Buffalo Sabres Links: Jack Adams, Coaches
Good morning, Buffalo Sabres fans. Much of today’s news and notes from around the hockey world circles around one thing: coaching.
The NHL continues to announce its finalists for the annual awards, and this time, it’s the Jack Adams award for best coach.
The finalists: Alain Vigneault, Peter Laviolette and Bob Hartley. [NHL.com] Who do you think has the best chance at winning?
In other coaching-related news, obviously one of the hot-button topics surrounding the Buffalo Sabres is the team’s lack of a head coach. Rumors abound about who the Buffalo Sabres could pick up over the offseason, with plenty of viable candidates potentially open to the job.
Of course, what this really means is that the Internet will be filled with wild speculation about who could, and who couldn’t, be the next bench boss for the Buffalo Sabres.
Two reading pieces for you folks this morning in regards to this topic; first up — this piece from The Hockey Writers exploring early head coach candidates.
Second – this piece from Bleacher Report, also exploring some of the options that the Buffalo Sabres could choose for their next head coach.
More from Sabres News
- 3 biggest standouts at Buffalo Sabres 2023 Prospects Challenge
- 3 takeaways from the Buffalo Sabres final Prospects Challenge game
- Buffalo Sabres experiment with lesser-known talent in loss to Pens
- Buffalo Sabres 75 Bold Predictions for 2023-24: Prediction 51
- Buffalo Sabres vs. Pittsburgh: A quick look at the Penguins prospects
Realistically, it’s just that — it’s EARLY. The Buffalo Sabres’ season ended less than a month ago, Ted Nolan was fired less than a month ago, and there’s still roughly five months until the season gets underway.
Obviously, we’re not expecting GMTM and Co. to wait until late September to name a coach, but the fact is, the summer is lengthy and there will be plenty of time to talk to the candidates. After all, guys like Mike Babcock won’t even be an OPTION to speak to until their contract expires.
But also on the flip side of things, you don’t want to wait forever to get talking, because then you run the risk of allowing all the other NHL teams who are ALSO looking for a new head coach to get first pick of the litter, so to speak.
In other news, Hockey’s Future raves about the future of the Buffalo Sabres, which lies in their shining prospects.
The piece from Hockey’s Future goes on to pick the “best” prospects in several categories for the Buffalo Sabres, including which future blue & gold-er is the hardest working, fastest skater, most improved and the like. It’s definitely worth a read if you’re at all interested in prospects or the potential future of the Buffalo Sabres.
Finally this morning in news and notes, five stories from Wednesday night’s games in the NHL. [CBC]
The biggest story here HAS to be Tyler Johnson‘s buzzer-beater in game three of the series between the Montreal Canadiens and Tampa Bay Lightning. It definitely left me sitting on the edge of my couch, thinking “Wait………. did that really just happen?!”
The even more killer thing: the Habs and Lightning return to action again tonight – due to another event scheduled at Amalie Arena. Will tonight be it for the Habs? Or will they live to fight another day? Also in action tonight are the Blackhawks, who look to complete a sweep of the Minnesota Wild.
More from Sabre Noise
- 3 biggest standouts at Buffalo Sabres 2023 Prospects Challenge
- 3 takeaways from the Buffalo Sabres final Prospects Challenge game
- Buffalo Sabres experiment with lesser-known talent in loss to Pens
- Buffalo Sabres 75 Bold Predictions for 2023-24: Prediction 51
- Buffalo Sabres vs. Pittsburgh: A quick look at the Penguins prospects