I don’t believe that though. There is enough talent on this team, you see it when they beat teams like Boston. I’m fully convinced it’s time for a coaching change.
You’ve got Vanek, a guy who was leading the NHL in goals for half the year, who probably still would be fighting for that lead had he not been out of the lineup for so long. So please, I’ve heard enough with people saying, “We don’t have a superstar”. Vanek may not get humped by Versus like Crosby or Ovechkin, but he is a top 5 goal scorer.
Tallinder, Lydman, Spacek, Sekara, Numminen… I’m happy with that defensive core.
Miller/Lalime… That’s a solid goaltending combo. They’ll never be in the top of the stats because of the high risk style the Sabres play, but they’re both above average goalies.
What we lack is consistancy and the ability to adapt when “the system” isn’t working.
The final straw with Ruff for me was when he put Kalinin and Pratt together and they looked like our best defensive pair on the team. Even the announcers were saying, “this looks like a completely different Kalinin”. It stayed that way for 2 games then Ruff shifted the lines around again.
The way we were struggling last night why not put the old Vanek, Roy, Afinegenov line back? Or the Connelly, Stafford, Vanek line that was so deadly when Connelly came back?
And I know Ruff loves Mair because Mair plays like Ruff used to (poorly, with lots of heart), but WTF is Mair doing out there on multiple 4 on 4 opportunities?
This team is just a huge disappointment. They have the talent and they can win as shown when they play a decent team like Boston. They can play good and win tough games. Then you have the Ottowa games that should be cake but we can’t score to save our lives.
It just seems like this team gives up when behind and slows down when they’re ahead. I don’t know how many 2 or 3 goal leads have dwindled to nothing in the 3rd period this year. And like last night…they go down 2-1 and it seems like they give up and just say fuck it. I don’t think it’s a stamina issue with the team as much of an attitude.
Goal tending is more than solid as Lalime has stepped up big time. He’s shown the skills that many starting goaltenders in this league wish they had. This team has players that can score at will when they want to but it almost seems like they’re not even trying as of late.
I’ve always been a huge supporter of Ruff and just blamed it on young talent that needs to mature in years past but this year is different. There are veterans on this team. Some of these guys have been playing together for years so you can’t write off chemistry. Maybe it is time for Ruff to go. Maybe he’s too comfortable with where he is since he’s been there a rather long time.
Either way this team needs to change to have a chance at making the playoffs. The only team helping them are the rangers so they need to step up and win big games. They were pretty much a sure thing there for a while then started dropping games. I don’t know when/if they’ll realize they need to stop doing that in order to extend their season.
That’s the core of it right there. You have a coach who’s too comfortable and a number of players who know they are his favorites and are also far too comfortable.
There has to be some behind the scenes stuff going on that we don’t see. GM who wants more say in the coaching style that Carbonneau doesn’t agree with etc. I’d like to know who’s call it was to cut Huet the year everyone thought Montreal was going to the cup, only to have Price fall apart in the playoffs leaving Montreal with no seasoned goaltender to fall back on. If was Carbonneau I don’t want him. If Carbonneau was against it buy that man some wings and get him to Buffalo for a chat with management.
Or maybe Carbonneau slept with a player’s wife a la the Nolan rumors.
I think Ruff is a valuable asset to the team and I don’t want him to leave completely. Even if they just tried out a coach for the rest of this year to see what happens…if it doesn’t work have Lindy back next year if you must.
I think Carbonneau would work well with this team.
Most of this team has had Ruff as their coach for their entire career. You don’t think that getting rid of Ruff would negatively effect the team’s overall attitude? I just really don’t see it being a help.
Anyone who’s attitude stayed a problem past a week needs to go anyway. They’re the ones who are coasting half the time because they’ve been with Ruff so long they know exactly how much effort they have to put in.
And I think it would really help some of these guys who have been with Ruff forever to see some new ideas, new plays and new methods.
That was a great fight for kaleta. It was awesome to see him man up and brawl with a big guy like ashham, and he did more than hold his own. He pretty much showed every guy in the league aiming for him next game, that he isnt going to back down, and hell throw down with them.
On the other hand that was about the only good thing in that game, something is seriously wrong with the laziness of the players, and the coaches lack of discipline on those players. Two terrible terrible games. Something needs to change.
I honestly don’t see our problems being a coaching issue. Its not like he’s Dick Juron or something. If the players attitudes are an issue then thats where you start.
I personally liked what Montreal did with Kovalev. I say we sit our non players. Pomminville for example. Call up a prospect from Portland and say “this guy is replacing you tonight because you are not getting the job done” even if the AHLer doesn’t produce it still sends a signal that your job is vulnerable if you are not producing.
