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Sabres clean house; hire LaFontaine, Nolan

Major Sabres announcement happening, rumors are they hiring Pat Lafontaine as president of hockey operations and Ted Nolan as coach.
 
Nik the Trik said:
That'd be a little disappointing as far as "major announcements" go.
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Front page on NHL.COM "MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT".  I just do the reporting.
 
First 2 games for Nolan against the Leafs, hope they don't get that "new coach bounce"
 
Why couldnt this happen after we got our McHappy Game Meals against them this weekend. Hell at least do this on a Monday please
 
Ted Nolan 147-140-19-21 in 4 seasons spread over 18 years.
The Nolan saga was not a clean one in 97 when he eventually left the Sabres.  I'm just not sure how this makes a lot of sense.
 
L K said:
Ted Nolan 147-140-19-21 in 4 seasons spread over 18 years.
The Nolan saga was not a clean one in 97 when he eventually left the Sabres.  I'm just not sure how this makes a lot of sense.
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LaFontaine wouldn't have taken the job otherwise? Who knows?
 
L K said:
Ted Nolan 147-140-19-21 in 4 seasons spread over 18 years.
The Nolan saga was not a clean one in 97 when he eventually left the Sabres.  I'm just not sure how this makes a lot of sense.
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He never really had good teams did he?  I've always thought his reputation was one of a coach able to get more out of teams than their talent might indicate.  That Islanders team he took over was predicted to finish near the bottom of the standings and they made the playoffs.  So he's made the playoffs in 2 of 4 seasons without great rosters and won 1 Jack Adams.  I think his 2nd season with NYI they had the highest man games lost in the league.  I'm biased here, but I think he's had success considering the situations he's been in.  I think he's a very good coach.

None of the parties involved in his exit from Buffalo are there anymore, so I can't see that being an issue.
 
Potvin29 said:
He never really had good teams did he?
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The Sabres teams he had were pretty good - not great, but pretty good. I mean, he had a Vezina winning goalie in net in the middle of his stretch of taking that particular trophy in 5 of 6 season. They had made the playoffs for 8 straight seasons (though, they didn't do much damage there) and had been a 95 point team in the last full season before he was hired (and had an 87 point pace in the lockout shortened 94/95 campaign). In the days before the OTL point, those were quality full season numbers. In the two seasons after he left, they finished with similar point totals, but made the Conference Finals in each, and the Cup Final in one. So, I think saying he didn't really have good teams is pretty disingenuous. The Islanders squad he took over wasn't very good, sure, but I'd say his Sabres squads were, and I'd be hard pressed to say he got much more out of them than any other coach may have.
 
bustaheims said:
Potvin29 said:
He never really had good teams did he?
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The Sabres teams he had were pretty good - not great, but pretty good. I mean, he had a Vezina winning goalie in net in the middle of his stretch of taking that particular trophy in 5 of 6 season. They had made the playoffs for 8 straight seasons (though, they didn't do much damage there) and had been a 95 point team in the last full season before he was hired (and had an 87 point pace in the lockout shortened 94/95 campaign). In the days before the OTL point, those were quality full season numbers. In the two seasons after he left, they finished with similar point totals, but made the Conference Finals in each, and the Cup Final in one. So, I think saying he didn't really have good teams is pretty disingenuous. The Islanders squad he took over wasn't very good, sure, but I'd say his Sabres squads were, and I'd be hard pressed to say he got much more out of them than any other coach may have.
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Did you look at their 1996-97 roster?  That doesn't look like a division winning team to me.  A little googling tells me the team was in the midst of rebuilding.  They finished ahead of a Pittsburgh team that had Lemieux, Francis and Jagr putting up 122, 95 & 90 points.  Obviously their goaltending was huge, but in both stops his teams have been known as the hardest working teams - that's the only way you can finish that high and make it that far in the playoffs with that roster, even with Hasek.
 
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