@boosbuzzsabres
It seems like a classic wash-rinse-repeat September day in Buffalo as on-ice training camp sessions begin for the Sabres. Five years ago it was Stanley Cup-winning head coach Dan Bylsma leading practice after taking over for Ted Nolan, who coached the Sabres through most of their 2013-15 tank seasons. Bylsma was relieved of his duties two years later and in came rookie head coach Phil Housley, who's top-notch work with the Nashville Predators defense as an assistant turned him into a top head coaching candidate whom the Sabres hired.
Both Bylsma and Housley laid out their philosophies prior to the opening of camp but in the end their tenures lasted two years each. Both ended up with underachieving clubs and prior to their dismissal, both had lost the locker room. The duo finished 23rd, 26th, 31st (a first for the league with the inclusion on the expansion Vegas Golden Knights) and 27th, respectively, and their combined 126-157-454 post-tank record was last in the league during that period. It was a dismal showing, especially for a team and fanbase where the promised "suffering" of 2013-15 came to fruition but wasn't followed by any modicum of success save for maybe the 2015-16 season.
So out went an aloof head coach in Bylsma and a rookie coach in Housley who was in way over his head and in comes Krueger.
Ralph Krueger is a 60 yr. old Winnipeg, Manitoba native who's last job was chairman of the Premier League soccer club, Southampton FC. Krueger started his own company, TeamLife, and authored a book,
Team Life--Beyond Setbacks to Success, which put him on the motivational speaker circuit. He was also a member of the World Economic Forum based out of Switzerland. His hockey resume includes over 360 games of professional hockey between the WHL and German professional leagues, he was an assistant coach and head coach in Europe, head coach of national teams and had a stint as an assistant coach with the NHL's Edmonton Oilers before he became their head coach in the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season. Krueger was also a consultant for the Carolina Hurricanes and was head coach of a surprising Team Europe in the inaugural 2016 World Cup of Hockey.
To say he's worldly and well-round would be an understatement and he's made an impact wherever he's been. Former Oilers head coach Tom Renney hired Krueger as his assistant in 2010 and told The Athletic's John Vogl, "Whether it's Game 1 of 82 or Game 82 of 82, I promise you that no one will ever leave a conversation with Ralph thinking it was a waste of time. You'll be better for it and he brings with that a terrific disposition that is contagious, honest, sincere, to the point and prepared to help."
The Krueger-effect has hit Buffalo this off season as well. Upon being hired he went to Slovakia to personally talk with two key Sabres cogs--Jack Eichel and Sam Reinhart--who were playing in the 2019 IIHF World Hockey Championships. Krueger had good conversations with each individually that touched upon hockey but also leaned heavily towards getting to know them personally. "He wants to know you as a human being," said Eichel to the gathered media at the opening of camp yesterday. "He wants to know about your family, your likes and dislikes away from the rink and I think he cares a lot about everyone," with the Sabres captain also saying, "I think the guys have really responded to it."
Just how much of a response will be played out over the course of the season and it begins today with on-ice sessions at training camp. Krueger has assembled a staff to his liking that includes assistant coaches Steve Smith (the only holdover from Housley's staff,) Don Granato and goalie coach Mike Bales, and he will be relying on them for input into the systems he deploys. "There could be a specific input from an assistant coach or an angle that I've never heard before or seen before that I will open my mind up to," Kruger told Jourdon LaBarber of Sabres.com, "and maybe it will alter my course.
"We're evolving a brand new way to package this. Now within this package there's going to be a lot of root principles that I believe in as a head coach need to be in place. But there will be others that are new, refreshing. I think that's important. My philosophy is to have clear guidelines but also be flexible about the way you bring them to life."
It's no wonder players are gravitating toward Krueger as flexibility within a clear-cut message is both team friendly and player friendly.
However, it's best to be reminded that right now it's conceptual. Preseason begins Monday and the first of 82 regular season games begins October 3. It's a long season, with many ups and downs and navigating his team through that will be a huge challenge. "As we experience things, the relationships will deepen and the trust will grow, which is the most important thing you can have between coaches and players," said Krueger. "You want to develop trust.
"Everyone who was hired is bringing character with them, and I believe our dressing room and locker room is filled with character. So I trust it's going to happen."
From a Buffalo fans perspective, we've all heard something similar to that before. The question heading in to this season is, will it work?
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Buffalo's practice groups (via sabres.com):
Gold Group
Forwards
49 C.J. Smith - 37 Casey Mittelstadt - 23 Sam Reinhart
73 Matej Pekar - 17 Vladimir Sobotka - 21 Kyle Okposo
90 Marcus Johansson - 74 Rasmus Asplund - 68 Victor Olofsson
20 Scott Wilson - 25 Arttu Ruotsalainen - 15 Jean-Sebastien Dea
12 Kevin Porter - 82 Kyle Olson
Defense
62 Brandon Montour - 8 Casey Nelson
19 Jake McCabe - 3 William Borgen
44 Brandon Hickey - 45 Casey Fitzgerald
61 Devante Stephens - 38 Zach Redmond
Goaltenders
35 Linus Ullmark
36 Andrew Hammond
Blue Group
Skating from 1 to 2:15 p.m. at KeyBank Center (updated)
Forwards
13 Jimmy Vesey - 9 Jack Eichel - 43 Conor Sheary
53 Jeff Skinner - 71 Evan Rodrigues - 27 Curtis Lazar
81 Remi Elie - 42 Dylan Cozens - 72 Tage Thompson
28 Zemgus Girgensons - 22 Johan Larsson - 52 Andrew Oglevie
46 Eric Cornel - 47 Sean Malone
Defense
6 Marco Scandella - 33 Colin Miller
58 John Gilmour - 55 Rasmus Ristolainen
26 Rasmus Dahlin - 78 Jacob Bryson
10 Henri Jokiharju
Goaltenders
34 Jonas Johansson
40 Carter Hutton
50 Michael Houser
Those who will not participate in camp:
D, Zach Bogosian (hip surgery)
D, Lawrence Pilut (shoulder surgery)
D, Matt Hunwick (neck, IR)
G, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (hip surgery)
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