dead in the water when Murray was hired. Nolan wasn't his pick, but what difference does it make as a team goes into full rebuilding mode? Until as GM you get the rough first year of rebuilding behind you, do the trades you want and get a draft behind you....does it really matter whose coaching your team? You get your assessment done, your deals done and then bring in your guy. ( Does Nolan deserve better than this? Probably, but he will most likely be a casualty of the whole management transition that took place. )

Babcock would not commit to the wings and there's been toronto coaching rumors. Basically, only Babcock knows what he is looking for....more money, more 'say'. or a rebuilding challenge ?? At worst Sabres should ask to talk to Babcock and find out.

[JATMtheJATM]

I guess Babcock is a very tough guy to please. He loves a challenge, and Toronto is a challenge

[coastal]

Babcock isn't going to work for Murray

[DetDannyWilliams]

Babcock isn't going to work for Murray

get this...Murray knows Babcock when Tim Murray was with the Ducks, guess who the coach of the then Mighty Ducks was? Yep Mike Babcock

[DetDannyWilliams]

Andrew Peters on Hockey Hotline also said that Randy Cunneyworth could be a good fit as head coach, he was drafted by the Sabres and Cunneyworth is already here, he was the head coach of the Americans In 2000-01 Also has coached Kane and Bogosian when he was an assistant coach with the Thrashers.

[Downinfloflo]

get this...Murray knows Babcock when Tim Murray was with the Ducks, guess who the coach of the then Mighty Ducks was? Yep Mike Babcock

I stood in line for a pizza with Adam Graves, That don't mean he likes me.

[JATMtheJATM]

I stood in line for a pizza with Adam Graves, That don't mean he likes me.
We ain't getting Babcock regardless of any potential feelings of animosity between him and Murray. I meant blashill coming to bflo