He was given a helluva tough defensive workload though

My issue was his bad EV offense
- sbroads24

I just think it was a bad trade bringing in ROR at that time, we weren't ready for it, we had no depth. To me know would be the time to pull that trade off.

Jason Botterill and Phil Housley were the biggest "next guy" names the year the Sabres hired them, which was the same year the Bills hired McDermott and Beane. The latter had just as much experience at their positions being first-years as the former. The only difference between the two tandems was that only one of them was actually for real.
- buffalofan19

So you hire a barely experienced Patty La who uncovers the “next” big gm in tmgm. Who screws the pooch. To move onto the next big gm in botts, who the owners steer more toward their favorite coaching candidate, the next big thing in housley. While gm botts screws the pooch and they move onto “their guy”. To do things “their way”. Finally spurning advice of the big bad nhl... their guy is a rink manager who doesn’t know how to melt ice.

They’ve never hired an experienced hockey president. They’ve never hired and experienced gm. And other than the knee jerk reaction to babs using them and trading for byslma, they’ve cheaped out on coaches.

Their coaches and gm’s have never been on the same page, with the same vision for the team.

This is why, it doesn’t matter, burn it down or keep building around guys.

Some one mentioned earlier, something along the lines of, Ralph took a sports car and is trying to use it as an off road vehicle.

His system is not playing to the strengths of his players. It’s like when Rex Ryan took a top 5 4-3 defense and forced them to play a 3-4. It ain’t gonna work.

Until you find an experienced coach (Galant, bbq Bruce) that will use his pieces properly we will continue to have this inconsistent, mediocre, crap.

The worst thing pegs did in the last year is not hire and listen to duds because “they knew better”. I got ten years to show that they don’t know poop.

His most common linemates were Evander Kane, Sam Reinhart and Pre concussion Kyle Okposo

It’s a bad excuse that he was saddled with bad players
- sbroads24

He played his last year with Scott Wilson, and that's a fact, jack.

Coincidentally when he lost his love for the game

The problem is constant turnover leading to a difference in vision. The weird thing is that Botterill hired Ralph to coach his legion of puck movers when Ralph doesn't want to play that way.

Stability is the way out of this. There has to be a cohesive vision. Not Murray heavies, botterill puck movers and a coach every two years
- jcragcrumple

Stevie wonder has better vision then the sabres brass

Stevie wonder has better vision then the sabres brass
- homiedclown

I bet Stevie could run the team better than pegs.

He played his last year with Scott Wilson, and that's a fact, jack.

Coincidentally when he lost his love for the game
- jcragcrumple

Scott Wilson was his 5th most common winger that season at 5 on 5.

He played with him because of injuries

Getting Excited it's almost 7, game time The World Poker Tour is on.

The problem is constant turnover leading to a difference in vision. The weird thing is that Botterill hired Ralph to coach his legion of puck movers when Ralph doesn't want to play that way.

Stability is the way out of this. There has to be a cohesive vision. Not Murray heavies, botterill puck movers and a coach every two years
- jcragcrumple

This...with the caveat that the coaches we have had want to imp,cement their system, rather than look at the roster and develop a system that optimizes the players on-hand who they want to retain.

Ralph and his staff developed a system they wanted to play, and are trying to fit round pegs into square holes.
Fvcking dummies.

This...with the caveat that the coaches we have had want to imp,cement their system, rather than look at the roster and develop a system that optimizes the players on-hand who they want to retain.

Ralph and his staff developed a system they wanted to play, and are trying to fit round pegs into square holes.
Fvcking dummies.
- IonSabres

But he's a players coach

Stagnant is the worst option

Either move a few players

Or remove the coach
- homiedclown

Seems like it’s tough to makes trades right now
Frustrating

ROR is gone, he didn't want to be here, was a mess defensively while he was here and we could have had a better return for him if the owner would have picked up his bonus. Funny how he left here and his plus/minus went up like 30pts.
- Buff36

Just goes to show what he could do when he wasn’t surrounded by a bunch of bums

Just goes to show what he could do when he wasn’t surrounded by a bunch of bums
- jdfitz77

That's it, we weren't ready for him yet, plus TM had pretty much started his bloodletting at that time so are system was a joke. Think ROR is a good Hockey player, right know would be the time to have him.

- 3rd GM's the charm

Those sticks with a modano curve were amazing

- 3rd GM's the charm

How did you get a hold of Tages stick, not a mark on it.

So you hire a barely experienced Patty La who uncovers the “next” big gm in tmgm. Who screws the pooch. To move onto the next big gm in botts, who the owners steer more toward their favorite coaching candidate, the next big thing in housley. While gm botts screws the pooch and they move onto “their guy”. To do things “their way”. Finally spurning advice of the big bad nhl... their guy is a rink manager who doesn’t know how to melt ice.

They’ve never hired an experienced hockey president. They’ve never hired and experienced gm. And other than the knee jerk reaction to babs using them and trading for byslma, they’ve cheaped out on coaches.

Their coaches and gm’s have never been on the same page, with the same vision for the team.

This is why, it doesn’t matter, burn it down or keep building around guys.

Some one mentioned earlier, something along the lines of, Ralph took a sports car and is trying to use it as an off road vehicle.

His system is not playing to the strengths of his players. It’s like when Rex Ryan took a top 5 4-3 defense and forced them to play a 3-4. It ain’t gonna work.

Until you find an experienced coach (Galant, bbq Bruce) that will use his pieces properly we will continue to have this inconsistent, mediocre, crap.

The worst thing pegs did in the last year is not hire and listen to duds because “they knew better”. I got ten years to show that they don’t know poop.
- Gr8daygo

They didn't do that on the football side either, despite the fanbase yelling for it, and it's worked out in spades. Call it luck if you want, but the only difference between the Bills and the Sabres is that they missed on their evaluation on the hockey side, but didn't on the football side.

Also, I know that Gallant is everyone's favorite, but the way he was fired by not one team, but two, gives me pause. Something screams difficult to work with to me.

They didn't do that on the football side either, despite the fanbase yelling for it, and it's worked out in spades. Call it luck if you want, but the only difference between the Bills and the Sabres is that they missed on their evaluation on the hockey side, but didn't on the football side.
- buffalofan19

3 times now for the Sabres.
Maybe they should step back and step aside, as it clearly isn't working for the last 9 years.
When talking Sabres, who gives a poop about the Bills.

Jason Botterill and Phil Housley were the biggest "next guy" names the year the Sabres hired them, which was the same year the Bills hired McDermott and Beane. The latter had just as much experience at their positions being first-years as the former. The only difference between the two tandems was that only one of them was actually for real.
- buffalofan19

I like this comparison 19.

Probably part of the reason the pegula's went off the board at coach this time. (Kinda)
Soccer experience and nice guy from the building next to the arena. 2 nice human beings.

Tmgm and bylsma to some degree. (Tandem)

Having the coach "in place " before the gm, seems to be a pegulas move. I like the concept.

Getting Excited it's almost 7, game time The World Poker Tour is on.
- Buff36

Oh my

already not 5 minutes in.

Wow

Nice Okposo

Wow
- 3rd GM's the charm

Lol Hutton wasn’t even close. I get it’s not his fault. But good lord.

Wow
- 3rd GM's the charm

Hell of a job Okposo

Kyle Okposo is good