Confirmed with Link: Sabres have promoted Seth Appert to assistant coach/Amir Gulati to video coordinator/Girardi let go

[Sabre the Win]

Because every single one of them was already working for the organization. No one believes Lindy just happen to chose people working for the org, out of all the people he’s worked with over 40 years.

C’mon, don’t pretend that this isn’t completely unprecedented for a coach to use only staff that he inherited. Sabres are the only team to ever do this, and Lindy has never done it elsewhere. He was 100% duscouraged from bringing in outside assistants.

I'm with you in the line of thinking that Lindy had no say or choice in his coaches but I can't say that with 100% certainty, I would drop it to 98.9% certainty.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

The idea that Appert would be an unlikely assistant coaching hire elsewhere in the NHL smacks of anti-Sabres bias to me.

Pretty much any AHL head coach is a reasonable candidate for an NHL assistant coach position. I mean, both of his assistants got NHL assistant coaching jobs last year.

His teams have improved 3 consecutive years and won 3 playoff series, and he's shown success at developing young players. He's also got obvious personality, a positive likability that will appeal to many doing the hiring.

They may have earned the skepticism, but had the Sabres had hired the same resume from a successful outside organization, this wouldn't be a conversation.

I don't think anyone is really disagreeing with this point on here. The only annoying thing is that Lindy is the only member of the entire coaching staff that is new to the organization. What other team hires a new coach and makes him work with a staff made up entirely of people already on the team's payroll? None of them has ever done that except for Buffalo.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

what in the fortune cookie.

You're the least funny troll ever. What is your point? You constantly mock my posts yet never add a single thought of your own in them. Get a life dude.

 

[Willgamesh]

You're the least funny troll ever. What is your point? You constantly mock my posts yet never add a single thought of your own in them. Get a life dude.

If i disagree with one of your posts its not trolling. I've tried to respond before but you're a lost cause so its easier this way. You literally said "you will never get proof of anything in life" how can you talk sense to somebody like that?

 

[Jim Bob]

The idea that Appert would be an unlikely assistant coaching hire elsewhere in the NHL smacks of anti-Sabres bias to me.

Pretty much any AHL head coach is a reasonable candidate for an NHL assistant coach position. I mean, both of his assistants got NHL assistant coaching jobs last year.

His teams have improved 3 consecutive years and won 3 playoff series, and he's shown success at developing young players. He's also got obvious personality, a positive likability that will appeal to many doing the hiring.

They may have earned the skepticism, but had the Sabres had hired the same resume from a successful outside organization, this wouldn't be a conversation.

I have not seen that put out there anywhere.

I have heard and read more takes that this move was done in part because the Sabres were worried about losing Appert to another NHL organization if he stayed in Rochester. And with them losing Peca and Weber after last season, I could see that as part of the rationale for the move.

For me, I have no major issue with Appert getting promoted, especially if the Sabres view him as the coach-in-waiting.

What I see as less than ideal is that they hired Lindy and the only new assistant coach is the promotion of Appert from Rochester. Lindy has no coach on staff that is "his guy" and they do not have any assistant coaches that have experience running an NHL PP.

For a team in "Win Now" mode, these are not the kind of coaching staff moves I would expect.

 

[Chainshot]

I have not seen that put out there anywhere.

I have heard and read more takes that this move was done in part because the Sabres were worried about losing Appert to another NHL organization if he stayed in Rochester. And with them losing Peca and Weber after last season, I could see that as part of the rationale for the move.

For me, I have no major issue with Appert getting promoted, especially if the Sabres view him as the coach-in-waiting.

What I see as less than ideal is that they hired Lindy and the only new assistant coach is the promotion of Appert from Rochester. Lindy has no coach on staff that is "his guy" and they do not have any assistant coaches that have experience running an NHL PP.

For a team in "Win Now" mode, these are not the kind of coaching staff moves I would expect.

I would add two caveat to that though: the general manager is Lindy‘s guy. Adams likely wouldn’t be where he is in the organization if Lindy hadn’t hired him to be in first place. Secondly, we know as a player Matt Ellis was Lindy’s GUY. It’s uncomfortable that he doesn’t have one fresh voice coming in with him. But it’s also likely that he has someone on staff who he knows/trusts professionally and that his manager is someone he knows he can work with. It’s a weird spot where it’s not completely terrible and it’s simultaneously not completely good.

 

[HogtownSabresfan]

Because every single one of them was already working for the organization. No one believes Lindy just happen to chose people working for the org, out of all the people he’s worked with over 40 years.

C’mon, don’t pretend that this isn’t completely unprecedented for a coach to use only staff that he inherited. Sabres are the only team to ever do this, and Lindy has never done it elsewhere. He was 100% duscouraged from bringing in outside assistants.

The same people believe GMKA has all the "resources we need" even as we continue to be well under the cap. They make these delusional statements about saving money for the future like you can't sign one-year deals. They draw zero inferences from two trade deadlines where we had tons of cap room and wouldn't use it to get more picks. They make excuses like how many prospects do you need when every asset matters. They ignore the fact we have only used 42 out of 50 contract slots. They cheer a new roof and scoreboard like it's not the basic stuff every NHL team has.

Pegula is an absolute joke at this point.

Ruff might still pull it off because he was always a great coach but it's clear what is going on here. I don't blame Lindy at all. He gets to come home. He's likely in the organization for life now. And he still might pull off a cup because the Sabres do have good talent and he's a good coach. It's not black or white.

 

[WeDislikeEich]

My one slim hope is that they bring in one more guy from outside. I know they posted they are complete. They said it in the presser. Tis very slim…

I don’t see it happening this season. As you said they already announced the staff is complete.

I also read a quote in a Buffalo news article that stated they are open to adding to the staff in the future but not this season (aka: when the current asst. coaches contracts expire… lol)

 

[HogtownSabresfan]

I'm with you in the line of thinking that Lindy had no say or choice in his coaches but I can't say that with 100% certainty, I would drop it to 98.9% certainty.

He went along with it all. Seems obvious. Pegula handicapped him out of the gate.

I don’t see it happening this season. As you said they already announced the staff is complete.

I also read a quote in a Buffalo news article that stated they are open to adding to the staff in the future but not this season (aka: when the current asst. coaches contracts expire… lol)

Open. Yeah, sure. They are open to spending to cap -- and don't.

 

[Sabre the Win]

He went along with it all. Seems obvious. Pegula handicapped him out of the gate.

I honestly think Lindy is a stop gap, Adams and Granato never had serious plans to make the playoffs this year. It wasn't until the booing and fire Granato chants that Adams realized the fanbase isn't going to wait for him to build thru the draft anymore.

I read between the lines of the Granato exit interview and I kind of got the feeling he was shocked at the firing because he was under the understanding it was a development year again even if they echoed their goal was to make the playoffs, it was just an empty gesture.

Lindy was a hiring to appease the crowd for a year or two which is why he was handcuffed for assistants.

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

I honestly think Lindy is a stop gap, Adams and Granato never had serious plans to make the playoffs this year. It wasn't until the booing and fire Granato chants that Adams realized the fanbase isn't going to wait for him to build thru the draft anymore.

I read between the lines of the Granato exit interview and I kind of got the feeling he was shocked at the firing because he was under the understanding it was a development year again even if they echoed their goal was to make the playoffs, it was just an empty gesture.

Lindy was a hiring to appease the crowd for a year or two which is why he was handcuffed for assistants.

It sure seems like that is the plan, with keeping most everyone else in place. Appert's promotion is an internship for the next HC spot. This organization commits itself to certain plans, won't assess on the fly and deviate until they get smacked in the face with more failure.

 

[joshjull]

Appert to AC makes a lot of sense for this reason. Having Adams pick every single one of Ruff’s coaches for him is what doesn’t make sense. The guy wasn’t allowed to bring a single voice in from outside the organization, which is shitty.

It would only be shitty if Lindy was blindsided by it. I very much doubt that was the case. I feel pretty confident all of this was discussed/hashed out during his back and forth with Adams before signing on.

In other words, Lindy knew beforehand what he was walking into and agreed to do so.

 

[WeDislikeEich]

It would only be shitty if Lindy was blindsided by it. I very much doubt that was the case. I feel pretty confident all of this was discussed/hashed out during his back and forth with Adams before signing on.

In other words, Lindy knew beforehand what he was walking into and agreed to do so.

He was asked a question about his staff at 23:49.

He says he’s definitely looking to add to the staff and get all the people in the right places, then said his goal is to put together one of the best staffs in the NHL.

Maybe he just meant adding Appert? I’m not sure. I got the impression he thought he was going to be able to add outside guys to his staff, but maybe that was/is me hearing what I wanted to hear. I definitely know I thought at the time of the press conference from what he said that he would add at least one outside assistant. I was holding out hope it would maybe even be someone experienced. He made comments about how he was humble enough as a head coach to take an assistant job and how much it helped him grow. I thought maybe he was making a pitch to some experienced coaches out there. Wishful thinking. lol

 

[Zach716]

He was asked a question about his staff at 23:49.

He says he’s definitely looking to add to the staff and get all the people in the right places, then said his goal is to put together one of the best staffs in the NHL.

Maybe he just meant adding Appert? I’m not sure. I got the impression he thought he was going to be able to add outside guys to his staff, but maybe that was/is me hearing what I wanted to hear. I definitely know I thought at the time of the press conference from what he said that he would add at least one outside assistant. I was holding out hope it would maybe even be someone experienced. He made comments about how he was humble enough as a head coach to take an assistant job and how much it helped him grow. I thought maybe he was making a pitch to some experienced coaches out there. Wishful thinking. lol

I think it's just overthinking it at that point. That has to be one of the first questions they talk about when Adams and Lindy engaged in discussion

 

[beerme1]

And if he is? Fans seem to be very confident that he won’t be behind the bench, but none of the organizations actions show he will be gone from the bench, and they have the head coach that likes Ellis when he played for him.

Delete. Wrong message.

 

[beerme1]

Joke of an organization.

I liked the Ruff hire but let him bring in his own assistants.

Appert sucks too. Seems like he’s now the replacement. What did he do to warrant it? He has 0 NHL experience.

I'm ok with this. He's been a head coach for a long time. He will get some number of years as assistant in the NHL now. 2, 3, 4, 5 years or however long Lindy goes and we'll find out then. He's going to implement a pp style that Lindy is driving so again, I'm ok with this.
Not sure why you would say Appert sucks. I think he's done alright from what I know in Roch. It's a worthy promotion. Lindy is the key. Lindy is the key.

 

[SundherDome]

I honestly think Lindy is a stop gap, Adams and Granato never had serious plans to make the playoffs this year. It wasn't until the booing and fire Granato chants that Adams realized the fanbase isn't going to wait for him to build thru the draft anymore.

I read between the lines of the Granato exit interview and I kind of got the feeling he was shocked at the firing because he was under the understanding it was a development year again even if they echoed their goal was to make the playoffs, it was just an empty gesture.

Lindy was a hiring to appease the crowd for a year or two which is why he was handcuffed for assistants.

I don't think there was a single person in Western New York who thought this season was a developmental season. They over achieved the year prior for sure but I refuse to believe the management staff said, "ok, we exceeded expectations, that should buy us some time for next year to be developmental". What they likely saw was some players take big steps and they thought they could ride that wave while introducing some defensive structure throughout the year to their game but it backfired when Quinn was hurt, they tried to force Levi and then the big contracts ultimately regressed.

 

[HogtownSabresfan]

I don't think there was a single person in Western New York who thought this season was a developmental season. They over achieved the year prior for sure but I refuse to believe the management staff said, "ok, we exceeded expectations, that should buy us some time for next year to be developmental". What they likely saw was some players take big steps and they thought they could ride that wave while introducing some defensive structure throughout the year to their game but it backfired when Quinn was hurt, they tried to force Levi and then the big contracts ultimately regressed.

I saw Kevyn Adams in a preseason interview before a game against Leafs and everything he said made it seem like urgency didn't exist. They knew Quinn was hurt well in the off-season. They did a couple of minor things (ultimately bad, like Erik Johnson/Jost) and handed out $5 M in loyalty contracts to Okposo and Girgensons. The franchise is such a joke. Ruff is a great coach but you wonder if he can operate in this joke of a franchise under Terry

 

[Jacob582]

 

[SundherDome]

I saw Kevyn Adams in a preseason interview before a game against Leafs and everything he said made it seem like urgency didn't exist. They knew Quinn was hurt well in the off-season. They did a couple of minor things (ultimately bad, like Erik Johnson/Jost) and handed out $5 M in loyalty contracts to Okposo and Girgensons. The franchise is such a joke. Ruff is a great coach but you wonder if he can operate in this joke of a franchise under Terry

I don't think a GM should show urgency in the media space. It genuinely seemed like he thought Kulich or Rosen would step right in and take the spot and if not then you had Oloffson. It was a bad call and he should take heat for it. No problem with Johnson, I think the signing was good, a bottom pairing vet who won a cup. Had no issues with Girgs or Okposo, Girgs is a guy that playoff teams would cover. Okposo was the captain and helped hold the room together. In complete hindsight, they needed to add another bottom pair RHD who can exit the zone and try to find a replacement for Quinn.

 

[HogtownSabresfan]

I don't think a GM should show urgency in the media space. It genuinely seemed like he thought Kulich or Rosen would step right in and take the spot and if not then you had Oloffson. It was a bad call and he should take heat for it. No problem with Johnson, I think the signing was good, a bottom pairing vet who won a cup. Had no issues with Girgs or Okposo, Girgs is a guy that playoff teams would cover. Okposo was the captain and helped hold the room together. In complete hindsight, they needed to add another bottom pair RHD who can exit the zone and try to find a replacement for Quinn.

The signing was good? Are you serious? Did anyone scout him over the previous year? This cup winner nonsense and former #1 -- just stuff no longer applicable to a player who aged out. He helped Philadelphia fall apart. What room did Okposo hold together? A bunch of guys who were a bottom third term. Girgensons is a sentimental favourite of the owner, according to local media. We spent $5 M on two players who made the team worse. Playing Okopso on the PP just compounded the stupidity. The Sabres were $8 M under the cap and spent $3.5 M on Johnson, $2.5 M on Okposo, $2.5 M on Girgensons and $2 M on Jost. Take that $10.5 M and The $8 M in space and you could have maybe gotten real players.

 

[Diaspora]

The signing was good? Are you serious? Did anyone scout him over the previous year? This cup winner nonsense and former #1 -- just stuff no longer applicable to a player who aged out. He helped Philadelphia fall apart. What room did Okposo hold together? A bunch of guys who were a bottom third term. Girgensons is a sentimental favourite of the owner, according to local media. We spent $5 M on two players who made the team worse. Playing Okopso on the PP just compounded the stupidity. The Sabres were $8 M under the cap and spent $3.5 M on Johnson, $2.5 M on Okposo, $2.5 M on Girgensons and $2 M on Jost. Take that $10.5 M and The $8 M in space and you could have maybe gotten real players.

You're not wrong -- all that money (which will be paid to Dahlin and Power this year) could have been spent on a different set of lousy UFAs willing to take one-year contracts. Like Taylor Hall!

There's a balance to be struck between short- and long-term planning. Each carries risks. Kevyn's five-year plan is up after this season. He should be putting a new plan into action now to meet the challenges of the next phase. If he doesn't, his successor will.

 

[HogtownSabresfan]

You're not wrong -- all that money (which will be paid to Dahlin and Power this year) could have been spent on a different set of lousy UFAs willing to take one-year contracts. Like Taylor Hall!

There's a balance to be struck between short- and long-term planning. Each carries risks. Kevyn's five-year plan is up after this season. He should be putting a new plan into action now to meet the challenges of the next phase. If he doesn't, his successor will.

A one-year contract has limited risk, the only positive of those crappy deals. They overpaid by 25% on Hall, but part of the price was a one-year term. Their failure was not playing hardball with Hall and letting him dictate trade at the deadline. Everybody has always said get something -- they should have said go where we tell you are stay in Buffalo. But we have Kisakov now, right? We could have filled some gaps with short-term deals that last two years but we have been way under cap. When we spend, it is sentimental crap. I have zero problem with overpay on Connor Clifton, we swung and missed. We didn't homework on Erik Johnson. Okposo/Girgensons/Jost was just $7 million thrown at loyalty. They weren't even worth $5 on the market.

 

[SundherDome]

The signing was good? Are you serious? Did anyone scout him over the previous year? This cup winner nonsense and former #1 -- just stuff no longer applicable to a player who aged out. He helped Philadelphia fall apart. What room did Okposo hold together? A bunch of guys who were a bottom third term. Girgensons is a sentimental favourite of the owner, according to local media. We spent $5 M on two players who made the team worse. Playing Okopso on the PP just compounded the stupidity. The Sabres were $8 M under the cap and spent $3.5 M on Johnson, $2.5 M on Okposo, $2.5 M on Girgensons and $2 M on Jost. Take that $10.5 M and The $8 M in space and you could have maybe gotten real players.

Yeah, signing Johnson was solid. His usage on the other hand was not. His first month or so here he was very solid in limited minutes and Pk time. He made a lot of the simple plays that the younger dmen just refused to make (chipping the puck off the glass and out to relieve extended zone time, for example). I don't know how he was in the locker room as I wasn't there. I don't think Adams had any illusions that Johnson was more than a 6 or 7. It ultimately didn't work out and we recouped a 4th. If he was truly a disaster, nobody would have given a pick, let alone a 4th.

Okposo was beloved in the locker room, it was reported a ton and even players responses when he left, I lt was felt. Ideally he would have retired after last year as he was clearly on the downswing but he earned every right to come back for one more year and try to finish the task of getting this group to the playoffs. He still had a few drops in the tank.

Girgensons would have clearly received more money and term on the open market. Even if Terry marched in and said he stays, that would still be a good thing. Good teams covet players like Girgs.

Jost - he was meh. We had cap space and he was destined for the press box. We paid him to sit in the press box and he accepted his role (didn't bitch about Rochester). He served a purpose to block prospects who needed some more time and to keep a crucial guy like Murray in the space where he was best suited. I have no problem if they would have walked away and went after another reclamation project but also was fine playing a guy who played in the system the year before.

There also has to be a desire from a player to want to sign here.

I think the biggest point that we both keep making is, the player utilization was a core problem and the leader of those decisions is no longer here.

 

[HogtownSabresfan]

Yeah, signing Johnson was solid. His usage on the other hand was not. His first month or so here he was very solid in limited minutes and Pk time. He made a lot of the simple plays that the younger dmen just refused to make (chipping the puck off the glass and out to relieve extended zone time, for example). I don't know how he was in the locker room as I wasn't there. I don't think Adams had any illusions that Johnson was more than a 6 or 7. It ultimately didn't work out and we recouped a 4th. If he was truly a disaster, nobody would have given a pick, let alone a 4th.

Okposo was beloved in the locker room, it was reported a ton and even players responses when he left, I lt was felt. Ideally he would have retired after last year as he was clearly on the downswing but he earned every right to come back for one more year and try to finish the task of getting this group to the playoffs. He still had a few drops in the tank.

Girgensons would have clearly received more money and term on the open market. Even if Terry marched in and said he stays, that would still be a good thing. Good teams covet players like Girgs.

Jost - he was meh. We had cap space and he was destined for the press box. We paid him to sit in the press box and he accepted his role (didn't bitch about Rochester). He served a purpose to block prospects who needed some more time and to keep a crucial guy like Murray in the space where he was best suited. I have no problem if they would have walked away and went after another reclamation project but also was fine playing a guy who played in the system the year before.

There also has to be a desire from a player to want to sign here.

I think the biggest point that we both keep making is, the player utilization was a core problem and the leader of those decisions is no longer here.

Let's remind ourselves of what Flyers paid for Risto. Philly has to be one of the worst trading teams ever. Congrats on a 4th. Luckily, Torts knows stuff. Erik Johnson was absolutely done. Amazingly, a great coach got nothing out of him. Go look at his Philly stats. Ugly. And if he's a 7th D, how on earth does he get $3.5 M. Girgensons would have received much more money and term on the open market. Okay. LOL. He might have got a three-year deal but nowhere near $2.5 M. He's a 4th liner. He was so coveted that he wasn't traded at the deadline. And this good in the room crap? Okposo bad-mouthed the team once he got to Florida, saying he saw problems with the team in October and November. Enough with the room, who cares? The game is played on the ice. It's a damn country club in Buffalo where we haven't made the playoffs in 13 years with a series of stupid moves, either because of emotion or just lack of hockey knowledge. You are seriously talking about Brett Murray being crucial. Who gives any craps about. Rochester is in a developmental league. Granato alone cannot be blamed for team. Yes, better PP and other small things makes us a playoff team or close. But after all these years of sucking, you wonder why we are not a 100-point + team. We just keep spinning our wheels. I want to see some NHL-level stuff from 2019 NHL picks, 2020 picks and 2021.