By Mike Harrington
If you're thinking about a particular move to provide a quick fix for the slumping Sabres -- specificially the firing of coach Lindy Ruff -- you better think again.
I spoke earlier this evening to General Manager Darcy Regier and asked him the following question: If things go poorly this weekend, how much will you be forced into big change, whether it's players or the coach?
Regier's answer: "It won't be the coach."
Regier said he's been pondering the trade market but it remains "soft" (there have basically been no big deals yet). He said there's a few moves the team can make with players from Rochester but that it's mostly on this group of players to a) get healthy and b) play up to its capabilities.
The Sabres certainly aren't doing that when you consider they're last in the NHL in goals against with 37 in 10 games.
"That's not a good place to be," Regier said. "The confidence I do have is in this team to turn this around, in Lindy's ability and in our ability to rectify that and that's because I think one of the of the areas Lindy as a coach is extremely strong in is defensive play. Offensively, we're fine [third in the East, sixth overall with 30 goals). But defensively we have work to do.
"And when you think of where we are defensively, If I had a coach to pick to shore that up, Lindy is the guy. And it's not just all on Lindy by any means. We have to work together to get this turned around."
For more from Regier and for the players' views on a potential coaching change, be sure to see my story in Thursday's editions of The News.
tagged
Darcy Regier | Lindy Ruff
