Rolston Speaks (sabres nolan)

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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.

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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While new President of Hockey Ops Pat LaFontaine was concluding his media obligations on his first day on the job in Buffalo, Ted Nolan threw his suit and tie on a hanger and pulled on his sweats and grabbed his whistle. Nolan had work to do on the great proving ground: the 200 by 85.

Nolan knows that he has a full roster of hockey players. He acknowledged each and every one of them today. Inside each man is a heat and soul. Nolan began the process of probing each player to reveal whether or not they have the requisite amounts of heart and soul that are mandatory in order to play on his team. There's no faking heart. Either a player has it, or he doesn't. By the close of Thursday's 45 minute practice and team meeting, Nolan will have a better idea of who is warriors, leaders and soldiers are. He will due his diligence a trust his instincts and analytics when he's assembling his roster for Friday's rodeo with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

On Wednesday, Nolan introduced himself to his team. He addressed his leadership group, conducted one on ones with each player, and also ran his team through a brisk 30 minutes practice. Nolan wants to know what the character of each player is. He wants to know what makes them tick. What motivates each player? He can't help them achieve greatness unless he can understand their desires, goals, and dreams.

Nolan's message is simple:

You can have all the talent you want. If you don't compete and work, then the talent is a moot point.

Nolan promised to look at each player and every area of the team game. Nolan knows that he has a few diamonds in the rough on his team right now, guys who haven't been placed in positions to succeed this season. he also knows that he has some players with an NHL sense of entitlement who may get a big surprise when their ice time gets cut or they get stashed in the press box. On Day 1, Nolan tried to identify who his leaders and winners are. On Day 2, he will confer with Pat LaFontaine and discuss which players will give the Sabres the best chance of winning in this weekend's home-and-home series with the hated Toronto Maple Leafs. Oh, by the way, Nolan will be playing Big John Scott on Friday night. Why wouldn't he? Scott's suspension ended last Thursday after the game in Los Angeles. He did his time. Now its time to move on. Who knows, Nolan may dispatch Pat Kaleta to Buffalo from down on the farm. Nolan, once pushed outside the NHL's inner sanctum, can certainly empathize and impart his experiences and wisdom on the tarred and featheredSabres agitator who was sent to the AHL last week to change his game. perhaps Nolan can assist Kaleta is turning his game around. Like the phoenix, Nolan has risen from the flames. I feel like Nolan will be an excellent role model for Kaleta. Nolan once helped then-tough guy turned man without a team Chris Simon to rehab his own tarnished reputation inside the NHL. Nolan listens to his players. He watches. He provides solutions. He helps them achieve and exceed goals. He accepts them for who they are. Thats why he has been a successful coach. He doesn't ask his players to be someone that they are not capable of being.

Nolan said bluntly that he hated the Sabres-Kings game on Tuesday night. He thought it was ugly and boring. He told his assistants Joe Sacco and Teppo Numminen that giving up 40+ goals per game. He promised change. Nolan believes that the NHL is show business and its his mission to craft a style and an attack that will entertain the masses and make Sabres fans feel good again about their team. There was a time 16 years ago when Nolan's philosophy of "lose the game, win the fights" branded the Sabres as the hardest working team in the NHL. The fans loved the blue collar, in your face style. Nolan will likely employ a similar style this time around. Not all players on the current Buffalo roster can carry the mantle of toughness and accountability. Those that can't cut the mustard won't have a role in Nolan's Army.

Nolan is an open book. He's a thinker and a observer of feelings. What you see is what you get. Along with the high level of compete that he is demanding from each player, Nolan wants open communication and dialog. There have been many a night this season when Sabres players don't talk on the ice during shifts, nor do they communicate on the bench during games. That all changed when Nolan walked through the door.

Nolan's success in hockey is predicated on getting to know each and every player and how they feel about themselves and the game. He wants to get to know his players so that he can get them to be the best players that they can be.

Welcome home, Ted Nolan.

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Ryan Miller met his new head coach on Wednesday. He's known Pat LaFontaine for a while now.

Miller's virtuosity in th eBuffalo net has made him Buffalo most valuable player this season. Miller is in the eye of the hurricane right now. Trade rumors are swirling around him with each passing day. He'll be UFA on July 1, 2014. The clock is ticking. Where will he be tomorrow? Next week? Next month? After the Olympics.

Miller's taking it one day at a time. The rest will work itself out.

“Hopefully this is a chance for the Sabres as an organization to kind of reset", Miller said. “We have plenty of hockey left.…

Thanks, sabres.com

The asking price for Miller appears to be two first round picks and a second rounder. Darcy Regier traded Thomas Vanek for Matt Moulson, a first rounder and a second rounder.

Pat LaFontaine and his new GM (insert name here) will maximize their asset and get a high return for Miller.

Question now is "when"? Not if. ________________________________________________________________________

LaFontaine was a guest on the NBC Sports Network pregame show on Wednesday night.

St. Patrick said that he will search high and low for the next Sabres GM.

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Toronto forward Nazem Kadri has earned himself a hearing with the NHL Department Of Players Safety. Kadri will be suspended and won't be playing Friday night (and beyond?) when Toronto visits Buffalo. Kadri was was ejected from Wednesday night's game in Minneapolis after he was assessed a match penalty in the third period for his Rule 48 violation ( illegal hit to the head) of Minnesota Wild forward Mikael Granlund.

Kadri was a multi-time offender against the Wild as he deliberately freight-trained Wild goalie Niklas Backstrom, which resulted in an injury to the goalie. Backstrom left the games and didn't return.

The video doesn't lie. Kadri wiped out Backstrom.

src="http://vplayer.nbcsports.com/p/BxmELC/nbc_embedshare/select/__lPqh3CyPNb" width="620" height="382" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen>Your browser does not support iframes. Thanks, NBC Sports Network

Pat Kaleta and John Scott would be deported from the U.S. of they performed such a vicious and ignorant hit on the defenseless Granlund and the vulnerable Backstrom.

I saying that Kadri will receive 5 games for his acts of stupidity.

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