The Buffalo Sabres announced on Wednesday that they hired Ralph Krueger as their next head coach.
Krueger is the 19th coach in franchise history and replaces Phil Housley, who was fired after the Sabres won just 16 of their last 57 games, following a 10-game winning streak in November.
He’ll be tasked with ending a eight-year playoff drought and the 59-year old does have experience in the NHL. He coached the Edmonton Oilers in the lockout shortened season in 2012-13.
He was fired from that position at the end of the season after posting a 19-22-7 record with a very young team.
Here are four more things to know about Krueger:
Olympic experience
Coach Krueger is ready to get this party started. #LetsGoBuffalo pic.twitter.com/FxpPpsNik7— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) May 15, 2019
Krueger’s experience on the ice didn’t start in Edmonton, he was the head coach of the Switzerland’s national team beginning in 1997 and led them to Olympic appearances in 2002, 2006 and 2010.
He also coached Team Europe to a second place finish at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey and was a special adviser to Canada’s national team at the 2014 Sochi Games.
Has been away from the game
While periodically assisting with international hockey, Krueger’s focus for the last five years has actually been on soccer. He became the director of the Southampton Football Club, which plays in the Premier League in England, and was appointed the chairman shortly thereafter. He was dismissed from his position on April 12, though the team did finish second for the League Cup in 2016.
What’s his philosophy?
Nobody I know has said a negative word about #RalphKrueger. When it’s officially announced that Ralphie is the @BuffaloSabres new coach, Western New York fans should go into transports of joy. Good man; good coach; wonderful opportunity.— Stan Fischler (@StanFischler) May 15, 2019
According to one ESPN report: “(Krueger) is known for being an innovator in hockey strategies, developing young talent and being a motivator.” When he was hired by Edmonton, Krueger told local media: “The style will be a very disciplined one. We will want to attack on a very aggressive basis and we have the tools to do that, on the same time always building on a strong defensive core.”
With talented players like Jack Eichel and Rasmus Dahlin, he could attempt to bring a similar style to Buffalo.
Best selling author
In the early 2000’s, Krueger wrote a book titled in German Teamlife: Über Niederlagen zum Erfolg, which roughly translates to Through Defeats to Success. The book was based on his success with VEU Feldkirch, an Austrian hockey team he led to five straight championships between 1994 and 1998.
