SabresVet

What are the chances a GM would offer sheet Dahlin just to stick it to the Sabres? Buffalo has a lot going on right now and they'll be cutting payroll this year. If Buffalo doesn't lock him up long term, I'd wonder if Dahlin isn't enamored with the organization either. H

As the old saying goes..."where there's smoke, there's fire." The decision to trade at least Eichel was made long ago. Still agree with the premise that Adams is intent on rebuilding the team, convinced Terry as much, and in that process is giving himself the longest approach to the finish line he can obtain. That conflicts with fan sentiment which is also tired of the losing and doesn't want to see another 2-3 seasons of poor play before young players begin producing.

I remember the 2011 Bills off-season when their GM went full radio silence. Similar sentiments then were expressed by the media that nothing was coming out of the front office. No attempts at subterfuge, talking up players, or anything for insiders to report. Teams rarely take this approach. Perhaps Adams has a grand plan that will be unveiled at the right time. But there are a host of major decisions to be made and they're keeping things very close to the vest. All I can believe is that they see no benefit to talking about the situation. Perhaps they're concerned about the fall-out from trading the two best players on the team or the fact that an expansion draft looms. They're not building much leverage with their assets - at least right now.

Terry's best option if Adams doesn't work out would be to name himself GM. I can't see many decent options outside the organization signing up for the meddling in personnel, reduced front office, and self-imposed financial limitations the Pegula's offer. Then again, perhaps KA's best course is to begin a rebuild hoping it'll buy him time. That's a tall order, as you note, when you're trading away your best 2 forwards and the goalie situation is TBD.

Adams couldn't win with the vets and talent last season, so now it's about identifying the organization's foundation and building from there. I think Adams didn't want to disrupt much after inheriting Krueger and that roster last off-season. He even added to it with E. Staal and Hall. That didn't work, so now that he's selected his HC he wants to put his stamp on the franchise. After all, he'll be judged on the results because the major negative last season (Krueger) has been removed. A rebuild is obviously not what long suffering fans want, but it's the reality now. And that means stripping the roster down to young talent while unloading veterans they can for maximum return. It also helps to become more cap-healthy.

And, they can still finish lower in the standings next year. 😉 Probably a wise move to keep prices the same, but they know fan sentiment has to be at an all-time low. And that's going to dive when Eichel and Reinhart are traded. Amazing to think at one point a waiting list for ST's existed.

It sounds like Owen want to "be here." Just like Dylan Cozens, Casey Mittelstadt, and Tage Thompson. It's important players want to be here...until they hit UFA or even RFA. 😉

Owners impact the team far more than Jack Eichel ever could. If you can't see that, I'm sorry. The question every Sabres fan needs to ask is why does Jack want out? Because it'd be one thing if he was the lone voice of dissent, but with Reinhart making the same request, something systemic is wrong. If the Sabres are to move forward, that problem must be addressed. Without it, the same problems will continue.

Sure, those hires were seen as mainstream. But when Murray and Botterill didn't work out, going full late Ralph Wilson "need to hire someone I know regardless of qualifications" isn't how you send a message you're trying to win. That's one more element to the hockey community, players and agents included, that your franchise is not competitive. Wrong. We invest emotion, time and the price of tickets/merchandise into the Sabres. The players...well, they invest a little more into their career. I see fans all the time who don't know there's a difference between having a job or having a career.

I don't think some can set aside their fandom because it's a big part of their identity. It's why when even star players like Jack who display anything that goes against the team it becomes a personal attack. I won't understand it because the Sabres should be entertainment and not who an individual is. But to be totally objective, if I was an elite player who worked exceptionally hard at my trade and the team struggled through bad coaches, was operated on shoe-string budgets, featured crony GM hires, and ownership was what they are...I'd want out for a chance to win. After all, I would expect a player to want to win and not be locked in Terry and Kim's hockey hades.

Hate to break it to you, but it's likely they'll have a lot of 'young developing players' featured prominently in 2021-22. Those players you hope will improve, but that's a tall order in a very competitive division. Rebuilding teams largely have to play youth and lower end talent, especially in the NHL where careers are said to be on the decline around 30. I'm not assuming they'll have more talent next season, particularly when the trades will likely be for more youth and draft picks.

If this pumping up of DG continues, should we expect a Herb Brooks circa 1980 like effect with the 2021-22 Sabres? He should be an improvement on Krueger's bullheaded approach, but not the massive force-multiplier some are expecting. Especially with less talent this coming season. If they don't deal Risto I'd attribute that to the TP effect of there being the GM in the sky. Because if he's indifferent on being here, why would Buffalo keep Risto when Jack and Sam also want out? I thought they only want players who want to be here.

What can you say? Terry knows hockey.

I have a hard time believing that UFAs with options are interested in signing with a rebuilding team like Buffalo. KA would need to overpay and I'm not seeing how they want more bad contracts. I also can't see them wanting veterans coming back unless it's a salary dump. Because Terry saw what went down with ROR and doesn't want to repeat that experience and look bad again.

Health is kinda important too. If he thinks this surgery is the only option to maintaining his career, that'd be enough to drive anyone away. Talent and depth are essential. The Edmonton Oilers have proven that now the last few seasons. It's easier to acquire and/or develop depth...finding the talented top 2 lines and top 2 defensemen is more challenging.

I don't think the Sabres want to be that team known throughout the league as sticking it to a star player. And I don't think Adams wants the problem on his hands long term, because word gets out (and probably already has) that Buffalo treats players poorly if they choose that option. Youth movement or not, that makes a rebuild even more difficult.

I've never understood why some fans (not you) are so ready and willing to run a guy out of town like this. Happened with the Bills years ago too when fans would talk about the elite talent not giving full effort as the team essentially bottomed out. The question I'd like to ask those upset with his "effort" is...who replaces Jack right now? Because I don't see a player coming over in a trade that will provide 50% of the scoring he did while healthy. Trading Jack officially kicks off the rebuild and few are gonna be patient enough for another 1-2 seasons riding the bottom of the standings.

The only exception might be that they have to take on some contract unless they eat some of Jack's contract in the deal. Especially with his injury concerns. It's going to be hard accepting he and maybe Reinhart are gone. And no doubt by now, word has traveled that Buffalo isn't a destination to win. That likely means it's a rebuild with a few long term pieces in-place. Adams has a lot to prove that he can, with youth, put together a solid roster and do this without Eichel and Reinhart.

Aside from them having much better forward production, a Stanley Cup winning HC, and better goaltending, yes, it's a very similar situation comparing NYI to BUF.

I'm not here to discuss TPegs' business acumen. I know someone (take it FWIW) who has proximity to the team and had first-hand experience with him. The picture you paint is vastly different, at least in hockey, from what I've been told. The Pegula's took the word of NHL types for whom to hire and it all backfired. And, ownership is notorious for their role in hockey operations. Perhaps you believe that Jason Botterill wanted to offer Skinner an 8 year deal. Or the same term with Eichel. Maybe you know that Terry did not like Russian players and did not want to select them in the draft. Bottom line is you cannot overcome bad ownership, especially when it influences personnel so deeply.

I'm hating that we're going to be sold on a rebuild that features "guys who want to be here." You have to question a franchise that has alienated its best two forwards. Still, there's something deeper going on beyond the losing which is driving trade demands. I think promoting Adams to be GM, gutting the front office, and other cost-cutting demonstrate a lack of willingness to win. That doesn't get fixed by hiring a first time NHL HC or young players with potential he's coaching. It's been 14 years since Drury and Briere departed. This off-season will rival that one for organizational ineptitude.

Jack does not get the surgery because the team says no. Buffalo seeks a trade but receives less than ideal offers. Jack begins 2021-22 on the team, proves that he's healthy, and is traded during the season.

Reading between the lines on Vogl's tweet...how could it be anything but a pending trade? Conversations "happening every day" points in only one direction especially considering the team is not budging on the surgery Jack wants.

No front office is going to be purely in-house hires. Key is that the decision makers, i.e. the GM and above, are found inside.

The Pegula's are beginning to mirror the decisions of the late Ralph Bills years. After hiring outside their universe executives and coaches who didn't produce, the circle of trust narrowed. GM and HC searches were then limited to people whose relationship to ownership is already strong or they're a known entity. Avoid outside candidates at all costs. Mediocrity ensues. Except this time, owners are likely there for the long haul. I'd love to see Don Granato win as much as anyone, but it's hard to trust the Pegula's or their hand-picked leaders anymore. Adams still comes off as the "we knew him" hire and it's clear owners are laser-focused on reducing costs. Much like those late Ralph years. It's also likely they're not considering outside people because they're not interested. Meddling ownership combined with reduced staff budgets are not the scenario I would think proven GM's and HC's would seek out. Especially when the best players want out.