SabresVet

Crosby wasn't demanding a trade, but coming off the concussion in 2011-12, he got a big contract from Pittsburgh. So there's that.

They are at a stalemate. We know Jack wants the surgery (apparently) and the Sabres won't permit it. Teams won't offer what Adams wants because they know the returning asset is not 100%. Unless Adams lowers his price and provides some health update to teams, this will carry into the pre-season. Then they'll have him in for a physical, determine he's not fit and put him on IR. Who knows how long, but you can't trade someone in that position. It's whyI don't believe Adams has a Plan B. Then again, neither does Eichel being under contract 5 more seasons.

Adams' rebuild is about setting the house on fire before the season begins. Murray kept re-lighting the house on fire when it looked like the thing might go out in-season. The first isn't for a high pick and the latter is all about it Agree that by the end of season 2 they need to be in the playoffs. I'm also intrigued to see how long Adams sticks with players he didn't draft or re/sign. And there's still a significant number here who aren't "his" guys.

By no means is this a deliberate attempt to run the team into the ground to obtain a top draft pick. It's a classic rebuild, not a Tim Murray special circa 2014-15.

There's no need to wait and see with the roster and how it'll fare against a tough division. We know the goaltending is suspect and the forwards group is not much better given previous performance. The defense I'm not extremely concerned about, though this won't carry them if they aren't scoring. It seems all people have to hang their hat on is that Granato's scheme will deliver huge dividends. It reminds me of when people celebrated Chan Gailey's offenses who featured nobody and managed to (for a time) score some points. Without top talent over a long season it's inevitably they'll struggle. As someone noted above, you had a last place team in the league and then removed Eichel, Reinhart, Ullmark, McCabe, and Ristolainen. Who replaces those guys and how are they an improvement?

Pushing expectations into the future is always a safe bet because fans are notoriously hesitant to demand accountability of their teams. I'm convinced most people aren't willing to be honest with themselves and hold themselves accountable for their flaws. So it stands to reason that fans, who draw much of their identity from a sports team, won't do the same there either. Unfortunately, ownership is the obstacle and it'll take a herculean effort to overcome their presence.

It's short-sighted to think that one player (Ullmark) dictated the GM's roster planning for 2021-22. Adams knew heading into the off-season that he was going to trade Eichel, Reinhart, and Ristolainen to go with the youth. But based on their goaltending moves, I don't believe they considered Ullmark would move on. From a managerial perspective, I think Adams started formulating his rebuild plan by the end of the season. That is, remove as many of the "guys who don't want to be here" and see what these young players have. Besides, Adams watched this roster fail to perform under RK and has been watching this team for a while - both before his GM tenure and now in that role.

And Granato won't be sneaking up on anyone next season. I guess people think performance carries over from one season to the next as if opponents aren't adapting. Still believe people are minimizing the chasm opened by not having Jack and Sam next season. The remaining forward group will be under a lot more pressure and it's a complete unknown how Mittelstadt and Cozens handle that. Granato's "system" only goes so far and means the players gotta swim or will sink.

I'm skeptical of the Pegula's and their methodology after these past few years making bad executive level hires. In essence, they need to luck out because they've lost complete trust in outside the organization hires. Yet, it was their inability to hire a GM that has them there in the first place. The front office has been built after a major purge took place, notably with the AGM and now addition of the analytics people. That's standard operating procedure, but it was something this franchise held off on for quite some time. Maybe this all works out and in 2022-23 they're a playoff team. It's a push to believe an inexperienced GM with a first time HC operating under this ownership can take a young team with a low budget to succeed. And, as this thread reflects, without their best forward in a difficult division.

The Pegula's were desperate post-Rex and Whaley. They had egg on their face in NFL circles being duped by those two who were fighting all season. When it came time to find someone to replace them, McD was wise to demand control in personnel and front office stuff. T/K Pegs gladly acquiesced. But that was going on 5 years ago. There's been reports (by Paul Hamilton and someone I know) that the Pegula's are not enamored with having given McBeane the authority over the Bills despite recent results. Hiring Adams comes off as something that paranoid people would. He wasn't on anyone's front office radar, but he checks the loyalty box which is apparently more crucial than actual experience. Maybe Adams makes them feel good about his decisions, I don't know. So far, the way he's handled the Eichel situation doesn't show a savvy executive. Nor does the abbreviated HC search, which lends itself to the Pegula's having more control...which was probably their goal all along.

Feel bad that he's going to spend the last years of his career announcing some really bad teams. Miss the 05-06 / 06-07 years when this was an exciting team with RJ calling games.

Have read comments in other threads about the goaltending being bad last season aside from Ullmark when people evaluated Granato's record. Several other things going on at the time, but with Ullmark leaving and the roster showing UPL, Anderson, Dell and Tokarski I would hope this same reason isn't put forward if/when the Sabres struggles this season. At some point, it's not merely the goaltending that's bad...it's the executives putting this roster on the ice believing it'll be sufficient. Or maybe they know it's not good and accept that.

Lot of talk about goal scoring, but who's getting the puck to wingers this season? Subtracting Jack and now Reinhart means that Mittelstadt and Cozens are going to face tougher defenses as the 1C and 2C now. Besides, analyzing this team based on last year's production is fool's gold. No one should assume these younger players will improve dramatically as they're placed into higher pressure roles.

It never fails to amaze me how little people know about mental health, particularly mood disorders like manic depression (also known as bipolar disorder). If people did some research, they'd know that people with the illness commonly self medicate through excessive drinking and drug use. They'd also know that a chemical imbalance of certain neurotransmitters is the issue, and until diagnosis and treatment are determined, these people live in their own circle of hell. That, people with this illness act out and can experience mood episodes that make no sense. Sometimes they have unlimited energy and make bad decisions...or are hopelessly depressed for no apparent reason. And anyone who has first-hand experience with these and other mental health issues would know have more sympathy for people. I don't care about Lehner or his time in Buffalo anymore. But anyone who attacks someone that's been diagnosed with this horrible illness is clueless and doesn't know what the heck they're talking about.

This is pie in the sky fantasy stuff. He hasn't shown the hockey IQ to remain here and his main qualification is that the Pegula's were embarrassed by the ROR trade.

Under Krueger they scored 2.14 and allowed 2.79. 12 of his 28 games coached Ullmark started Under Granato it was 2.79 and 3.64. Ullmark started in 8 of those 28 games. (Adams coached at least one of those games) Lot of pressure to put on the three young players they're banking on at forward. Mittelstadt scored at 0.54 ppg in 41 games, Thompson at 0.37 ppg in 38 games, and Cozens was 0.32 in 41 games. They'll need tremendous improvement from all 3 and I cannot see that happening - at least not this season.

I'm still not seeing where the goals are coming given they 29th at 2.46 per game with Reinhart's 25 last season. That's 18% of your goals scored out the door and replaced with replacement level players like Hinostroza and MacInnis. Sure, the younger players could improve but that's always the mantra for rebuilding teams. Realistically, there are just too many if's and hopefully's this year to have it all come together, notably with the forward group. Now, if Jack gets dealt for serious NHL ready pieces, this can change. I'm not banking on that either.

They were 3-7 in their final 10 and were -15 in goal differential. Not sure that should be considered "fun." This same retort showed up for years with the Bills when they had 5 GMs from 2001-2016 and all of them were connected to the Ralph Wilson owner years. When ownership doesn't know what they're doing and/or interferes regularly, you more often than not get bad hires. Not surprisingly, the strategy revolves around catching lightning in a bottle with someone. Regardless of what the homers believe, Adams is the "we knew him" hire who has to prove himself. Same goes for Granato. 2021-22 is effectively year 0 of the rebuild...tear down, move out players they don't like, and generally lose on the ice. 2022-23 is gonna be where you need to see results and, given the "win now" mentality in pro sports, some wins and competing for a playoff spot. If they're bottom 8 in the standings in 2022-23, this rebuild is not looking good.

Buffalo will survive, but whether they ever climb out of the NHL's basement is debatable. People are already concluding that Adams and Granato will be successful, but there are serious questions about both of them. Adams has zero experience as an NHL GM and Granato is new to his role. For that reason, no one should assume they'll get it right. Tearing down the roster will be easy compared to rebuilding and that's not started yet. If this team does not win by the end of year 2, the Sabres will remain under minimal budgets in players and front office.

Good money isn't enough. Not in the NFL, not in other corporations, nowhere. With a good team on the field, I'm guessing the Pegula's would see PSL's as a essential AND taxpayer funding. They're in a business and everyone knows you never spend your own money if you don't have to. In this case, they'll work the system force someone else to shoulder as much of the burden as they can.

Billionaires are taking over the world. It's human nature for some people to want to rule the majority, i.e. the middle class.

Most people realize the US has an infrastructure problem (the roads and bridges kind) with upgrades needed soon. Especially in metro areas where traffic has surged in the past 50 years. This may come as a surprise to many, but the Federal/State/local governments don't have enough money for everything. I'm quite confident the Pegula's won't receive 100% of financing for their two team locations, but any spending on these endeavors comes at the expense of something else. The question is: which areas should be cut so that the Pegula's can continue making 8-9 figure profits? That is, unless you're willing to pay higher taxes for entertainment.

Then take out a mortgage like loan and do it yourself. Public financing for something that benefits so few is asinine. And the NYS budget has risen almost 23% over the past 2-3 years.

Too soon to tell on Adams with Buffalo's rebuild still in the tear down stage until Eichel is traded. That's the easy part compared to managing a roster from the bottom of the standings to one competing for a playoff spot and winning playoff series. Also interested in who on the current roster is re-signed long term (3 years or more) like Dahlin, how his draft picks fare, and where they are by the end of year 2. That's a suitable time to assess him.

I have a hard time not seeing Friedman do this sort of podcast without having some motivation from Eichel's camp or potential teams he could land with. Especially with it dropping less than 12 hours after the agents' letter was released. No one looks good right now.