A new NHL season is just around the corner and for Varna native Ryan O'Reilly and his Buffalo Sabres it's a new beginning. The Sabres have made a lot of changes on the ice and in management with new coach Phil Housley and new GM James Botterill.
O'Reilly says coach Housley is a legend in the game and he expects that's carry over to coaching. O'Reilly says the players as well as management and the fans were disappointed with last year's results and they see this season as an opportunity to show what they can do.
“Kind of seeing what they've done in Nashville and him being part of that. It's going to be similar to that with the defencement getting up there. Talking to him I already have a bit of a relationship with him. I think it's going to be a really good fit. He's very knowledgeable. He's a legend, what he's done with the game I think it will only carry over to coaching so, you know, all of the guys I've talked to on the team are really excited.”
O'Reilly says he expects Housley will encourage his defencemen to get more involved in the offence, similar to the style he brought to Nashville and he says you have to have that if you want to compete in the playoffs. He says he's already spoken with his new coach as well as with several of the players and they're excited about the new season.
“It's not just forwards that have to score. You always have to have the defence contributing. It's a big piece you know, every team that's in the playoffs they got a few guys on the back end that are creating. They're always in the play and they're just creating offence constantly you know and I think that's the style we need and he wants to bring and it'll be good.”
