Coaching concerns….

[OpIv37]

Mitts said in an interview that his first morning skate with Colorado was “ the most I’ve sweat in a long time.”

Here’s a video of Byram attempting to direct the PP with the rest of the team flailing around: https://x.com/sabreunfiltered/status/1766095595213557906?s=42&t=UXaLHcdgpqW9zJxr5mAG8w

We’ve discussed ad nauseam how several of the young guys on this team have regressed.

Due to being out of market, I’ve watched the home broadcasts, the Caps’ broadcast, and national broadcasts from TNT, ESPN and ABC. Every single one mentions how the Sabres make the extra pass rather than putting the puck on net.

Everyone who watches knows the team comes out flat. Rob Ray said today that they are minus-31 in the first period.

Look, today was a tough win. They were playing a hit team with two of the top point producers in the league. They started slow and spotted them a 2 goal lead. The officiating was atrocious. They came back and were in the locker room and thinking they had the win, but they had to go out and play again. In over 30 years of watching hockey, I’ve never seen that happen. They powered through it and got the 2 points. They showed a lot of heart.

But man, there are so many glaring issues that point right back to coaching.

[DetoxTent]

The Sabres brass is aware of all your concerns. They have the same concerns. This year/season is, for all intents and purposes, over. I'm sure they will sit down with Granato and ask him to up his game or get out. It's tough to watch other coaches around the league doing better. Putting together a successful NHL team takes:

1) an owner who wants to win (see Vegas, Boston, Florida)
2) a GM who is willing to adapt, do whatever it takes, not get dug in to some nonsense vision he has (see Kevyn Adams)
3) a head coach who can teach and guide young players and get along with veterans (Sabres don't have that - see Bruce Cassidy).
4) getting the right mix of youngsters and veterans. Adams hasn't done that.

I think Pegula is distracted, too focused on the Bills, which is great for the Bills. But the Sabres suffer. One owner should not be allowed to own two professional teams in one city because this happens. The Sabres have become an afterthought to him.

[DetoxTent]

I've seen a few people on social media suggest they hire Lindy Ruff and put him in charge of hockey operations. Subsequently I've seen this idea criticized by dozens of f/u postings. Look, I say this about Lindy Ruff. He's all about hockey. He loves it. He never goes away. He wants to win. He's an alumnus in Buffalo. I don't think its that bad of an idea. Let him lead the Sabres by putting together the roster.

[sukie]

If Adams is part of the problem then who is the Sabres Brass that knows this?

[JATMtheJATM]

If Adams is part of the problem then who is the Sabres Brass that knows this?

Pegula. But Adams is a good soldier so the leash is long.

I'm mixed on Granato.

I take Casey's statement not so much as a dig at sabres operations, but perhaps being a new guy on a new team that has cup aspirations and wants to show he's willing to commit and eager to show that off. Game day skates are supposed to be light (hasek used to just put on skates and gloves and a players stick and shoot in some morning skates)

They HAVE to take Ellis off power play duties. Look, say what you want. The sabres Achilles has been their power play. They are decent at 5 on 5 and have a very average PK. It's their PP.

So is the issue Granato? I'm not sure. Last year, the team had a break out. And that was under him. This year, a huge regression, again, under him.

I keep thinking Granato is owed one more year to see what the real him is. And I have to imagine Thompson and cozens are just having rough years, which happens. And they'll both rebound next year. At least that's what I hope.

This offseason is a test on Adams. Not Granato. Will Adams sack up and spend to fill needs? Make a hard trade or two to address needs? That's where this team failed this year IMO. failure to address needs and just believe dudes who had career seasons would not regress at all.

[OpIv37]

I’d be in favor of bringing Ruff back in that capacity. I always thought he and Reiger were always hamstrung by bad ownership decisions.

[DetoxTent]

In case you didn't read the comments on the Mittelstadt quote, he was also in Colorado where the air is thin, so that was his first work-out at that altitude. They were suggesting the "sweating" may have come from that.

[sukie]

Sabres need a real hockey guy betwixt Adams and Pegula. One that can see through the crap and tell a GM or coach…”Dude, you suck!”

[JATMtheJATM]

Sabres need a real hockey guy betwixt Adams and Pegula. One that can see through the crap and tell a GM or coach…”Dude, you suck!”

They do. Terry goes from overbearing owner to absentee owner.

Just hire ruff as president of hockey ops and call it a day. You'll see your team excel

[OpIv37]

Fair enough on the Mitts comment, but even if we dismiss that one as not coaching related, there are still a lot of issues.

[JATMtheJATM]

I had court this afternoon, but I'm in the middle of LAST week's maintenance day. And you can hear that Lance Lysowski is pretty fed up. He doesn't suggest Granato be gone, but says the power play needs new eyes (outside the organization) and that the way the Sabres start games is absolutely atrocious and that while he doesn't believe a change is needed, he says it's definitely on the table if the team starts slow next year.

Also that Adams has to go out and make some moves. They're wasting a good core and it needs to be addressed. I'm curious when the next episode is because a week is a long time in hockey

[DetoxTent]

I had court this afternoon, but I'm in the middle of LAST week's maintenance day. And you can hear that Lance Lysowski is pretty fed up. He doesn't suggest Granato be gone, but says the power play needs new eyes (outside the organization) and that the way the Sabres start games is absolutely atrocious and that while he doesn't believe a change is needed, he says it's definitely on the table if the team starts slow next year.
You are the NHL version of notacon and Joe Buscaglia. LMAO. We can all see these things. Don't need some polack named Lysowski to tell us.

You've gotta keep Greenway-Thompson-Tuch and Quinn-Cozens-Peterka, but the latter could be pushed down to third line. The rest can go. They need another R-handed d-man. I like Dahlin, Power, Byrum, Samuelsson, Jokiharju (who is a righty). I love Conor Clifton's addition. Bryson is fast, has good hands, but is too small. He's not more than, perhaps, a 7th defenseman. Goaltenders seem set.

So I'll up your Lance Lysowski with a Paul Hamilton, as I posted elsewhere here, who suggests (https://www.audacy.com/wgr550/sports/sabres/hamilton-buffalos-playoff-hopes-fizzle-out-in-dallas) they stop drafting 5' 9" forwards (like Savoie). It's not rocket science Kevyn.

[DetoxTent]

Sabres need a real hockey guy betwixt Adams and Pegula. One that can see through the crap and tell a GM or coach…”Dude, you suck!”

Crack open a walnut betwixt your butt cheeks.

[JATMtheJATM]

You are the NHL version of notacon and Joe Buscaglia. LMAO. We can all see these things. Don't need some polack named Lysowski to tell us.

You've gotta keep Greenway-Thompson-Tuch and Quinn-Cozens-Peterka, but the latter could be pushed down to third line. The rest can go. They need another R-handed d-man. I like Dahlin, Power, Byrum, Samuelsson, Jokiharju (who is a righty). I love Conor Clifton's addition. Bryson is fast, has good hands, but is too small. He's not more than, perhaps, a 7th defenseman. Goaltenders seem set.

So I'll up your Lance Lysowski with a Paul Hamilton, as I posted elsewhere here, who suggests (https://www.audacy.com/wgr550/sports/sabres/hamilton-buffalos-playoff-hopes-fizzle-out-in-dallas) they stop drafting 5' 9" forwards (like Savoie). It's not rocket science Kevyn.

I mean... Lance Lysowski is the Sabres beat writer for the Buffalo news