This is where last year's Sabres collapsed...

Posted by: Ironsides



Last season's Sabres started 9-3-3 and had us all believing that they were a changed team that was committed to playing better defensively; they then proceeded to lose five straight games, all in regulation, got zero of 10 points, and plummeted to 9-8-3. That skid was a major reason why the Sabres missed the playoffs by a couple points.

This year, the Sabres are 10-4-1, good for 21 points (identical to last season). I think we're all too smart to buy into them just yet, though, as the 15-game mark is exactly when the collapse began in 2008-09.

With that in mind, I did some research of last year's team through 15 games to this season's. Here is what I found...

2008

Goals for: 47 (3.1 GPG)
Goals against: 36 (2.4 GAPG)
Shots for: 447 (29.8 SPG)
Shots against: 448 (29.9 SAPG)
Power play: 19 for 77 (25 percent)
Penalty kill: 56 for 63 (89 percent)
Key forwards' performance: Vanek - 15 GP, 12 goals, three assists; Connolly - Five GP, two goals, four assists; Roy - 15 GP, two goals, six assists; Pominville - 15 GP, five goals, six assists; Stafford - 13 GP, two goals, one assist.

2009

Goals for: 43 (2.9 GPG)
Goals against: 34 (2.3 GPG)
Shots for: 505 (34 SPG)
Shots against: 450 (30 SAPG)
Power play: 13 for 74 (17.6 percent)
Penalty kill: 43 for 54 (79.6 percent)
Key forwards' performance: Vanek - 13 GP, five goals, three assists; Connolly - 15 GP, four goals, 11 assists; Roy - 15 GP, three goals, nine assists; Pominville - 15 GP, four goals, seven assists; Stafford - 15 GP, five goals, three assists.

Pretty similar stats. The optimistic person would say this year's team has gotten off to a better start without Vanek tearing it up, though the counterpoint to that is the fact that Connolly, unlike last season, hasn't missed a game yet; also, it's clear the team is still giving up too many shots and has declined drastically on special teams. Again, the optimist would say they're 10-4-1 despite Vanek's disappearance and poor special teams.

I'm looking at tomorrow's game versus Calgary almost like the beginning of a new season. This is where last year's team's fade began, and the stats from the two seasons are fairly similar; let's see what this group of guys is made of as we approach the final 67 games.

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TalkBuffaloSports.com - This Is Where Last Year's Sabres collapsed...

Jacques Lemaire comments and TBS.com members feedback...

New Jersey HC Jacques Lemaire:

"We faced a team that was ready," said head coach Jacques Lemaire. "You can tell why they're on top and have such a great record. They have four good lines and they all play the same way. They're a puck-control team; they can make great plays; they skate; and they're on the puck. There's no doubt we faced a better team tonight."

Ironsides:
Ready? Against Jacques Lemaire, one of the most effective coaches in the NHL? But ... I thought Lindy Ruff was a terrible coach? Funny that these types of comments have trickled out after nearly every single Sabres win this season from the opposition. Hugely successful coaches like Babcock, Lemaire et al clearly respect their peer Ruff, which they obviously should.

BuffaloSportsFanInFlorida:
I might have to "rethink" my whole attitude towards Ruff still being the coach after 12 years. He's certainly got them motivated so far this year...time will tell, though. The real litmus test will be where the Sabs are come April.

Not Paying $60:
That is what I was referring to in a round about way. Having four lines that play the whole game. The results have been better without having some players switch lines and take up the slack during the game, because one certain player only was playing a few shifts a game.

Resident Tough Guy:
Wrong. The key to success is Mike Grier and how well the checking line has played, not the loss of Peters. Also, not having Mair play has helped...dumb penalties are a killer.

Thumper:
Grier is a huge part of all of this. One of the biggest for sure. But there's so many other factors.

Myers. Miller. 4 centermen. Ruff's new puck possession philosophy that he picked up from Babs. Youthful energy in Kennedy and Myers. The blossoming of Butler. Accountability from Grier and Montador; and like step and Slider pointed out, players like Hecht and Gaustad are playing with in their talents and are being asked to do what they're good at. Why this year and not last? The makeup of the team has changed. They don't have to be asked to play over and beyond what they're capable of. Regier's fixed his roster.

There's more chemistry developing on this team right now than there's been since '05-'06.

MauvaisSang:
Great posts in this thread. For them to be a contender, I still think they need to strengthen the wing on the scoring lines, and Derek Roy needs to wake the fuck up and play like a first line center.

buffalofan19:
Honestly, though, this is the third or 4th coach that has said after a game something along the lines of "they were just better than we were". This team is incredibly focused and down to business. The question is, can they maintain it throughout 82 games?

geokit:
He is tied for the lead in points with 7 and is a plus 3.

I think he has finally woken up and is taking care of his own end first. He has bought into the system and now everyone wants his head on a platter.

I don't care if they are secondary assists or not, they all count and it just means that he is getting the puck to the right person before it goes to the goal scorer.

The goals will come. He is on the top line, getting the most attention from other teams, which is allowing the 2nd, 3rd and 4th lines to generate the scoring opportunities against weaker lines.

Thumper:
He's piled up the assists, which is nice. But he's still got a bit of a Max-syndrome going on in the offensive zone. I'd like to see him stop trying to skate through multiple defenders, and I'd like to see him get the puck deep more often.




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Sabres log jammed at forward...

Posted by: Thumper


For all intensive purposes, the top 9 forwards are set (considering Stafford will eventually sign....Although that front is strangely silent)....It's got me thinking of this roster minus Stafford.

Regier brought in Cody McCormick, a player that I personally would like to be a lock for the 4th line. If he can dress for 55 games or so, I really like the toughness he adds. He's listed as a center, however, he only won 35.5% of his faceoffs last season. He probably needs to play on the wing for that reason. That means Mair or Ellis is your 4th line center. Most likely Adam Mair. Fully healthy, he should physically be able to have a better season than last year. If he can't, it's really time for the Sabres to move on, and early in the season.

Are Mair and Kaleta the only 4th line locks? Will Ruff alternate between McCormick and Ellis throughout the season? What about Kennedy and Gerbe then? Do either one of them really have of a chance to make this team? With Regier bringing back Ellis and signing McCormick, it really log jammed the 4th line, and perhaps, strangely stunts the growth of Gerbe and Kennedy.

I was toying around with the idea of Kaleta skating with Vanek and Connolly on the first line. It'd be great if Ruff could just try it in preseason for a game or two. This Stafford situation is curious to say the least. The Sabres could potentially be light on the right wing. So yes, I'm actually serious. Think about it. He's got the legs to skate with them. He's defensively very sound. He backchecks. He makes opponents forget what they're doing while he's on the ice because they need to focus on him. Instead of players on the opposition plotting to run Connolly, they'd be more worried about getting run by Kaleta. Think of the space he creates on the forecheck. He creates time, forcing players to look over their shoulder. Letting him play his crash and bang style, as if he's on the 4th line, with the offensive talent and vision of Connolly and Vanek, it could be a lethal combination. He also brings a bit of protection to our star players, actully being on the ice while they are. Kaleta wins battles behind the net. All he's got to do is crash and bang, and dig pucks out down low, and let Connolly and Vanek do the rest.

Pominville might have the offensive talent to play on the first line, but his style and size doesn't compliment Connolly and Vanek really at all. He's a perimeter shooter, and he's pretty weak on the puck. Paille and MacArthur don't consistantly bring it every night, and both play left wing.

With this Stafford cloud just hanging there, it's forcing me to think of other alternatives.

The other option would be to play Paille up there. Although the fire in his belly is what worries me. But if he were to go out and crash and bang like he used to in Juniors, he's got way more offensive talent than Kaleta. Perhaps that makes more sense. But he needs to grow up a bit, and he's not nearly physical enough game in, game out. That's why the Kaleta idea intrigues me. At least enough to give it a try before the season starts.

Have at it.


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Jauron's miserable history in Chicago...

Originally Posted by: ALL D


First, even though I was not a 'Jauron Hater' before this research, I began to question his fortunes after all the negative information out there...

I wanted to analyze how a career 7-9 Coach (.429 pct somehow consistent record) seems to be given opportunity time and time again... Let's start on how Jauron was given a Head Coaching job in the first place...

In 1999, Dave McGinnis was announced as the head coach of the Chicago Bears before they even came to contract terms with him. Embarassment immediately led them scrambling to their immediate second option, D. Jauron. The Bears passed on coaches, Brian Billick, Jim Haslett and the Jets defensive co-ordinator Bill Belichick. ( I wonder if Belichick had any hard feelings over that) Jauron must of had a great interview because his subpar defense with Jacksonville averaging from 2nd - 9th worst in total yards allowed in a 4 year span... Coughlin did bring success to the Jags but that had little to do with Jauron..

On to Chicago, The Bears had little success with Dave Wannstedt and the Bears team suffered (2) straight 4-12 seasons in 97-98... They needed their team to develop winning ways, hence, Coach Jauron... The 1999 Bears went 6-10. They had almost reached jaurons full potential with only one more win in his first year as H.C... The 1999 Draft wasn't very successful for the Bears. Mark Hatley and D.J. chose a huge letdown with their 12th overall pick, Cade McNown, along with Russell Davis, Rex Tucker and D'Wayne Bates. Not a solid draft. The Bears seemed better then with Wannstedt though...

During the 2000 season the Bears ended up with a 5-11 record. The Bears now had to trade up to get the much wanted Plaxico Burress but instead, they chose Brian Urlacher who was named rookie of the year in 2000... DJ named McNown starting QB for 2000 and it ended up being McNowns final season...The decision to bring back DJ was a similiar situation to what we are going through right now... At the end of a dismal season, Bears Team President Ted Phillips stated that 'Coach Jauron has all the intangibles to lead this team, and does a good job in motivating the players to keep playing for him.'

Finally a Winning Season with Playoff Aspirations- 2001

On September 9th, 2001 (two days before our Nation's tragedy) Jauron's Bears fought the Superbowl champion Raven's valiantly. They lost but now they didn't have to deal with McNown anymore. A new man in charge Their defense was stellar.

The 2001 draft brought David Terrell to the team and A-Train. A.T would amass 1,163 yds and the team would go on to get crushed in their 1st playoff game

Urlacher 6 sacks, 90 takles
Rosevelt Colvin 10.5 sacks
Phillip Daniels 9 sacks
The team finished 1st in the league with only giving up 203 points...

I would love to figure out how Jauron stepped outside his consistent coaching ways and took this Bears team to a 13-3 record... After this season, the Bears had high expectations and slipped back to their 4-12 record. which caused the firing of our now Head Coach, D.J. in 2003... What was his record at the end of '03'?? you got it, 7-9


Some facts about Jauron that you might or might not know...

Jauron started in the NFL under Hank Bullough, while in Buffalo before getting replaced by Marv and crew...

Coughlin and Jauron were together on the Packers' coaching staff for the 1986 and '87 seasons

In his nine years with the Packers, Jauron worked under three different head coaches. He joined the organization in 1986 under Forrest Gregg, and was retained when Lindy Infante took over in 1988 and in 1992 when Mike Holmgren was named Green Bay's head coach. The Packers reached the playoffs each of Jauron's last two years, and in his nine seasons in Green Bay, the defense made 168 interceptions in 143 games.


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Pondslider's take on Regier's WGR 550 Radio Appearance...

Originally Posted by Pondslider in response to this thread "Regier on WGR 550 Now!":

This front office is a mess. They say they want to be like the Red Wings, but they don't want to put any of the work into it. Good teams should be constantly looking to improve themselves by identifying weaknesses and trying to correct them not just "Weeeeeeeeell, we think we have a good young team, we'll see where we are and we'll keep an open eye on the market and you have to understand that the prices teams are paying down the road are going to...." No. Fuck you. Everyone is dealing with the same market and yet someone always wins the Stanley Cup every year and it isn't you! There's apparently no accountability from ownership. When the season ended didn't Quinn say that there would be a thorough evaluation of the team from the top to the bottom and then like two days later he said that there wouldn't be any changes? That must have been pretty thorough. "Well the players all said..." No. Fuck you. That was your first mistake. Don't ask the players. This isn't some fucking commune. Everyone is not equal. Someone smarter than the players is supposed to be making these decisions. So now they're a little over a week away from the start of Free Agency and they are already trying to lower the fans' already low expectations. Fuck.

/rant

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talkbuffalosports.com "Regier on WGR 550 Now!"

My tentative offseason plan...

Posted by Carl J. Ironsides:

Trades:

To Philadelphia - Jochen Hecht
To Buffalo - Daniel Briere

In terms of a player-for-player swap, Buffalo wins this hands down. However, the Flyers are desperate to get rid of Briere's six-year, $34 million contract. To do so, they'll likely need to lose the trade because Briere's contract really brings his value down. If they got rid of Briere and took Hecht's three-year deal for just over $10 mill, they might be able to pursue Jay Bouwmeester, whom they covet.

To Vancouver - Derek Roy
To Buffalo - Kevin Bieksa

The re-acquisition of Briere makes Roy redundant, although the latter is a better two-way center; however, Connolly is no slouch in that department. Plus, Roy embodies everything that's wrong with these Sabres. I'm tired of his on- and off-ice fggtry, and if the rumor that he's uncoachable is true, the Sabres should hastily get rid of Roy. Given his production and good contract (four years, $17M), he would probably have a lot of value on the trade market. And if Vancouver can't retain Henrik Sedin, Roy would be a solid replacement. In addition, the Sabres would get the top-pairing, tough, two-way D-man they've coveted for a while. Bieksa is signed for two years and $7 million.

To Whomever - Henrik Tallinder
To Buffalo - Draft pick

Hank needs a change of scenery, and the Sabres would need to even out their budget if they dealt Hecht for Briere. Moving Tallinder's one-year, $3.25 deal for a mid-round pick would enable them to revamp their team without spending much more cash, if any.

Re-signings (too lazy to provide hypothetical contracts): Ellis, Kaleta, MacArthur, Peters, Stafford, Mancari, Sekera.

2009-10 Buffalo Sabres Forwards:

Vanek-Connolly-Stafford

Paille-Briere-Pominville (Note: The second line seems high for Paille after his horrible season, but Briere and Pominville would need a gritty player to accompany them, as neither is exactly tough. Paille would provide this line some sandpaper and just might surprise offensively. Two years ago, he had 19 goals; there's no reason he couldn't be a 20-goal, 40-point guy playing with these two offensive talents. He would need to work his ass off, though, and not loaf like last season.)

MacArthur-Gaustad-Kaleta

Peters/Ellis-Mair-Mancari. Thirteenth forward - Peters/Ellis.

Defense & Goalies:

Lydman-Bieksa
Butler-Rivet
Sekera-Myers (Note: Sekera with Myers isn't ideal, obviously, as Ty should be paired with a vet; however, it was the only option I saw.)

Miller-Lalime


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talkbuffalosports.com - My tentative offseason plan...

Posted by: Uncle Jesse


So I was thinking about this today, and could barely come up with any names without looking some up to check on, but how many good coach's in sports (any pro sport MLB, NHL, NFL, NBA etc.) never really played the game before?

There has to be some great sports minds, who never played that sport at the pro or minor league level, but were successful coach's.

Any names? I'm pretty interested to see who would be on such a list.


Posted by: Emocoremakesmecry

...of the 14 hall of fame head coaches in the nfl only ditka has ever won a super bowl.


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