I've shared with you my list of head coaching candidates for the Buffalo Sabres.
Should coaching candidates who lack NHL head coaching experience need not apply for the Buffalo Sabres job?
“It’s not a necessity, but I do see it as a value,” Sabres GM Jason Botterill told Elliotte Friedman recently. Friedman wrote extensively about Botterill and the Sabres in his latest installment of his most excellent “30 Thoughts”. In fact, 20% of Friedman's weekly "30 Thoughts" piece was dedicated to the Sabres this week. Get used to it, Sabres fans.
“You can develop as an AHL coach, but the scrutiny from fans, media and organization at the NHL level, how do you handle that? The expectation to win is much greater. That said, I’m not going to limit who we look at.”
Friedman and I agree on several of the head coaching candidates that Botterill will be researching and spending time with in the weeks leading up to the NHL Draft in Chicago.
Botterill’s former Penguins colleague Rick Tocchet was the head coach of the Tampa Lightning. Tocchet is well equipped to act with sufficient tact inside the NHL. Tocchet has dealt with adversity and has learned to navigate difficult waters. Tocchet will be interviewed by Botterill once the Penguins either win a second consecutive Stanley Cup or are eliminated from the playoffs. The Penguins and Senators are currently tied 1-1 in their Eastern Conference Final grudge match. Current Chicago Blackhawks assistant coach Kevin Dineen was heads coach of the Florida Panthers for three seasons and will likely earn himself an interview with Botterill in Buffalo. The Sabres will also be interested in speaking with Nashville Predators assistant coach and D-strategist extraordinaire Phil Housley. San Jose Sharks D-man whisperer Bob Boughner will also likely get a sit down with Botterill in the near future. Friedman hinted that Botterill may ask Montreal for permission to interview Habs assistant coach Kirk Miller, who has head coaching experience on his impressive NHL resume.
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Botterill told Friedman that there are “no restrictions” on which front office personnel he can recruit from the Penguins to work for the Sabres. Pittsburgh to Buffalo. However, the one edict set forth by the Penguins management team is no lateral moves. In other words, Botterill cannot poach Penguins assistant general manager Bill Guerin to be AGM of the Sabres. No lateral moves, just left promotions. Otherwise, it's no dice.
Botterill is hosting his pro and amateur scouts in Buffalo this week. When Tim Murray was fired, his pro and amateur scouting directors followed him out the zamboni door. Botterill needs to fill the void left by the firings of Rob Murphy (pro) and Greg Royce (amateur). Friedman points to former Ottawa Senators and Florida Panthers GM Randy Sexton, who is currently Jim Rutherford’s director of amateur scouting in Pittsburgh. Derek Clancey is Pittsburgh’s director of pro scouting.
Botterill said last Thursday after his introductory presser that he hasn’t been told by the Pegulas that they will be hiring an over-arching president to run the hockey operations. Botterill said in a post-presser scrum that he wishes to model his Buffalo office after Jim Rutherford’s in Pittsburgh that featured a GM with an associate general manager and an assistant general manager. Botterill was Rutherford’s associate general manager while Bill Guerin was the assistant general manager. Jason Karmanos serves as VP of Hockey Operations.
Which lieutenants might Botterill be looking to surround himself with in Buffalo? Keep an eye on former Penguins forward Jarome Iginla and Sabres captain Michael Peca who may being considered to play liaison roles between Botterill, the Sabres and Rochester Amerks players down on the farm. Guerin plays this role to a tee in Pittsburgh. Guerin speaks with the players along with former Penguins hero Mark Recchi. Communication is key in Pittsburgh’s organizational success that the Pegulas are looking to model the Sabres after. Botterill was hired because of his structure, discipline, character and communication traits. Botterill said at his presser that the secret to Wilkes Barre Scranton’s success is that 95% of the time there is a member on Pens management watching the Baby Pens play on a nightly basis. Botterill believes wholeheartedly that the top prospects WNY to know where they stand at all times with their coach and the Pens management team. Botterill said that is the reason why Pens kids Jake Guentzel, Conor Sheary, Bryan Rust, Bryan Dumoulin, Carter Rowney were so successful when they finally got the call up to NHL Pittsburgh.
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Friedman said that Botterill told him he had a great text message exchange with Sabres All Star forward Kyle Okposo. Botterill plans to speak directly with Okposo in the near future. Imposing is recovering from a serious undisclosed medical ailment that cause him to be admitted to the neurological intensive care at a Buffalo hospital. Botterill expects his $42 million winger to be prepared to compete at training camp in September.
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Botterill told Friedman that adding more skill and speed to his D core is at the top of his legal pad on his list of things to do.
“It’s not rocket science,” Botterill said. “We have to address the depth of our D core. Rasmus Ristolainen is a great young player, but we have to help manage his minutes. It’s important. We’re going to look at every possible [method of addition]."
One method that Botterill can employ to acquire a difference maker of a defender is trading power forward Evander Kane.
One of Anaheim, Minnesota, Nashville, Philadelphia or Carolina currently have respective surpluses of quality defenders. The Wild, Flyers, Cane and Preds have roster deficiencies that need to be fortified this summer. Trading Kane in exchange for a top three D-man or a blue chip D prospect is not out of the question.
Botterill didn't trade for Kane. That was Murray’s conquest. In my opinion, Kane’s days in Buffalo are numbered. I can see Botterill flipping Kane for a top pair D. Kane is entering the final year of his deal ($5.25M AAV). Don't kid yourself and don't fooled by sports talk radio blah, blah, blah. Kane is trade currency and his trading value is very high today. Botterill will be exploring trade opportunities. With the Vegas expansion draft right around the corner, several NHL clubs will not be able to protect their veteran and young D. Botterill would be wise to revisit Tim Murray’s lengthy chat with Anaheim and Minnesota on Kane. Cam Fowler to Buffalo came this close to happening last June. The deal fizzled when Murray balked at trading the eighth overall pick for Fowler. Kane for Fowler has been a real possibility for the past year. Kane has scored 48 goals the past two seasons with 43 of the goals coming at even strength. Where will the Sabres get scoring from if/when they trade Kane. Botterill's new head coach will get more goals by a committee of Sabres including Jack Eichel, Ryan O'Reilly, Samson Reinhart, Marcus Foligno, Matt Moulson (if not bought out) Evan Rodrigues, Justin Bailey, Will Carrier, Tyler Ennis, Rasmus Ristolainen, Zach Bogosian and others.
The Minnesota Wild may have to trade veteran D Matt Dumba before they lose him to the expansion Vegas Knights. Kane for Dumba is not a far fetched notion. Trading Kane for Noah Hanifin is also a plausible swap.
Botterill can always trade the eighth overall pick in the 2017 NHL Draft for a top D prospect like Anaheim’s Shea Theodore or Brandon Montour or Philadelphia’s Travis Sanheim or Sam Morin.
Want to get serious? Trade Kane to Nashville for Ryan Ellis.
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On Tuesday, Jack Eichel and Team USA beat Team Russia to claim the #1 seed in Group A at the World Championships. The Americans have won sixth straight tourney games after losing their opener to host Germany. Russia’s player of the game versus USA was defenseman Viktor Antipin. Before he was canned by the Sabres, Tim Murray was all over Antipin like nobody’s business.
I told you a month ago that Antipin will be a Sabres D-man on opening night come October. Take it to the bank.
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Friedman also asked Botterill if the new Buffalo GM is comfortable with the mercurial Robin Lehner as his starting goalie next season.“I have no problem starting next season with him in goal. There are more pressing needs. I liked what I saw from him when he won the Calder Cup.”
Lehner win the Calder Cup in Bingo in 2011.
Hmm.
“Next season” sounds like code for Cal Petersen.
You know Petersen, the University of Notre Dame rockstar and Sabres draft choice who has yet to declare if he is turning pro or if he will be returning to Notre Dame for his senior season. Petersen has nothing left to prove at the NCAA level. I think he is going to turn pro after Botterill articulates the plan: Petersen starts one season in AHL Rochester then transitions to Buffalo to be the starter in 2018-19.
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Mention Ville Leino's name in Buffalo, NY and you are bound to be bombarded by a barrage of F-bombs and insults. Sabres fans hate Ville Leino. He's hands down the worst free agent signing in the history of the Buffalo Sabres.
Leino is still the shame of Sabres Nation.
Leino I never endeared himself to Sabres fans nor did he go out of his way to do so.
The reason?
When Terry and Kim Pegula bought the Sabres in February 2011, they vowed to improve their Sabres roster by trades and by signing A-List free agents. When Darcy Regier failed to sign then big fish UFA Brad Richards to a long term contract, Regier irresponsibly signed Leino to a ridiculous six-year, $27 million contract. Injuries limited Leino to only 137 games played with the Sabres. Leino scored only 10 goals and 36 assists in his 137 games played. What a bust Leone was. Leino's face should appear in the dictionary next to the "bust". He performed larceny in the Pegulas by streaking of millions of their hard earned dollars. To the delight of Sabres fans worldwide, Leino was bought out after the 2013-14 season where he didn’t score a goal and added omly 15 assists in 58 games. Leino sucked so bad he was benched by Ted Nolan on the worst team in the NHL. Leino was a healthy scratch on two tanking teams.
The Sabres signed Leino to the big contract after he scored 19 goals and 53 points with the Philadelphia Flyers in 2010-11.
Thank the hockey gods that Leino hung up his skates for good.
Today, Leino "designs" really bad clothing in his native Finland. Leino has created a product line called “Jail” that personifies his miserable third season with the Sabres.
Leino writes:
BILLEBEINO ART SERIES: JAIL (2013). "One of my most personal works. I was playing my third year in Buffalo Sabres with long and big contract. Things weren't working with me and the team. I was getting a lot of pressure and heat and there was no way out of it. I felt trapped and down. All I could do was get up every morning and go to work and try to make it work. This painting reflects those feelings that I was going through on that perioid of time." - Ville Leino. This one of a kind limited edition (70 pieces per print) is available only at the Billebeino Helsinki Pop Up store from 16th of May till 30th. Art Series hoodies, sweatshirts and t-shirts are 100% recycled, no water wasted ♻️ #billebeino #artseries #billebeinoartseries #jail #limitededition #hoodie #villeleino #artist #taiteilija #happyface #recycled #savewater #purewaste #helsinki #finland #areyoubillebeino
Talk about jail. Leino should have been arrested for grand larceny for stealing $27 million from the Sabres.
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