SabresVet

I wish the NHL would allow guys like McDavid to show more often, as this clip demonstrates, how amazing they are. When he's done, I think he will rank with the best in history.

I wasn't enamored with hiring Adams given his complete lack of front office experience. And especially, at that time, with little around him to assist. But he owns it now - his assistants are largely in place. He's pulled the trigger on trading the guys who wanted out. This is his roster, albeit many of the prospects/NHL level guys are from previous regimes. He's hired his HC. At yesterday's PC, he didn't want to talk about when things need to come together. Certainly, I wouldn't commit to a timeline in front of the media, but they had better have an internal one. That, and rebuilds don't have to take 3-4 seasons if properly executed. We'll know a lot more by the end of the 2022-23 season.

I don't disagree, but owners do crazy things because they can.

Definitely. It's impossible in this era of pro sports for a GM or HC to succeed with meddling owners. Them seeing about 40% of the building full is not going to sit well for long. There's a point where the financial state of the team may get them edgy and lead to knee-jerk reactions...like calling up kids from Rochester before they're ready. We know the Tage extension was borne of the embarrassment from the ROR trade. I'd hate to see kids like Quinn, Peterka, and Krebs elevated before they're ready and throw Adams' development timeline out the window.

Perhaps, and obviously the relationship has more foundation than his 2 predecessors. But each GM was at a different stage upon being hired. Adams' tenure was first overshadowed by Krueger's presence. Now out from under that weight, he's deconstructing a roster and rebuilding a porous minor league system. I'm concerned if the team doesn't win that fans remain away how impatient the Pegula's get.

I think it's important to turn the page on the Murray/Botterill years and how colossal a failure they were. Just so many bad decisions, but I'll always have the back of my mind that the Pegula's want a significant say in hockey operations. At this point, all we can hope for is A) Adams is set up for success with a minimum of interference from these owners and B) he uses that and makes solid hockey decisions to rebuild fast. We'll see. I can't help but think this team will resemble Vegas in a few years: solid lines but no star and needing that one player to get over the top.

Something changed with the Sabres going back to the end of the Botterill era. For example, that slide presentation referencing "lifestyle maintenance" or something similar. Firing Botterill weeks after giving him a vote of confidence, which I always took was JB's refusal to gut their front office which later happened. Money has become so important to them when previously it wasn't and winning was more of a priority. I'm not going to demand ownership take financial losses, but if you're not exhausting options then you're not trying to win. And with the virus largely over, it's going to be interesting how they approach spending next season. I see the Pegula's responding proportionally and keeping spending down until the fans return. When that is, I don't know, but it won't be soon. This team has no marketable stars aside from perhaps Dahlin and he's been so-so lately.

The NHL and NFL are completely different in terms of roster composition. In the NFL, having an elite QB gets you down the road. There is no position in the NHL like that, although 1C is perhaps close. And the Buffalo Sabres don't have one, but hope 1 of 3 guys (Mittelstady, Cozens, Krebs) are that player. Adams did not want to answer when this franchise will be competing during the PC, but they need to be competing for a playoff appearance next season. Anything less is trending toward failure. Adams and Granato now have players who want to be here. We'll see how much closer that gets them to winning on the ice. Terry Pegula would spontaneously combust, especially if the returns end up near the ROR trade.

The insider racket works far too well for fans to ever demand and evolving. But I agree still...just people who have sources regurgitating narratives and some truth thrown in for good measure. I can see veterans taking this approach if referenced in a trade to Buffalo. It's clear the Sabres are not designed to compete for the post-season, so there's no reason to go to NHL Siberia and hurt your career.

WGR's kids need to be in daycare and not out throwing rocks at houses.

That wasn't wrong for several years. Check the draft results from 2014-2020 and note how few Russians were selected. Terry had an issue with them.

Granato's system may be significantly improved over Krueger's, but the lack of talent is becoming obvious. Opponents will continue to adapt, so just simplifying their scheme won't work. And besides, I would expect that this group playing together ~6 weeks would be able to handle more.

This is where Granato has to earn his pay because a team with less talent cannot afford an off-night. We all know it's a long season, but seeing compete issues this early needs to be rectified by the HC ASAP.

Nostradamus would struggle to predict the level of play for 7-8 prospects who haven't take a shift/made a start at the NHL level. 25% of the roster is 5-6 players, who by this account will all be 18-21 year old rookies. And, they'll represent upgrades over veteran NHL players. The kool aid has extra sugar in it, doesn't it?

Sweat doesn't count...results do. My main issue with the Sabres' rebuild is they have a significant lack of talent among their top 6 forwards and in goal. They can be the hardest working team in hockey and it won't matter. Adams has a long way to go improving this team and its minor league system. Here's to hoping it happens. I consider personality and temperaments in assessing employees. In my experience, some people are high performers but require significant support around them. Those types may annoy at times, but they'll deliver when needed. . Because I see a young man who is among the hardest working in his field but demands people around him perform at a high level. I've never said he's a boy scout or on par with Steve Yzerman in leadership, but people are blaming him for the inherent problems in an organization which existed before he arrived. Jack is the best forward this team has had in decades. It's funny how "experts" have psychoanalyzed him, determined he's a horrible person, and think getting rid of him is the best option. And I'd like to believe it's because Kevyn Adams said he wants, "players who want to be here."

It's a long season man. Buffalo sports fans seen this one before.

And this was always the issue with the Sabres, especially among the forward group and in goal - that their system/scheme could cover up for a lack of talent. Question is, how long? This is why I think Adams is looking to receive back young talent to help Granato perhaps for this year but more down the road. EDIT: The other thing I see is 3 forwards are shooting 20% or better through these 7 games. That scoring (10 goals) makes up almost half their total for the season (22). Hard to see that lasting, along with a team .942 save percentage.

I'd love to know if it's TP who won't take back salary in a trade or if it's Adams. If it's the owner, that fits with what he's shown himself to be: a guy who thinks he knows hockey (but doesn't) and is now intent on the bottom line with his franchise in a way not seen before the pandemic hit. Everything I've seen from the Pegula's of late has been focused on cutting costs and I can't blame them this year. Selling 40-50% of your tickets is gonna add up to 25M or more in lost revenue for 2021-22. I'd hope it's Adams who is thinking about the impact giving back salary would hold on future cap years. At the same time, I don't get the sense the Pegula's are gonna spend until the fans come back. When that happens is anyone's guess.

Calling Dr. Howard, Dr. Fine, Dr. Howard...

This is ripe even for a message board where nuanced subjects are boiled down into mutually exclusive arguments like you have. No one's claimed this is about either his health OR money other than you. The information operations campaign has really succeeded with some fans...who still act like Jack kicked their dog every day for the last 5 months.

Perish the thought a 24 year old man might be thinking longer than a few months forward like the average fan is. Even if ADR doesn’t work, he can get the fusion. Put yourself in the man’s shoes…this is a life decision. I guarantee you’d consider options if the “doctor approved” surgery would require going under the knife regularly for perhaps decades to come. Doctor approved? Kids in the street comparison? Talk about some major false equivalence. See above.

Brisson took over in late August, which is about 2 months. If they're looking for new evidence to support ADR that's not unrealistic time frame as I'm sure it involves finding others surgeons/doctors and gathering medical data on the procedure. Because I'm sure there wasn't a transition of data from the Peter's team to the new agent.

Gotta love the schadenfreude. Love the guy when he's on the team placing 10th in NHL in goals . Now, we'll find any way to validate the trade decision. A 2 game sample size? I guess that settles it. LOL

I don't see them having the luxury of acquiring a defenseman on an ELC with an eye to flipping him for a center prospect down the road. Their start notwithstanding, this rebuild needs to be executed quickly and they don't have an unlimited timeframe. A solid center who can grow into a top-6 type (easier said than done) will enhance the forwards around him. It would also help to have that player here developing under this HC in his system. I still believe Adams is holding out because, despite the start, their center depth is thin at both the minor and major league levels.

And I understand that, but it's the inner-working nuance for which we'll never know. For example, if KA has a deal with a suitable return, but Buffalo has to pick up 2M for multiple years. That's getting them out of this issue for the most part, putting players into their system development, and hopefully winning some games. If money is the sole obstacle right now, the owner's inflexibility is inhibiting the moving forward. We're not gonna know, but I can see TPegs being obstinate on matters like this because revenue is going to be down so far. VGK is in a much different place than at that point. Could of forwards are injured, less cap flexibility (2.7M under), being in a difficult conference, and not sneaking up on anyone a la 2017-18.