Last week, Doug Sauter hinted that he may want to retire from coaching. This week, after watching his team lose a few more games in his unlucky 13th season in Oklahoma City, the Blazers coach has another idea: Spring cleaning.
Advertisement
"Sometimes it makes me just want to clean house and start all over,” Sauter said of his team's play. "It makes me want to get some players here who will do what they're told.
"I'm tired of making excuses. We need players who will play our system and play it to a T. It's an unselfish system. It's ‘no I in team.' It's basic hockey, and the bottom line is it's hard work.”
The Blazers have lost their last three games and fallen to 23-26-6 with nine games left in the season.
"It isn't the coaching, believe me,” Sauter said. "It is not the coaching. It's not our philosophy.”
After the All-Star break, the Blazers won their first two games and got to 18-16-4 overall.
They're 5-10-2 since; 12 losses in 17 games.
"We find a way to lose,” Sauter said. "We try to do too much and we find a way to lose. The good teams find a way to win.”
"Blazers” and "good teams” don't belong in the same sentence.
Check out these player slumps:
•Mike Burgoyne: One goal in the last 20 games.
•Michael Kaye: No goals in the last dozen games.
•Alex Lalonde: No goals and one assist in the last 17 games.
•Marty Standish: One goal in the last 11 games.
•Garrett Prosofsky: Since scoring twice Feb. 16, has one goal in the last six games.
•Ryan Watson: Since his two-goal game Feb. 17, has scored only once and taken just five shots on goal in five games.
Sauter said if he returns next season, he won't bring many current Blazers with him. How many?
"I don't know,” he said, "but it doesn't look like it would be very many.”
Sauter summarized: "If I'm going to quit coaching, I want a team that plays my way, and if we don't win, we don't win. This is not the way to go out. But we're going to evaluate everything at the end of the year.”
Thank you for joining our conversations on newsok. We encourage your discussions but ask that you stay within the bounds of our terms and conditions. Please help us by reporting comments that violate these guidelines. To review our rules of engagement, go to Commenting and posting policy.
Doug's coaching style is out of date. Our players are great when they are allowed to play. I don't see Doug out there on the ice practicing with them or even showing them what he expects them to do. It's time for a change! Time to out with the old and in with the new. I say let Tyler Fleck take over. At least he has the respect of the players. It doesn't seem that Doug does any longer. He certainly doesn't have the respect of most of the fans.
If you want players to play for you you talk to them as a team or individually. You do not bash them in the press. I bet they are all ready for something new. Go Blazer's.It is time for Doug to feed the horses and get someone with afresh start and different philosophy.
Thanks Sauter, now you're not going to get anyone that wants to play for you. Since you like bashing the players in the media. I hope you do retire, cause you have really dug yourself a deep hole. And the ones who are going to suffer, are the fans. Since no player is gonna want to play for you.
Fourth of July Page
Share your July 4th photos with NewsOK and view other stories and videos.
More Info
Blazers at Austin
•When: 7:38 tonight.
•Where: Chapparal Ice Arena, Austin, Texas.
•Radio: KEBC-1340 AM.
•Records: Blazers 23-26-6, 52 standings points; Austin Ice Bats 23-31-1, 47 standings points.
•Scouting report: In only meeting this season, Blazers won 7-3 on Oct. 31 at the Ford Center. Blazers have lost their last three games and Ice Bats have lost their last two. Austin is much better at home (16-11-1) than on the road (7-20-0). Blazers play at Texas on Saturday, then return home to host Texas on Sunday night.
4
Prev
Something to say about this topic? Submit a Letter to the Editor online
Thank you for joining our conversations on newsok. We encourage your discussions but ask that you stay within the bounds of our terms and conditions. Please help us by reporting comments that violate these guidelines. To review our rules of engagement, go to Commenting and posting policy.
Log in below or sign up (it's free).