Michael Pachla: 2014-15 Team Stats--February The 2015 Trade Deadline has "come around."

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- Da_Cashman

Ankle

I've said it before and I'll say it again, Sabres head coach Ted Nolan has done an outstanding job this season. Back during their 10-3 run, he showed the players what can happen if they followed his lead. It was a classic Nolan-coached team where belief overcame lack of talent. From mid-December through January when the team took a nose-dive to the bottom of the league, he showed Murray and Co. that he can focus upon the future, most notably the upcoming 2015 draft.

I disagree here. The only thing Nolan showed the team IMO is that he can ride hot goaltending to victories. The team was outplayed and outplayed poorly during that stretch. Even Murray said it himself when talking about analytics that the numbers didn't change they just got more wins.

He doesn't need to ship everybody out to maintain the "tank". This team still stinks as it is, as evidenced last night.

The only threat to the first or second overall pick is teams not taking them seriously, which can't be avoided by trading players.

That being said, I hope Stewart is gone tomorrow and Neuvirth stays.

I disagree here. The only thing Nolan showed the team IMO is that he can ride hot goaltending to victories. The team was outplayed and outplayed poorly during that stretch. Even Murray said it himself when talking about analytics that the numbers didn't change they just got more wins.
- Stripes77

That's been the MO of his career. Let goaltending mask his shortcomings.

I disagree here. The only thing Nolan showed the team IMO is that he can ride hot goaltending to victories. The team was outplayed and outplayed poorly during that stretch. Even Murray said it himself when talking about analytics that the numbers didn't change they just got more wins.
- Stripes77

just my opinion...the Nolan debate is a good one and will continue for a while...how long is to be determined

just my opinion...the Nolan debate is a good one and will continue for a while...how long is to be determined
- Michael Pachla

Oh I know and I am not jumping on you for your opinion, just voicing mine.

Another good read as usual though

That's been the MO of his career. Let goaltending mask his shortcomings.
- buffalofan19

guess it depends on what you think of rick dipietro and wade dublewicz when Nolan was on long island

Oh I know and I am not jumping on you for your opinion, just voicing mine.

Another good read as usual though
- Stripes77

as always, thx for taking the time to read (reed, reid, wread) it

Michael Pachla: 2014-15 Team Stats--February
The 2015 Trade Deadline has "come around."
- Michael Pachla

I have always liked and respected your articles as they are written with fairness and courtesy unlike one of the mainstream Buffalo writers who is an opinionated bully.
I disagree with your assessment of Ted Nolan.
He has 22 players working with him, most with a number of NHL games on their resume.
Name one who is better this year as a result of Nolan's leadership?
"Work hard" is good but you have to accompany it with something else.

just my opinion...the Nolan debate is a good one and will continue for a while...how long is to be determined
- Michael Pachla

I think the Nolan debate was decided a while ago. He has 6 weeks left before he heads back to juniors or Latvia.

The Sabres have played about 3-4 games total this year that they actually outplayed the other team and deserved to win. That's it. Nolan in my opinion is a joke of a coach. And I strongly believe guys like CoHo would be not having this miserable of a season with a qualified NHL coach. As a matter of fact I don't see a single player that has flourished under Nolan's leadership.

From previous blog

I'd start with a low ball offer of the 2nd. If they want a player and a fair one-one hockey trade we'd have to offer up Foligno/Flynn/Deslauriers, something like that. Or Larsson and a 2nd. Would you offer Hodgson for Atkinson? Pay a portion of Hodgson's salary to entice the deal?
- mhp

I'd do Hodgson (maybe eat a quarter of his celery with some bleu cheese), or Larsson/Flynn and a 2nd

The Sabres have played about 3-4 games total this year that they actually outplayed the other team and deserved to win. That's it. Nolan in my opinion is a joke of a coach. And I strongly believe guys like CoHo would be not having this miserable of a season with a qualified NHL coach. As a matter of fact I don't see a single player that has flourished under Nolan's leadership.
- Smittyx36

The Hodgson thing again? Really? The guy wore out his welcome at the last stop and slowly wore out his welcome here. He went from top line center to second line center to third line winger (because he couldn't play D) to press box. Different coaches, different GM's, same Coho. A few brief stretches of points on the PP isn't going to save his career.

The Sabres have played about 3-4 games total this year that they actually outplayed the other team and deserved to win. That's it. Nolan in my opinion is a joke of a coach. And I strongly believe guys like CoHo would be not having this miserable of a season with a qualified NHL coach. As a matter of fact I don't see a single player that has flourished under Nolan's leadership.
- Smittyx36

Except the goalies. Artūrs Irbe seems to be a great goalie coach. I don't know if he would stick around after Nolan is gone though.

The Hodgson thing again? Really? The guy wore out his welcome at the last stop and slowly wore out his welcome here. He went from top line center to second line center to third line winger (because he couldn't play D) to press box. Different coaches, different GM's, same Coho. A few brief stretches of points on the PP isn't going to save his career.
- Slump Buster

34 points in 48 games in the lockout season
44 in 72 last season
9 in 58 this season...

When put in a position to succeed he does a decent job.

Playing the PP and playing with more talented players is what he is best suited for. Its the coaches job to put him there and Nolan is not doing that.

I wouldn't say its the same Coho at all

Except the goalies. Artūrs Irbe seems to be a great goalie coach. I don't know if he would stick around after Nolan is gone though.
- Themomentgood

Tough to say how good he is. Enroth had previously had stretches where he played out of his skull. Neuvy has done it for a few games now. Either way, I can't imagine he stays. If memory serves me he really had to be coaxed to take this job in the first place.

34 points in 48 games in the lockout season
44 in 72 last season
9 in 58 this season...

When put in a position to succeed he does a decent job.

Playing the PP and playing with more talented players is what he is best suited for. Its the coaches job to put him there and Nolan is not doing that.

I wouldn't say its the same Coho at all
- Stripes77

In the lockout season he spent a good amount of time with Vanek and Pommer. He lost that gig because he is awful defensively. Also, he did was ok after Nolan took over. As I said yesterday this is a guy with one foot in the grave of his nhl career.

The Hodgson thing again? Really? The guy wore out his welcome at the last stop and slowly wore out his welcome here. He went from top line center to second line center to third line winger (because he couldn't play D) to press box. Different coaches, different GM's, same Coho. A few brief stretches of points on the PP isn't going to save his career.
- Slump Buster

He hardly played with the Nucks. And i recall the majority of nucks fans were pissed we got him. They said he never really got a chance because of management.

He comes here and puts up good numbers the lockout year and then puts up the the most out of any Sabre on a terrible team last year. He has skill and can put up points. My point is Nolan has no clue how to use him to get the best out of him or anyone on his team

He hardly played with the Nucks. And i recall the majority of nucks fans were pissed we got him. They said he never really got a chance because of management.

He comes here and puts up good numbers the lockout year and then puts up the the most out of any Sabre on a terrible team last year. He has skill and can put up points. My point is Nolan has no clue how to use him to get the best out of him or anyone on his team
- Smittyx36

The argument against him when he played with Vancouver is he had a cushy spot on the 3rd line while the top two lines played the harder minutes.

You must see something that the rest of the NHL is missing. Alexander Semin is a FAR more talented version of Coho and he is (rightfully) sitting in the press box. There is no room for guys like that. If you need the sun, moon and stars to align to be worthwhile it isn't worth it.

Awesome article - as per usual Michael. I personally don't really even think there's a debate regarding Nolan's status. Not that he's done or poor, or even a good job, as the Sabres coach, but I just think he is what he is, and that's the sacrificial lamb.

Nolan had to have come in knowing this team wasn't even going to approach anything that resembled a competitive club. His task was to change the culture of the locker-room from the player-friendly era of Ruff, back to the blue-collar, gritty style of hockey that Buffalo fans want to see.

Depending on how the season ends, Murray's masterpiece work will almost be complete, and one of the next steps will then be bringing in a guy with the ability to coach the newer, upper echelon level of talent this roster will have. Nolan's a developmental guy; he taught hard-work and brought accountability to the locker-room. Now Murray will bring in someone who knows how to take that hard-work and transform that into success.

And honestly - what Sabres fan out there thought to themselves when Nolan was hired "Oh man - NOW this team gets back to playoff caliber." Nolan was hired to be fired. No animosity, it just is what it is.

The argument against him when he played with Vancouver is he had a cushy spot on the 3rd line while the top two lines played the harder minutes.

You must see something that the rest of the NHL is missing. Alexander Semin is a FAR more talented version of Coho and he is (rightfully) sitting in the press box. There is no room for guys like that.
- Slump Buster

Semin is 30 years old and played top line minutes with washington the majority of his career... His numbers with Carolina are very similar to CoHo's...

Semin is 30 years old and played top line minutes with washington the majority of his career... His numbers with Carolina are very similar to CoHo's...
- Smittyx36

Semin was an elite player for quite a while. Coho was never that and will never be that. My point is that both should be sitting in the press box.