Michael Pachla: Perhaps letting Ted Nolan go at the time wasn't the best move for Buffalo

This reads as more of an issue with the players than the coaching.

Ted Nolans guys ran through a brick wall because those players from that team were by and large that type.

It was a team largely made up of grinders and guys fighting for NHL deals.

A "leader" like ROR shouldn't need a ted nolan screaming in his ear to get off his ass and play hard consistently.

The effort level is just the tip of the iceberg with this team imo. Most of the time the issue is fundamental skills that they lack. How often have we seen good plays drawn up only to have them foiled because d-man x can't make an accurate pass, or forward y can't catch up/stay on side?

Excellent work as usual Pach.

I have always been a big fan of what Ted Nolan brought to the table. This team could have definitely benefited from his approach.

This reads as more of an issue with the players than the coaching.

Ted Nolans guys ran through a brick wall because those players from that team were by and large that type.

It was a team largely made up of grinders and guys fighting for NHL deals.

A "leader" like ROR shouldn't need a ted nolan screaming in his ear to get off his ass and play hard consistently.

The effort level is just the tip of the iceberg with this team imo. Most of the time the issue is fundamental skills that they lack. How often have we seen good plays drawn up only to have them foiled because d-man x can't make an accurate pass, or forward y can't catch up/stay on side?
- Sabresfan-365

it's not a matter of "screaming in an ear," it's about the ability to coach a variety of players in different ways to bring out the best in them

Excellent work as usual Pach.

I have always been a big fan of what Ted Nolan brought to the table. This team could have definitely benefited from his approach.
- feetontheair22

I just think it would've helped the team moving forward having him lay a foundation for a season or more dependent upon the results...but I also realize that babcock was hitting the market and Bylsma was available as a back-up plan

it's not a matter of "screaming in an ear," it's about the ability to coach a variety of players in different ways to bring out the best in them
- Michael Pachla

which ted nolan didn't do. the guys who responded best to him are the guys you'd expect to.

its like torts in NYR, i didn't have to be in that room to know torts brought out the best in callahan and that he and gaborik wouldn't get along.

Gaborik still scored 40+ goals twice under him. Has less to do with who was head coach and more to do with the player himself. Even if it's not about barking in one's ear, some of these core guys shouldn't need a specific type of coach to get their best performance.

Nice piece.

I don't think keeping Nolan would have hurt, but I don't think it would have helped either. I think Nolan probably let the players do whatever they wanted. "Play hard and have fun" seemed like his M.O.

If anything, Darcy should have started tearing it down during the lockout-shortened season and kept Ruff. Maybe if they kept Ruff, he would have gotten fired the year they hired Bylsma. Nolan was a players coach, Ruff was not.

I haven't liked a single coach since Ruff

which ted nolan didn't do. the guys who responded best to him are the guys you'd expect to.

its like torts in NYR, i didn't have to be in that room to know torts brought out the best in callahan and that he and gaborik wouldn't get along.

Gaborik still scored 40+ goals twice under him. Has less to do with who was head coach and more to do with the player himself. Even if it's not about barking in one's ear, some of these core guys shouldn't need a specific type of coach to get their best performance.
- Sabresfan-365

two of gaborik's three 40-goal seasons were under torts and his first one came in '05-'06 the first year of the no-touch "new" nhl...

i'm not saying Nolan would have taken this team to the promised land or even into the playoffs had they kept him...I just think that if they had him at least that first year after jack was drafted, that vogl probably wouldn't have found the need to right that article

Nice piece.

I don't think keeping Nolan would have hurt, but I don't think it would have helped either. I think Nolan probably let the players do whatever they wanted. "Play hard and have fun" seemed like his M.O.

If anything, Darcy should have started tearing it down during the lockout-shortened season and kept Ruff. Maybe if they kept Ruff, he would have gotten fired the year they hired Bylsma. Nolan was a players coach, Ruff was not.

I haven't liked a single coach since Ruff
- jcragcrumple

ruff was underrated in buffaloand seen as a coach who throttled offense despite those two ecf teams...

i'd consider bringing him back

two of gaborik's three 40-goal seasons were under torts and his first one came in '05-'06 the first year of the no-touch "new" nhl...

i'm not saying Nolan would have taken this team to the promised land or even into the playoffs had they kept him...I just think that if they had him at least that first year after jack was drafted, that vogl probably wouldn't have found the need to right that article
- Michael Pachla

Read more, thats what i said. It didn't matter who gaborik's coach was, goal scorer did his thing and scored goals, whether he liked his coach or not( and they definitely did not)

Vogl felt the need to write that the same way Harrington felt the need to write the matthews is eons better than eichel piece and the same way Bill Hoppe wrote that idiotic piece on how Kasdorf was more than a throw in.

The coaching might be a problem, it might not. we'll never know until a semi competent team is assembled.

ruff was underrated in buffaloand seen as a coach who throttled offense despite those two ecf teams...

i'd consider bringing him back
- Michael Pachla

Anybody to show a little fire.



Rolston- garden gloves
Nolan - always grinning
Disco- gum chewing
Housley - gum chewing
Ruff- yelling at Vanek, the refs, other coaches

two of gaborik's three 40-goal seasons were under torts and his first one came in '05-'06 the first year of the no-touch "new" nhl...

i'm not saying Nolan would have taken this team to the promised land or even into the playoffs had they kept him...I just think that if they had him at least that first year after jack was drafted, that vogl probably wouldn't have found the need to right that article
- Michael Pachla

He would have found the need to write something equally outlandish, instead.

My disdain for Ted Nolan is well documented. That said, this team certainly wouldn't be worse under him. We'd have a team that the blue collar fanbase would feel better about, but still not a very good one.

Anybody to show a little fire.



Rolston- garden gloves
Nolan - always grinning
Disco- gum chewing
Housley - gum chewing
Ruff- yelling at Vanek, the refs, other coaches
- jcragcrumple

How bout the players show some fire? Oh right they can't cause any emotion from Eichel is dismissed as a kid whining. This is exactly the sort of poop that makes me wanna watch basketball

yeah but dahlin didn't score on that one rush and that's the object of the game. it went right over my head at first.
- Sabresfan-365

You took the bait

You took the bait
- kingcong39

I don't get it

Read more, thats what i said. It didn't matter who gaborik's coach was, goal scorer did his thing and scored goals, whether he liked his coach or not( and they definitely did not)

Vogl felt the need to write that the same way Harrington felt the need to write the matthews is eons better than eichel piece and the same way Bill Hoppe wrote that idiotic piece on how Kasdorf was more than a throw in.

The coaching might be a problem, it might not. we'll never know until a semi competent team is assembled.
- Sabresfan-365

and that's the debate...where did it all go wrong

I don't get it
- Sabresfan-365

He was poking fun at you by using your advanced stats background as a reply to a picture you posted.

and that's the debate...where did it all go wrong
- Michael Pachla

I don't think it's much of a debate..

He was poking fun at you by using your advanced stats background as a reply to a picture you posted.
- kingcong39

pretty sure goal is a basic stat so if he was it went over my head

and that's the debate...where did it all go wrong
- Michael Pachla

It all went wrong with Murray needlessly attempting to speed up the rebuild.

The rest is window dressing and nothing more.

pretty sure goal is a basic stat so if he was it went over my head
- Sabresfan-365

Somebody mentioned yesterday the idea of trading the 1st pick for the 2nd or 3rd pick and a player like OEL.

Nobody trades the 1st pick, even when it is someone like Yakopov, let alone when it is someone like Dahlin.

Somebody mentioned yesterday the idea of trading the 1st pick for the 2nd or 3rd pick and a player like OEL.

Nobody trades the 1st pick, even when it is someone like Yakopov, let alone when it is someone like Dahlin.
- kingcong39

yeah that's what i was responding to when i posted that gif of dahlin. Why on earth would anyone trade down from that. Probably the best player in the deal right now

Motivating players is one thing...

But idk that I’d trust Nolan to “develop” the kids

Somebody mentioned yesterday the idea of trading the 1st pick for the 2nd or 3rd pick and a player like OEL.

Nobody trades the 1st pick, even when it is someone like Yakopov, let alone when it is someone like Dahlin.
- kingcong39

I don't hate the idea. Say we're #1 and the Coyotes are 2.

OEL(has to be open to an extension), Domi and 2 for #1?

Full disclosure, I've never watched Dahlin play

I don't hate the idea. Say we're #1 and the Coyotes are 2.

OEL(has to be open to an extension), Domi and 2 for #1?

Full disclosure, I've never watched Dahlin play
- jcragcrumple

Dahlin at 18 and entry level money>>>OEL at massive extension, were a few years away anyways. Dahlin could very well end up the better player too.