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Zemgus Girgensons must be feeling like he's living in a dream right now.
On Tuesday, he showed up to work, punched the time clock, pulled on his work boots and got ready to do the heavy lifting. Unbeknownst to him, hours before the work day had begun, Ted Nolan had been appointed to the position of Girgo's new boss. Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss. Girgensons and Nolan have a unique relationship in that Girgensons has played high-level hockey for Ted Nolan in his recent past. Nolan was and still is the head coach of Team Latvia's national team, of which Girgensons is a star player. The 19 year old rookie is now reunited with the coach who has already inspired him to be the best that he can be. In August 2011, the Latvian Ice Hockey Federation announced that Nolan as its Head Coach for the Latvian national team.
Girgensons knows Nolan. Nolan knows Girgensons. The kid is Nolan's kind of player. I've been telling friends and colleagues for the past year that "Z" reminds me of Michael Peca. Ferocious. Dedicated. Intense. Engaged in the process. Committed to the cause.
Nolan loved coaching Peca. In time, he'll admire Girgensons the same way.
The two men have shared a bond for teh past two seasons while competing at the IIHF World Hockey Championships. Girgensons is no stranger to the physical, intense, demanding style of play that Nolan has brought back to Buffalo.
On Thursday, Girgensons showed up for work, punched the time clock, pulled on his boots and hard hat and read the dry erase board.
Nolan has moved Girgensons back to his natural center position. Girgensons would drive the zambini and sell pretzels if he meant he could play in the Buffalo. Last season in Rochester, he was moved off the center dot to the wings. After a brief adjustment period, he got used to the wing. He's wired like a center. Nolan knows that. Ron Rolston did, too, however, the kid was never given the opportunity to play center in meaningful games in Buffalo.
On Friday night against the Leafs, Sabres fans will get a look at what they've been missing.
I saw Girgensons dominate faceoffs during teh Sabres Prospects Camp in July. he won draws, fought tooth and nail to win loose pucks, skated the entire 200 by 85 every shift and fed his scoring winger Nick Baptiste for one timer goals. Girgensons-Baptiste were one of the bright spots of 2013 Sabres training camp. When camp broke, he was relegated by to the wing. Nolan knows, and trusts Girgensons with the puck on his stick. Thats why the kid is getting his first true shot to play center for the Sabres. Girgensons provides value and will upgrade the center ice position for the Sabres. He'll do well against Toronto as they will be missing three centers in Bolland (long term injury), Bozak (short term injury) and Kadri (suspension).
Nolan is well aware of how Girgensons can play. How its up to the kid to make the most of this great opportunity.
Here are Nolan's new lines:
26-19-21 9-28-63 23-82-65 32-8-78
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The Sabres got to see firsthand Ted Nolan's tempo and physicality demands to at their first practice with the new head coach. According to reports, the players piled up in all four corners and were forced to battle one another. Thats old time hockey! I love it. No to slight Ron Rolston, but his practices were very docile and didn't include a ton of contact drills. Consequently, on game days the players would start slow in games in the heavy aspects of games. Not Nolan. Balls to the walls, boys.
From Day 1, every guy get the reset button hit on him and all previous "sins" are forgiven by Nolan. Now they have to battle--literally-- for their ice time. If Nolan doesn't like the effort of some players, they won't play in games until they amp up their intensity and compete.
Afterwards, Nolan noted that the first 20 games of the season are dead and buried. He's focused on the next 62 games to improve his team's overall performance.
"We've got to up our compete level ... It started today at practice." -#Sabres Interim Coach Ted Nolan
— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) November 14, 2013
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According to a report in Pittsburgh, the Penguins have granted the Buffalo Sabres permission to interview their assistant general manager, Jason Botterill, for their vacant GM job. Former Sabres incumbent GM, Darcy Regier, was relieved of his duties along with former head coach Ron Rolston on Tuesday night.
Botterill has been a member of the Pens’ front office for the past five seasons. The word around the rinks is that Botterill’s strengths are his salary-cap management skills and his player evaluation skills. Botterill currently manages the salary cap for the Penguins. He also oversees their American League partner in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
The Pegula administration is Buffalo has ties to the Pittsburgh Penguins organization. Ken Sawyer, the Sabres’ alternate governor and senior advisor, oversaw the hiring process of Pens GM Ray Shero. Sabres president Ted Black, also worked under Sawyer in Pittsburgh’s organization.
Botterill played for the Buffalo Sabres and the Rochester Amerks between 2002 and 2005.
In his media availabilities on Tuesday, Sabres President of Hockey Operations Pat LaFontaine gave four key qualifications of the GM candidate that he is interested to speak with:
1). Assistant GM presently under employment with another NHL club. 2). Has been a member of a Stanley Cup winning organization. 3). Has experience drafting and developing players. 4).Has ties to the Western New York region.
Botterill definitely fills the bill from a qualifications stand point. Botterill played for Randy Cunneyworth in Rochester. Cunneyworth was hired last week by Darcy Regier as a scout. He currently working with Pat Kaleta to round his game back into form.
Montreal AGM Rick Dudley also meets the pre-requisites.
More to come….
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We’ve heard new Sabres head coach Ted Nolan talk about his strategy and coaching philosophies. We’ve heard from new President of Hockey Operations Pat LaFontaine speak about his vision and his immediate plans to hire a qualified, Stanley Cup winning GM to lead the Buffalo Sabres the rest of the way through their re-build.
However, we have yet to hear from former head coach and former GM Darcy Regier. Both were relieved of their duties on Tuesday night following the 3-2 shootout win over the LA Kings .
Late Wednesday night, CBC’s Elliotte Friedman shared with his Twitter followers a statement from Ron Rolston. You can read it below.
Text from Ron Rolston: "I appreciate the opportunity to have coached for the Buffalo Sabres. Developing a young team is a process...
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) November 14, 2013
and I regret that I was not afforded the time to fully realize the goals that were set for the coaching staff and the team...
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) November 14, 2013
Regardless, coaching and developing hockey players will remain my passion and my profession, and I look forward to a new challenge."
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) November 14, 2013
I happen to agree with Rolston that developing a winning team with young players as its core is a process. There are fits and starts. There is a learning curve for each individual player and the collective group. Rolston’s strength was his ability to teach the young kids, be it on the ice at the dry erase board or in the video room. A criticism that I’ve heard of Rolston’s style, and I tend to agree with, is that his young players looked “over… coached at times, meaning, they weren’t being proactive about such fundamental things as offensive zone fore check, turnovers or battle opportunities. At key times in games, some looked rigid and unsure of their responsibilities.The youngsters and vets were guilty of thinking too much and not playing with their instincts enough. Mistakes are a by-product of the learning curve. Nobody can ever accuse Rolston of not knowing his hockey. They guy came to the rink everyday prepared. He planned his work and he worked his plan. Unfortunately for him, his first NHL head coaching experience ended after 20 games, before he could see the manifestation of his teaching.
I also happen to agree with Rolston that he wasn’t “afforded… the proper amount of time to achieve and maximize all of the goals that he set forth for the re-building Sabres.
There’s no question in my mind that Ron Rolston will be a coach in the NHL again
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