JohnC

I understand the sentiment you are referring to. My response is not so much about being petty as it is a reflection of a mind-set coming from a person who gets teased as if they are an inferior. No one likes being treated in such a demeaning way. But the ugly truth of the matter is that the Sabre franchise is an inferior franchise relative to the rest of the league. We have an owner who has presided over this franchise for a generation of failure. It's a chaotically and amateurishly managed operation competing against organizations that are professionally managed. Neither of us enjoy being ridiculed. However, it shouldn't be surprising that this unserious franchise does get mocked. The scorn that this faltering franchise attracts is well deserved. The best way to respond is to become a serious franchise that is a factor in the league other than being a doormat. My ire is targeted to the owner who has debased the franchise and its fading fan base and not outside targets. Don't get angry with them when the problem is within our own house. That's my basic point on my commentary on this topic.

Excellent review of value of an asset that should have multi-team interest.

We also have assets such as prospects and draft picks to dangle. On the Quinn, Samuelsson and JJP availability I would rather keep them but that doesn't mean that I'm completely closed off to deals that give us a return that upgrades the roster. I would love to add players in the same mold of McCleod and Zucker to the roster. What did we give up for them? McCleod was added for a good prospect in a system that has other replacement prospects. How about scanning the RFA players such as Zucker whose cost would be less due to the contract status. We'll get a player, even if for one year, who is incentivized to produce the next season. It certainly worked out well for us with the Zucker transaction. What we need from this dullard organization is a little creativity and imagination from the front office this offseason. The problem is that so far KA hasn't shown that creative ability to make enough of those type of deals to sufficiently improve our roster better. As I have previously stated, I'm not advocating for a bonanza deal/s that strip the young talent from our roster. What I'm looking for is a number of medium B deals that better balance this incongruous roster.

What’s a disgrace is that Toronto fans have the ability to fill up the arena because there are so many unsold seats and seats being sold by the hometown ticket holders. That in itself is a freaking disgrace that opposition fans are more willing to attend than hometown fans. You want to be mad about the situation? Focus your venom on the obtuse owner with the big boat who has crushed this franchise and fanbase with his foolishness. And it should be noted that his absurd ridiculousness has been going on for a generation.

I don't know what you are getting out. My point is simply that being gleeful at another team's failures, when their failures are still miles ahead of your own puny successes, is ridiculous. Pathetic losers who derive satisfaction at snickering at people who failed yet are more successful than the biggest losers in the chortling crowd should show some grace and be silent. You may not be aware of it but you are embarrassing yourself when you do that. (Not singling out anyone but stating my comments in general.) It's like a 300 lb. slob telling a person who is a few pounds overweight that they are fat. The lack of self-awareness is stunning. I apologize if I'm coming off as a scold. It's not my intention to be judgmental. But being a Sabre fan under the ownership of a fool owner has resulted in skewing how a lot of people view things.

As a Sabre fan I’m not going to be gleeful about another team losing the seventh game in the second round when my team hadn’t even qualified to make the playoffs in a generation and still counting. The Toronto fans are angry that they didn’t go on to win the Cup. Their expectations may be unrealistic but at least they have them. What are the Sabre fans’ expectations? Low! Just qualify. Compare Toronto’s ownership to our owner who is silent and clueless? Our owner has created a franchise where not only do players with a NMT clause don’t want to come here but also our best players exerted themselves to get out of this cluster (F—k) franchise. I’m not going to mock the Toronto fans for being disappointed because they outshine us to the extent they fill their arena every game while our arena is often half empty and silent. It’s gotten so bad that when Toronto plays in Buffalo they have more fans in the arena cheering on their team. How embarrassing is that!!!!???? I choose to be silent and not snide about another fan base’s playoff outcome disappointment because as a Sabre fan I’m not in position to snicker at anyone else. This is where our obtuse owner has relegated us to. I detest what he has done to this franchise and fan base. He should be ashamed of himself. The problem is that shameless people can’t be shamed.

I don't see Tuch and JJP moved; and I would be happy if that they get under contract. I'm receptive to dealing Byram and would be open to dealing our first round pick in a package to get either defensive help or even a second line caliber of forward. A lot of people want Quinn dealt. That would be a mistake. Granted that last season he was a disappointment but he finished the season indicating a glimpse that there is still plenty of upside with this young player. A would love to see a line composed with Quinn/Kulich/Peterka. I may be a rarity in this group but I don't want to give up on Samuelsson. When he finished the season paired with Dahlin I thought he played well and his game was consistent. I would have no qualms in dispatching UPL and bringing in another veteran goalie who is younger than Reimer. I'm not in the group vociferously arguing for a blockbuster deal/s to demonstrate a willingness to be bold. If we could add a younger Zucker type player, a rugged defensive oriented blueliner and another goalie, and with the return of Greenway, this lineup should be a tougher and grittier group. It's not talked about as much as it should be but, in my opinion, our biggest need is in net.

You make a insightful point in your description of the Bryson re-signing of the one dimensional thinking our GM exercises when making player and contract decisions. He seems to lack the big picture vision that involves balancing the present and future needs. He’s a checkers player playing in a big stakes chess match. He’s an earnest fellow who is simply overmatched with the multi-faceted job he is in. The owner is the person who created this fiasco. What makes this situation even worse is that our owner is a stubborn rich fellow who is reluctant to acknowledge his mistakes. When the person driving the misdirected bus has an attitude that when lost, continue on and hope that eventually you will get back on track. Such a ridiculous situation!

You just defined the word “ Byzantine” in your description of the organizational structures that the owner established. My head was spinning trying to follow the different iterations of the organization’s front offices. It was/is like a Russian bureaucracy that Putin would be proud of.

As you noted, the offer sheet route is an unlikely route to upgrade our roster as it is for almost every team. The more realistic route is to make deals, such as the Zucker and McCleod additions, that do actually improve one’s roster. KA did make some good B deals this past offseason, but not sufficiently so.

I rarely here anything about Ryan Johnson's play. For a defenseman, that isn't necessarily a bad thing. For those who follow the Amerks, I would appreciate your views on him, and the progress he has made. If the Sabres reworked their blueline where he was brought up to the big league, could he be effective?

He better hurry up. A generation of his foolishness has already passed us by. And when you are on the down side of the mountain, as I am, patience isn’t a virtue. I’m not a downtrodden pessimist. I strongly believe that with the right person at the helm who can make a few judicious moves this sunken ship can be back floating with most of the other functioning ships. And that is that primary source of my exasperation. I like you hate the negativity. It’s depressing and depleting. What I’m hoping to see is the owner taking some actions that changes the dynamics in a good way so the discussions are hockey and player related.

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?

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.

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?

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.

The failure doesn't relate to the quantity of moves as it does the inadequacy of his moves. There are some here who insist that blockbuster moves need to be made to shake things up and jolt the roster. I'm not one of them. If a massive deal could be arranged that is beneficial, then go for it. There is nothing wrong with making a number of B to C type trades (your description) if it improves your roster. He hasn't made enough of those type of deals to sufficiently improve the team. He's a GM of a team competing against other GMs who are acting with more purpose and creativity to constantly upgrade their rosters. Based on the record, he's not keeping up. I'm confident in saying that no other owner other than Pegula would have made this type of odd hire. To make things even worse, no other owner would have retained their GM with a similar record. Our owner hired someone who was ill-equipped for the job. His performance during his tenure demonstrates that. It's beyond past time for a change. This need not become a nuanced discussion about success and failure and why. Your record is your record.

If Karmanos replaced KA as the GM, I would be ecstatic. I would definitely rather have him reworking the roster than the current feckless GM. I’m sure that KA is a fine fellow but he has demonstrated that he is not up to the challenges that the GM position requires. Some judgments are difficult to make; this is not one of them.

I wonder how much influence Karmonos has in the Sabre hockey operation? I'm aware that he's the GM of the Amerks but does he also have meaningful influence within the Sabre realm? I'm also aware that he hasn't relocated his residence to western NY. Although I'm sure he does spend a lot of time further north to attend to his responsibilities, does it diminish his influence within the organization? I wonder how things would change if Karmonos was elevated to the GM position that KA currently has with KA moving to a more ceremonial position as an overseer of the operation. Just curious.

If there was a greater obsession with winning rather than the “big picture plan” this franchise would be relevant. Casually walking in a race puts you back in the pack, again and again.

The upper tier players who would be on the trading block would more likely than not have No Trade Clauses. That's the uncomfortable reality that this franchise faces due to its extended dysfunction. If that's the case where it is nearly impossible to make a blockbuster trade that would jolt the roster, then make a series of medium moves that will upgrade and better balance the roster Look at the Capitals. Over the past year or two it made a number of B moves that altered the roster and made it one of the better teams in the league. They added Strome, DuBois, Chychrun,, Mangiapone, goalies Logan Thompson and Charlie Liindgren etc. and accomplished that substantial roster makeover for minimal costs. That's what a good front office does. The Sabres have plenty of assets to parlay that include roster players, prospects and draft picks. With a little creativity and moxie it can be done. Is KA up to the task? Based on his prior performance, that is a tall task. Although I'm skeptical that he can do it, I'm not ruling it out.

The issue isn’t related to caring or not. The central issue is about making decisions that help the franchise to be competitive. And the record on that score is problematic.

I never said that Pegula was a crook. Go back and read my posts on the comparisons between the two owners. I made it abundantly clear that the comparisons related to management and staffing similarities and not personal and character traits. And the outcomes for each respective franchise over an extended period of time were less than impressive. And also, the dramatic eroding of the fanbases happened during each of their tenures.

You can find the book at your local book store in the cooking section. The title would be: A Recipe for Failure. If not in that section it could be found in the handy man self-fix-it section under the title: Simple Rules On How to Break Things.

It's not over the line. There are obvious similarities between them from an operational (not personal) sense. Terry Pegula as an owner is like Dan Snyder without the sleaze character. Both owners dominated their respective franchises in the manner in which each of them ran the organization. Both of these owners placed sycophants in critical positions whose most important attribute was a willingness to acquiesce to their whims. Both of these rich fellows had similar bad results on the field for an extended period of time and both of these misguided owners dramatically eroded their once rabid fanbase into oblivion. And oddly, both owned big boats.