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It’s an elementary school logic problem: not all team that spend to the cap make the playoffs but teams that make the playoffs spend to the cap will you make the playoffs if you don’t spend? No will you make the playoffs if you spend? Not necessarily but you might we haven’t spent to the cap or fielded the non youngest team in hockey for the duration of KA’s tenure Not making it when we did spend isn’t evidence to the fact that spending is irrelevant and it’s a terrible argument. Just because there’s no magic formula doesn’t mean there aren’t causation indicators that we DO know are causing the problems that they are indeed wilfully ignoring for purposes of this discussion there IS a magic formula to drastically increase our chances: not have an internal cap. They are indeed choosing to not win

No, we know the issue. We don’t spend to the cap and have the youngest team in hockey The answers are there and obvious

In my case, it's because I've seen the kid play since he was younger. In minor hockey you get a lot of silver spoon kids who get in with all the best teams and coaches, with private development sessions plus a team practice almost every night of the week. These are kids that even if they get a full scholarship, the family won't even break even for the time and money they spent... And they don't even care. There are several in this draft that I know of. Martin was not that kid, and I think his ceiling might be a bit higher as a result.

If a Democrat tweeted this Fox Propaganda would have wall to wall coverage of outraged Republicans.

Terry’s record indeed speaks for itself. He is, however, the same guy who hired Brandon Beane and Sean McDermott and has left them alone. He is capable of getting his way, even if by accident.

You are right that there are many reasons for a generation of failure. No one can dispute that. What can’t be challenged is that ownership matters. It sets the tone and creates the environment on how the franchise will be run. The record speaks for itself. And the empty seats on game day is a testament to that reality. Who is the person who makes those critical hires?

As much as I agree with the bolded part, it’s proven that is nothing a sharp GM and capable coach can’t overcome

Stretched it out for weeks. People were accusing Lafontaine of dragging it out artificially and deliberately as way of fishing for intel.

They had a thorough search for Murray? Terry Pegula is incompetent. It's not really any more complicated than that.

How did the thorough and professional searches that yielded Tim Murray and Jason Botterill end up? How about the whimsical and insular hires of Rod Brind’Amour and Eric Tulsky in Carolina? There is no magic formula; if there was everyone would follow it. The Sabres haven’t sucked for a long time due to any one thing, as much as people need to find one. It’s through a series of poor choices exacerbated by the resulting fragility that has manifested within the organizational psyche. TLDR: not enough good players and/or good leaders in the same place at the same time. It’s not really any more complicated than that.

The makeup of Laval is not veteran heavy, it's almost identical to Rochester's, with a handful of AHL vets complementing a deep group of NHL prospects. It's kinda seems ideal for development to me: the kids get to play in important situations and learn from them, while surrounded by enough veteran voices to show them the way. They were the 1st and 4th place teams in the AHL this year. Amerks have both made the playoffs and improved their record in each of the past four years, and are currently in their 8th playoff series over their span while graduating a half-dozen players into full-term NHLers. But the Sabres do still suck, so carry on being right about everything.

Before KA was hired did the owner interview any other candidates? When the owner hired Ruff to be the new coach, did the owner interview any other candidates? Is that a smart way to do business? When you conduct your business in an insular and whimsical manner it shouldn’t be a surprise that your franchise is considered to be a backwater and dysfunctional franchise.

I thought they played like their hair was on fire in the MTL series, but looked totally spent against the Canes. Wonder how much the spunky Habs took out of them while the Canes barely broke a sweat vs. NJ. You're right - looked old & slow.

The Flyers roster is BARREN aside from Michkov and Konecny. And they haven't been bad enough to draft really high, so the guys in their system are still question marks. I would take our roster over theirs up-and-down without giving it a second thought.

I have zero interest in an offer sheet; I'll make trades but I'm not willing to trade/transfer our 2026 1st

Howie Roseman practically begged every NFL team for a job before the Eagles “hired” him as an intern. Five years later he was their GM. I could come up with ten more stories although not as crazy as his. Teams hire ex-players as GM’s all the time. People were jumping for joy when Terry hired Lafontaine. Hiring him has been an unmitigated disaster but the process has worked before. He was a well respected player, a team leader and has a masters agree. He was hardly the equivalent of a daycare teacher. Again, I’m not advocating for him to be retained. I would have fired him last year but his hiring was not anymore out of left field then several other hires, including several that have hoisted a championship trophy.

The issue I have with this particular hire is a reflection on how the owner has in general operated. There was no meaningful search to fill the position. It was based on an owner's whim. He's the owner and can do whatever he wants to do. That's the problem with him and how he has operated. If he had a legitimate search process to fill the position maybe he could have found a young underling candidate who worked with a successful franchise and was ready to make the jump. The process to hire KA was the same insular process used to hire Ruff. It was a limited and insular process that has kept this franchise as an outdated and out of step franchise. How about entering the modern world of NHL hockey and conducting business in a more intelligent manner?

I'm referring to Dobson

Remember when Adams said he interviewed lots of people and then chose Ruff? I'm reading today that the Bruins have actually interviewed 16 different people and are waiting (likely) to also talk to Donskov (in Dallas). Just a comment to consider the differences between how franchises are run.

Some of should I say many of you are narrowing your gaze too much. You can't see the forest through the Martin Tree.

This is my point. It's the same with the Sabres. Both teams should be a veteran/prospect mix. Veterans to teach and mentor the kids. It should start there. That's me Mr. Silly, and yet every year I am right about this and every year it continues cause the Sabres are the dumbest franchise in hockey. But whatever.

That's a lot for Knies but I'm not opposed to it. Some sort of bold moves need to be made.

There's a constant critique in Philly land over there being an "old boys club" and all this sort of thing. I'd suggest there is always a disagreement with fans over driving a team's culture forward and giving meaning to the crest vs. stuck in hiring their own in a nepotism sort of way. You know, Bruins give Chara a job. Neely is president. Flyers hire Jones and Briere and now Tocchet. Clarke and Holmgren are still in the structure. So is this good or bad? idk, but I do know that hiring Ruff here seemed right and maybe Sabres haven't had enough of this sort of thing and thus have little to no pride in the jersey. It's a forever argument I think, but in Buffalo's case I'd be happier if our senior advisor was Rick Dudley or if Pat LaFontaine was still here all along and I am sure if people like that were, this would have all gone different. maybe he is lying, but Briere has said he's already gotten calls from agents suggesting there are free agents interested in playing for Tocchet. Maybe that's a thing to consider to. We shall see how it goes, but I wanted Tocchet hired by the Sabres when Vancouver hired him.

An owner can make an out of box hire and have it work out well as you cite with the Eagles example. It's a risk but calculated risks sometimes pay be dividends. The case in Buffalo is different. KA had little experience as a front office candidate. When Terry P fired his GM because he wasn't willing to fire staff in an austerity move, there was virtually no reviewing the market for GM candidates. It was his typical limited insular search. When you compare his credentials and experience to be a GM compared to the normal manner in which owners make hires for that critical position, he was more like daycare teacher elevated to teach a college math class. It made no sense at the time and in hindsight. I'm sure KA is a fine fellow. He was never fit for the job and shouldn't have accepted it. His performance shouldn't be a surprise. And his retention on the job (so far) is an example why the owner is a depressing weight on this struggling franchise.

I wholly agree. Pegula took a shot on a bright young guy with somewhat of a related background. For a brief period (21-22 to 22-23), it seemed he might have been onto something. Then it went south. It’s time to take another shot at it. Maybe it’s a veteran guy and maybe it’s a newbie. There is no model guaranteed to succeed.