SabresVet

Two things can be simultaneously correct: that they still have those guys on the roster AND they have fewer easier to play against types this year versus last. It has to be Ruff pushing this move toward shaping a roster this way. His predecessor and Adams back then certainly weren't. My hope is that adding players like Kesselring, Danforth, and Doan (if he gets to the big club) provide the on-ice example to play this way and not the apathetic style we've seen. It ain't the top-6 forward or major shake-up I'd hoped for, but at this point it's the path they've chosen.

Interesting to hear Adams' response to the philosophy change on roster construction, notably with veterans. He talked about having their presence, which is a far cry from the narrative about not blocking the kids getting to the NHL. And, being tougher to play against. What changed? I'd speculate it's Ruff being in the room more than anything else pushing for this. And, because Jarmo's been there only a month now and besides, they made it a point to re-sign Zucker and Greenway late last season. Comes off as another off-season where they make 1 moderate move and a bunch of minor ones. Then, pronounce that the sum is greater than the parts while gambling/banking on unproven players to improve. Meh.

Do not doubt this at all, but I think Terry at least allows Ruff to weigh in on strategy and decisions. Behind both of them is Adams doing whatever they want to keep himself clean. Agree that Terry loves having a guy out in front taking arrows who doesn't mind so long as he keeps his job.

Guess there were too many shots of empty seats after the losing streak among other things.

Let's not get carried away: Rathbone doesn't guarantee a Stanley Cup, but with him on the roster the playoff drought is as good as over.

My issue is...Adams handed Cozens a major contract (for this franchise) and it was a clear mistake less than 2 years in. Samuelsson that way. No one is saying the Power deal is good either. Luukkonen? Eh. He gets credit for Tage, who probably got praise from Granato to extend, but otherwise, his extensions have hurt the team. Dahlin is another no-brainer. It's not just trades, it's the lack of a coherent plan and now the extensions. Everything he touches is almost guaranteed to go sour.

https://nhltradetracker.com/user/trade_list_by_GM/Kevyn_Adams/306/1 This is Adams' trade record going back 5 years now. The McLeod-Savoie deal is a TBD unless they re-sign him. Maybe the Norris/B-D for Cozens/Gilbert trade provided Norris is actually healthy. Otherwise it's dealing disgruntled players for less value, minor moves, and swapping draft picks. Or, adding a decent player who'll be flipped for goodness know what. Not anticipating some monumental move from this guy, who seems content with just keeping his job.

We're back to, as fans, assuming increased production from young players who aren't proven. Still not good enough when you're a franchise in this predicament. This deal confirms Adams has no real plan. We were told they didn't want to block players from being in the NHL. Then, they signed some vets when that plan was insufficient and they apparently realized the error of the original plan. It resulted in McLeod and some 4th liners last off-season. And now they are trading those younger players, necessary or not? So, we'll see the Samuelsson buyout perhaps and a trade of Byram. For what? More spare pieces? This is just re-arranging deck chairs on the Titanic. No plan. No vision.

Toughness is nice for a team that clearly lacks it, but they are constantly trying to add these types of players and neglecting talent. Buffalo's off-seasons are like a game of whack-a-mole. Fixing last year's issues without anticipating what they'll be faced with the following season. That's why assuming Kulich or another younger player will score enough to off-set this move is he's still mostly an unknown. And for a team that needs to make the playoffs or others will demand trades, that's not enough. Almost every single time we believe they'll get production from a young player it doesn't work. I can see them better defensively and struggling to score without a real move this off-season. And given who the GM and owner are, I'm not holding my breath.

I can see Jarmo's next job right now.

This is a good sign for that reason, but they can't let go of the stench from certain holdovers even hiring someone from outside the organization. Because I doubt Adams makes it. And then this individual likely takes over, albeit with factions still in place. They aren't going to hire someone with a solid record the longer those factions remain in place.

Time has a way of revealing the truth. Owners are always going to have a say, but the degree of control TPegs believes he should have in light of continued losing...shows a level of ego hard to imagine. As in, the owner cannot compromise at all on control over hockey operations and installs the puppet who'll ensure that. A GM whose blunders are so numerous and bad that either he's not making any decisions and someone more idiotic is...or this guy takes inept to another level. Not even the Great Depression lasted this long.

Pretty clear the owner attending games later in the season was all for show if Adams isn't fired. What person with a fully functioning brain goes to those games and walks away saying the team this GM constructed is capable of meeting their established 2024-25 goal of making the playoffs? Then again, this is the owner who thought speaking to the team in the midst of an 0-10-3 streak would elevate their play. And the GM has more of late been revealed as a puppet.

Sequence seems to go like this. 1. Star player signs big contract. 2. Teams keeps losing. 3. Star player makes it known he doesn't want to keep losing. 4. Team keeps losing. 5. Player makes trade demand. 6. Terry is offended and sends Kevyn out to say he wants players who want to be here. 7. Player gets traded and is blamed for not wanting to be in Buffalo. We're at step 3 right now. Step 4 probably happens next season. And it's Terry's fault for being a loser of an owner.

Funny how a GM who signed Cozens to a big contract now has to unload him and gets to negotiate the return. If only the Sabres were a real organization that held GM's accountable.