Breaking News...NHL NETWORK JUST SAID THAT SABRES TO GO ALL OUT FOR A BIG NAMED COACH

[DetDannyWilliams]

MacLean dropping that he's hearing rumblings that Buffalo may going for a big time run at a coach

Kypreos drops Babcock's name. MacLean saying that him and Murray go back to Cincinnati in the AHL.
Kypreos says, "Pegula is the ultimate owner."

Bylsma and McLellan names are dropped.

[SpikedLemonade]

I hope Ted Nolan heard this too.

Come on Teddy!!! Shove it up Murray's ass sideways by winning a few games this year.

[JATMtheJATM]

i saw this too, but i think we can cross babcocks name off right now.

though, i remember reading something that babcock loves a challenge, and at times has been bored in detroit. that said, i think he either stays in detroit, or goes to toronto, which would be the ultimate challenge.

id like to see the sabres run at jeff blashill from grand rapids. hes sat in the AHL long enough.

[coastal]

I hope Ted shags Pegs wife on the way out

[The Jokeman]

I hope Ted Nolan heard this too.

Come on Teddy!!! Shove it up Murray's ass sideways by winning a few games this year.

If Nolan did that than I'd lose what little respect I have for him. I appreciate all he's done but between his treating of Hasek, Zadarov and Grinko I sometimes question how good a coach Teddy is.

[Dr. Lecter]

Good.

Get the mega over rated POS out of here and get a real coach to work with McEichel.

Nolan is the one person who could actually ruin a talent like that.

[coastal]

Good.

Get the mega over rated POS out of here and get a real coach to work with McEichel.

Nolan is the one person who could actually ruin a talent like that.
His masculinity threatens you.

[OpIv37]

i saw this too, but i think we can cross babcocks name off right now.

though, i remember reading something that babcock loves a challenge, and at times has been bored in detroit. that said, i think he either stays in detroit, or goes to toronto, which would be the ultimate challenge.

id like to see the sabres run at jeff blashill from grand rapids. hes sat in the AHL long enough.

If he's up for a challenge, why Buffalo? The team has already been stockpiling young talent, which may or may not be how he would build a team himself. At this point, Toronto is more of a challenge. They're 2 years behind us.

[Skooby]

Is Don Cherry busy ?

[chernobylwraiths]

If Nolan did that than I'd lose what little respect I have for him. I appreciate all he's done but between his treating of Hasek, Zadarov and Grinko I sometimes question how good a coach Teddy is.

What? treatment of who? He rode Hasek like you have to for a HOF player. Zadorov is a kid as well as Grigorenko and both seem to act a little entitled.

[Ginger Vitis]

Matthew Kollar(WGR) is claiming people in the know are saying Babcocks interest in coaching the Sabres would be significantly higher if they get McEichel.

[Dr. Lecter]

What? treatment of who? He rode Hasek like you have to for a HOF player. Zadorov is a kid as well as Grigorenko and both seem to act a little entitled.

He was all over Grosek too.

Obviously, he's an EuroPhobe.

[coastal]

Matthew Kollar(WGR) is claiming people in the know are saying Babcocks interest in coaching the Sabres would be significantly higher if they get McEichel.
We need a right winger to put with McEichel and Kane... unless you put Reinhart on the pivot and McEichel on RW.

Any pending free agents?

[Ginger Vitis]

We need a right winger to put with McEichel and Kane... unless you put Reinhart on the pivot and McEichel on RW.

Any pending free agents?

http://www.hockeybuzz.com/cap-central/freeagents.php

[coastal]

Evander Kane, Jack Eichel, Michael Frolic
Tyler Ennis, ROR, Matt Moulson
Zemgus Girgensons, Sam Reinhart, Brian Gionta
Deslauriers, Johan Larson, McCormack

[JATMtheJATM]

frolik as the first line RW? might as well bring back drew.

this is why im for not buying out hodgson yet. sabres RW depth is weak. might as well give him another year and hope this one was just fluke. outside that, i like it.

[JATMtheJATM]

He was all over Grosek too.

Obviously, he's an EuroPhobe.


grosek! i forgot about him.

[coastal]

frolik as the first line RW? might as well bring back drew.

this is why im for not buying out hodgson yet. sabres RW depth is weak. might as well give him another year and hope this one was just fluke. outside that, i like it.
Hodgson can go buhbye.

and yes... RW depth is barren on this club.

[JATMtheJATM]

im going to play devils advocate with hodgson. his career path is VERY similar to that of a former sabre, tim connolly. sky high expectations, good skill, good start to the career, and then a sudden drop in production for a year. connolly had a dreadful season in 02-03. after that, yes, there were injuries, we all know that, but when he was on the ice, he produced for a few good seasons before injuries finally took their toll.

the thing about connolly is, he was good, but the effort wasnt quite there every shift. same with hodgson.

i know, thats not the kind of guys you want, but right now, with a thin wing, play hodgson, hope he rebounds enough to have good numbers, and move him IF his trade value increases. worst case, he acts as a place holder on a team that will likely be bad, and its one less year of a buyout that counts against the sabres.

by no means do i believe hodgson is a player we should build around anymore. that ship sailed. but if he could be a productive supplementary player, that would be great.

[coastal]

Hodgson belongs playing in Sweden.

[JATMtheJATM]

Hodgson belongs playing in Sweden.

If hes let go, a team will take a flier on him. But a lesser league like a euro league would be ace for him

[The Jokeman]

The Sabres still have to be at the cap floor next year and there aren't a lot of "big name" UFAs this coming off season. I say keep CoHo and see what he can do with a better first line. As he did produce with us at one time so I have to think the like of skill players around him is hurting him just like Moulson.

[JATMtheJATM]

The Sabres still have to be at the cap floor next year and there aren't a lot of "big name" UFAs this coming off season. I say keep CoHo and see what he can do with a better first line. As he did produce with us at one time so I have to think the like of skill players around him is hurting him just like Moulson.

thats how i feel. hodgson is having a bad season, no doubt. but it is just one bad season. he is still young and talented enough that he could still become a really valuable asset to the sabres. i dont buy he is a centerpiece going forward in the rebuild. and he cant play C because he is bad in his own end, but on a wing? in a middle 6 spot? he could do some damage.

and, i know coastal is going to hate this. it could also be nolan. nolan really gets alot out of his grinders and battlers, but skill guys? not so much.

[coastal]

U guys r nuts.

Cup contenders wouldn't even look at that POS.... ever.

why should we keep him around then?

[JATMtheJATM]

U guys r nuts.

Cup contenders wouldn't even look at that POS.... ever.

why should we keep him around then?

sabres arent a cup contender. sabres need bodies, and coho is one who has produced in the past. id rather have him fill a wing position and see what we have, then let him go, have that count against the cap, and wing it in free agency. the free agent market is soft this season. might as well keep him and see if he can find his game again.

[coastal]

I thought were loaded with prospects? Clearly someone else can fill his role!

Coho plays a soft game and doesn't create puck possession.

Let him him to find his game elsewhere. I've seen enough.

[JATMtheJATM]

I thought were loaded with prospects? Clearly someone else can fill his role!

Coho plays a soft game and doesn't create puck possession.

Let him him to find his game elsewhere. I've seen enough.

http://www.hockeysfuture.com/teams/buffalo_sabres/

weak on the wings in terms of NHL ready talent. the other option is to sign or trade for one, or put grigo on the wing and hope like hell it works.

[Downinfloflo]

U guys r nuts.

Cup contenders wouldn't even look at that POS.... ever.

why should we keep him around then?

Looking back on it, Sabres were better off keeping Kassian, At least he could knock out someones teeth wile not scoring,Plus the Sabres drafted him in the 1st round(#13)

[swiper]

http://www.hockeysfuture.com/teams/buffalo_sabres/

weak on the wings in terms of NHL ready talent. the other option is to sign or trade for one, or put grigo on the wing and hope like hell it works.

LOL. Since 06-07 the mantra has been they have no centers. Which is still the case.

[Dr. Lecter]

LOL. Since 06-07 the mantra has been they have no centers. Which is still the case.

Zemgus Girgensons and Samson Reinhart disagree with you

[Dr. Lecter]

thats how i feel. hodgson is having a bad season, no doubt. but it is just one bad season. he is still young and talented enough that he could still become a really valuable asset to the sabres. i dont buy he is a centerpiece going forward in the rebuild. and he cant play C because he is bad in his own end, but on a wing? in a middle 6 spot? he could do some damage.

and, i know coastal is going to hate this. it could also be nolan. nolan really gets alot out of his grinders and battlers, but skill guys? not so much.
The thing about getting rid of him this offseason that's tempting is that he can be bought out for 1/3rd of his salary. After this year it jumps to 2/3rds.

That being said, he did score 20 last year with crap all around him. So something happened. I'm not so sure what. An entire season of Nolan might be part of it (And I agree with your assessment - he's great for a guy like Desluarier, not so good for a skilled guy).

Can he rebound? I dunno. Is it worth the risk?

[Ginger Vitis]

Darren Dreger(TSN) is 100% convinced Ted Nolan won't be back next year

[don137]

For a team that is ready to go full steam ahead next year I wouldn't take the chance at his salary to see if Nolan ruined Hodgson and he can play better with another coach or if he just is not coachable in any system. Buy him out and use the money elsewhere. Don't need his salary dragging the Sabres down in a couple years.

[mightysimi]

frolik as the first line RW? might as well bring back drew.

this is why im for not buying out hodgson yet. sabres RW depth is weak. might as well give him another year and hope this one was just fluke. outside that, i like it.

You can't have Frolik as I want to keep him Winnipeg. He plays up and down the line up. He is super valuable and always seems to have the puck. You need guys like that the go get the puck for your scorers. 3 guys standing around the slot doesn't get you anywhere.

[mightysimi]

Looking back on it, Sabres were better off keeping Kassian, At least he could knock out someones teeth wile not scoring,Plus the Sabres drafted him in the 1st round(#13)

Kassian 10 G 42 GP
Hodgson 5 G 69 GP

[JATMtheJATM]

Kassian 10 G 42 GP
Hodgson 5 G 69 GP

Kassian has been a solid depth winger for the canucks. Up and down for sure, but I'd sure like him back.

[mightysimi]

Kassian has been a solid depth winger for the canucks. Up and down for sure, but I'd sure like him back.

He teases you with a couple a slick goals in a few games and then nothing for 20. Always plays hard though.

[The Jokeman]

For a team that is ready to go full steam ahead next year I wouldn't take the chance at his salary to see if Nolan ruined Hodgson and he can play better with another coach or if he just is not coachable in any system. Buy him out and use the money elsewhere. Don't need his salary dragging the Sabres down in a couple years.

Look what's out there in UFA. I can't say any of the Wingers available are going to be better than CoHo. Now if a guy like Skinner is available via trade that's something I'd consider moving CoHo and one of our 2nds for him or maybe CoHo and Grinko as to me he isn't showing to be the top 6 forward we all hoped to get when we drafted him.

[The Jokeman]

Kassian 10 G 42 GP
Hodgson 5 G 69 GP

One season doesn't make a career. Personally give me CoHo over Kassian.

[JATMtheJATM]

He teases you with a couple a slick goals in a few games and then nothing for 20. Always plays hard though.

when hodgson was producing, i could live with his habit of playing the game at about 80-90% intensity, taking a shift here and there off, waiting for something to happen instead of making things happen. he has the talent to get you 50 points a year that way. sure, its maddening, but production is production. the sabres need that.

now, with his production disappearing, it makes his effort that much more magnified.

if you want to win a cup, guys like him, you dont build around skilled guys who dont play hard all the time. you can have them on your team as support players, but still. i see where coastal wants him gone. that said, i just think the sabres would be wise to be a little patient and see if cohos production can reappear and put him on the wing. maybe get his production back and trade his ass. i dont see him as a long term asset.

[JATMtheJATM]

Look what's out there in UFA. I can't say any of the Wingers available are going to be better than CoHo. Now if a guy like Skinner is available via trade that's something I'd consider moving CoHo and one of our 2nds for him or maybe CoHo and Grinko as to me he isn't showing to be the top 6 forward we all hoped to get when we drafted him.

thats the thing. keeping coho only makes sense if the fail to bring someone else in. if they cant, you keep him. if you can bring in a middle 6 winger who can score, then yeah, at that point, you move him.

i wouldnt release him first chance the sabres got. id let the summer play out first. unless you can trade him at the draft or something. then you move him as fast as you can.

[coastal]

Have u people watched him play? there's a thousand stiffs out there just like him.

[mightysimi]

One season doesn't make a career. Personally give me CoHo over Kassian.

You can have him. I bet there would be 29 other GM's looking to trade with you too.

[JATMtheJATM]

Have u people watched him play? there's a thousand stiffs out there just like him.

Yeah, no energy, no urgency, no intensity. Maybe that's on the coaching?

;)

[Skooby]

Yeah, no energy, no urgency, no intensity. Maybe that's on the coaching?

;)

It's part of the tank !!

[YardRat]

Could Mike Babcock Become the Next Head Coach?http://tipofthetower.com/2015/04/12/buffalo-sabres-could-mike-babcock-become-the-next-head-coach/

For one thing, the 51-year old formed a strong bond with the Anaheim Ducks director of player personnel, during his first season with the team in 2002. That man happens to be Sabres General Manager Tim Murray, and the two remain close friends to this day.

Another aspect Simmons mentions, is that money should be no option for Sabres owner Terry Pegula. He paid out big bucks to hire Rex Ryan for the Buffalo Bills (http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000456519/article/buffalo-bills-hire-rex-ryan-as-head-coach), and would likely be more than willing to do the same to bring in Babcock.

[mightysimi]

If it gets down to a betting war over money, good luck beating Toronto.

[Skooby]

If it gets down to a betting war over money, good luck beating Toronto.

Goodluck to Toronto is accurate. Pegula is worth more than double what they have in hard assets and is incredibly liquid, so go figure:

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maple_Leaf_Sports_%26_Entertainment

[mightysimi]

Not sure I see that. I see Pegula's net worth at 3.8 Billion. Rogers is at 7.8 Billion. Not to mention that a second of the 3 major telecom companies in Canada, Bell, owns some too. Pegula while dirty rich is not as rich as 2 X national telecom giants. Then there is the appeal factor. As much as it pains me to say, Toronto has always been looked at as the hockey mecca. If it comes down to it, my money is on Toronto.

[coastal]

Liquidity.... and no corporate rules.

Pegs can do whatever he wants.

[chernobylwraiths]

hockey Mecca is Montreal, that is IT. Toronto a distant second.

And I believe Buffalo has a far brighter future at this point. Even if Toronto wins the lottery.

[Skooby]

Not sure I see that. I see Pegula's net worth at 3.8 Billion. Rogers is at 7.8 Billion. Not to mention that a second of the 3 major telecom companies in Canada, Bell, owns some too. Pegula while dirty rich is not as rich as 2 X national telecom giants. Then there is the appeal factor. As much as it pains me to say, Toronto has always been looked at as the hockey mecca. If it comes down to it, my money is on Toronto.

What's funny is that corporate hard assets can't write instant checks as easily as one couple with the money already in the bank. I know you remember Bon Jovi's group coming up quite short previously & Pegula basically said I can wire the money today, so Pegula > Same Toronto group. Please let me know what you'd like to wager on Pegula getting outbid, I think it's very unlikely.

I'm also cognizant that this isn't Billions but Pegula can and has overpaid to get what he wants, which is bringing championships to Buffalo. If that message is not clear or fallen by the way side to some here then so be it.

[mightysimi]

It's not the same group that was trying to buy the Bills. You also assume that they were tapped in an effort to get the Bills. They might not have wanted to spend that kind of dough to get the team. Also don't forget, Pegula actually had to write that cheque. So he isn't sitting on the pile of money that he used to be. Maybe it will come down to not the money but the attractivness of each position. I still have my bets on the Leafs.

[Skooby]

It's not the same group that was trying to buy the Bills. You also assume that they were tapped in an effort to get the Bills. They might not have wanted to spend that kind of dough to get the team. Also don't forget, Pegula actually had to write that cheque. So he isn't sitting on the pile of money that he used to be. Maybe it will come down to not the money but the attractivness of each position. I still have my bets on the Leafs.

We can agree to disagree.