[Signing] OFFICIAL: Ralph Krueger named Sabres HC

[Reggie Dunlop]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1128477197264719872

[jayswin]

Good hire

[Moneyhands23]

Good I'm glad he isn't going to coach the tire fire up North!

[Erick Estrada]

Interesting hire. I kind of feel his work with the Oilers was overrated but he’s had success in Europe and I guess the soccer experience can’t hurt. Sabres badly need a head coach that clicks with this group of players.

[transplant99]

Yeah this one has the feeling that it very well may work. Lots of really good pieces on that team, just need someone to bring it together. Krueger seems pretty good at that task.

[Jacks]

Surprised he came back, he seemed to have a good thing going in Europe.
Will probably be a good hire, he actually had oiler v2.1 playing decent before they fired him and started v3.0

[Reggie Dunlop]

A guy who may harbour managerial aspirations? Interesting hire for Botterill.

[topfiverecords]

I’m sure he’ll be a great success like most other former Oilers. Eichel will raise a cup. McDavid won’t.

[Firebot]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Interesting hire. I kind of feel his work with the Oilers was overrated but he’s had success in Europe and I guess the soccer experience can’t hurt. Sabres badly need a head coach that clicks with this group of players.

I think Krueger was actually underrated. He was miles above all non-McDavid teams in the past decade, and even Hitchcock with 100+ points. McDavid and Draisatl barely had a better record.

Krueger's 2nd leading scorer was Sam Gagner...


1 Ken Hitchcock 2019 2019 1 62 26 28 8 60 .484 0 0 0
2 Todd McLellan 2016 2019 4 266 123 119 24 270 .508 13 7 6 .538
3 Todd Nelson 2015 2015 1 51 17 25 9 43 .422 0 0 0
4 Dallas Eakins 2014 2015 2 113 36 63 14 86 .381
5 Ralph Krueger 2013 2013 1 48 19 22 7 45 .469
6 Tom Renney 2011 2012 2 164 57 85 22 136 .415
7 Pat Quinn 2010 2010 1 82 27 47 8 62 .378

[Reggie Dunlop]

[getbak]

Originally Posted by Jacks

Surprised he came back, he seemed to have a good thing going in Europe.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/47907336

Southampton chairman Ralph Krueger has left the club by mutual consent after five years.

Following talks with owners Gao Jisheng and Katharina Liebherr, it was decided not to renew Krueger's contract, which ended on 30 June.

"Mutual consent" likely means that the owners decided they weren't going to offer him another contract and he "mutually" agreed that he wasn't going to sign a new contract.

[TheScorpion]

For some reason, I have a hard time thinking that those mutual talks occurred over Skype.

[TheScorpion]

Also, for those with an Athletic subscription, Thomas Vanek was very, very high on Krueger in this article: https://theathletic.com/978383/2019/...s-his-praises/

“He’s one of my favorite people,” Vanek said. “He’s such a good people person. He’s a great talker. He remembers names. He really, really cares about people. He doesn’t care about your best player. He cares about every single guy on the team, and he will make you feel that way.

“I think that’s a talent. If you’ve never met him or you know him, you will get the same reaction when you walk away from him: ‘Wow, he’s great.’”

Vanek played for Team Europe, under Krueger, in 2016. At 36, you wonder if he'll go back to Buffalo for one more year under the coach he likes and in the city where he became a star.

[btimbit]

Will be neat to see how he does in a return to the NHL. Always seemed like a good guy

[rbochan]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

“He’s one of my favorite people,” Vanek said. “He’s such a good people person. He’s a great talker. He remembers names. He really, really cares about people..."

Just what the Sabres need. Again.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Firebot

I think Krueger was actually underrated. He was miles above all non-McDavid teams in the past decade, and even Hitchcock with 100+ points. McDavid and Draisatl barely had a better record.

Krueger's 2nd leading scorer was Sam Gagner...


1 Ken Hitchcock 2019 2019 1 62 26 28 8 60 .484 0 0 0
2 Todd McLellan 2016 2019 4 266 123 119 24 270 .508 13 7 6 .538
3 Todd Nelson 2015 2015 1 51 17 25 9 43 .422 0 0 0
4 Dallas Eakins 2014 2015 2 113 36 63 14 86 .381
5 Ralph Krueger 2013 2013 1 48 19 22 7 45 .469
6 Tom Renney 2011 2012 2 164 57 85 22 136 .415
7 Pat Quinn 2010 2010 1 82 27 47 8 62 .378

I remember them being a mess 5 on 5 propped up by excellent special teams. That's not sustainable long term and the sample size is small at only 48 games.

[Firebot]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

I remember them being a mess 5 on 5 propped up by excellent special teams. That's not sustainable long term and the sample size is small at only 48 games.

Good special teams is the best sign of good coaching. They were in a playoff spot for a while even if I recall, until a late 6 game losing streak that was too much to overcome in a 48 game season.

And the oilers were actually pretty good 5 v 5. # 11 in even strength goals against. But much like how Hartley didn't do much with the 2012-13 Flames, the Oilers did not have a great team on paper and were 24th in even strength goals for.

https://www.hockey-reference.com/leagues/NHL_2013.html

They had all the signs of a vastly improving team. Then McTavish happened wanting the shiny new toy called Eakins and fired Krueger on Skype and we all saw birth to The Swarm and sub 400 hockey.

[Toonage]

I think the big issue with his time in Edmonton was that we don't know how well he could have done without being canned so soon or how well he could do without all the meddling.

He's starting his NHL career over in a much better situation for sure.

[Firebot]

Originally Posted by Toonage

I think the big issue with his time in Edmonton was that we don't know how well he could have done without being canned so soon or how well he could do without all the meddling.

He's starting his NHL career over in a much better situation for sure.

48 game season, no training camp and his first year with the team to implement a system. The fact that he managed them to be at .469 despite the OBC being in full control as well is an Oilers miracle.

He was given a totally raw deal in Edmonton (Nelson had a raw deal as well, being babysat by McTavish when he was interim head coach).

I think people will be surprised at the Sabres this year.

[OutOfTheCube]

This seemed like the most realistic and desirable option of the names that were floating around. Hopefully it works out better than the last two...