Will the Sabres become a better team under Pegula?

[Mike Oxhurtz]

While we all can thank Tom Golisano for purchasing the Sabres and saving the team from bankruptucy, we all know he ran the team like a business. With the possibility of Pegula purchasing the team, will he do whatever it takes to build a championship team and keep those core players?

 

It seems like the Sabres have had a tradition of "whenever you got someone good, get rid of them" mentality for years. The Sabres have yet to rebound from the losses of Drury, Briere & Dumont. While most can point the fingers at Larry Quinn & Darcy Regier, you have to look all the way to the top at the owner. With Pegula & his wife being long-time Sabres fans, do you think (if he's able to buy the team), that he either changes the business like atmosphere or he fires Quinn, Regier (and maybe Ruff)?

[Tyrannustyrannus]

I think Ruff deserves a shot with a new GM

[Chief Enabler]

While we all can thank Tom Golisano for purchasing the Sabres and saving the team from bankruptucy, we all know he ran the team like a business. With the possibility of Pegula purchasing the team, will he do whatever it takes to build a championship team and keep those core players?

 

It seems like the Sabres have had a tradition of "whenever you got someone good, get rid of them" mentality for years. The Sabres have yet to rebound from the losses of Drury, Briere & Dumont. While most can point the fingers at Larry Quinn & Darcy Regier, you have to look all the way to the top at the owner. With Pegula & his wife being long-time Sabres fans, do you think (if he's able to buy the team), that he either changes the business like atmosphere or he fires Quinn, Regier (and maybe Ruff)?

Christmas may be coming early this year for you guys. I figured there would a thousand threads today and SDS/LabattBlue would we closing repeat threads left and right.

 

In regards to making Sabres a better team? Hands down, yes. Any business decision wouldnt be to run it into the ground...

 

Sounds like this is perfect scenario for TG & LQ, they get their payday and go back to their real jobs. win-win. Pegs can come in and play owner. Doesnt seem like there is much dirt on him, the NHL just needs to approve. Git-r-dun!

[nfreeman]

Did this need its own thread?

[Weave]

Gawd I hope so.

[LabattBlue]

Christmas may be coming early this year for you guys. I figured there would a thousand threads today and SDS/LabattBlue would we closing repeat threads left and right.

Get with the program. There is a new sheriff in town and her name is... :wub:

[Taro T]

While we all can thank Tom Golisano for purchasing the Sabres and saving the team from bankruptucy, we all know he ran the team like a business. With the possibility of Pegula purchasing the team, will he do whatever it takes to build a championship team and keep those core players?

 

It seems like the Sabres have had a tradition of "whenever you got someone good, get rid of them" mentality for years. The Sabres have yet to rebound from the losses of Drury, Briere & Dumont. While most can point the fingers at Larry Quinn & Darcy Regier, you have to look all the way to the top at the owner. With Pegula & his wife being long-time Sabres fans, do you think (if he's able to buy the team), that he either changes the business like atmosphere or he fires Quinn, Regier (and maybe Ruff)?

Will they be better? No data.

 

Will they be run differently? Almost definitely.

 

I would expect that he'd take over the "team president" role that LQ currently occupies. Although if LQ isn't bought out, I wouldn't be surprised to see that transition occur in the off-season. I also wouldn't be surprised if DiPofi stays on as CFO COO, even if he's bought out of his ownership stake.

 

Based on his background (the very limited amount of it I've read about in the past day) and the $'s he put into PSU to build a Div I team, I would expect him to try to transform the Sabres into another Detroit. Will he get the right hockey people around him to make that happen and will he be patient enough to let them do the job (and get out of their way) if he finds the right people? That's the $150MM question.

[spndnchz]

Thought was there. I figure if this thread stays on topic it separates itself from "news" of the sale thread.

 

not that TG is/was the devil, but some say "better the devil u know than the devil u don't know".

[nfreeman]

Will they be better? No data.

 

Will they be run differently? Almost definitely.

 

I would expect that he'd take over the "team president" role that LQ currently occupies. Although if LQ isn't bought out, I wouldn't be surprised to see that transition occur in the off-season. I also wouldn't be surprised if DiPofi stays on as CFO, even if he's bought out of his ownership stake.

 

Based on his background (the very limited amount of it I've read about in the past day) and the s he put into PSU to build a Div I team, I would expect him to try to transform the Sabres into another Detroit. Will he get the right hockey people around him to make that happen and will he be patient enough to let them do the job (and get out of their way) if he finds the right people? That's the $150MM question.

Oh, yes. Say it again. Please. Just once more.

[Mike Oxhurtz]

Will they be better? No data.

 

Will they be run differently? Almost definitely.

 

I would expect that he'd take over the "team president" role that LQ currently occupies. Although if LQ isn't bought out, I wouldn't be surprised to see that transition occur in the off-season. I also wouldn't be surprised if DiPofi stays on as CFO, even if he's bought out of his ownership stake.

 

Based on his background (the very limited amount of it I've read about in the past day) and the $'s he put into PSU to build a Div I team, I would expect him to try to transform the Sabres into another Detroit. Will he get the right hockey people around him to make that happen and will he be patient enough to let them do the job (and get out of their way) if he finds the right people? That's the $150MM question.

 

That would be great if all of that comes true.

[Mike Oxhurtz]

Thought was there. I figure if this thread stays on topic it separates itself from "news" of the sale thread.

 

not that TG is/was the devil, but some say "better the devil u know than the devil u don't know".

 

Exactly. Regis turned out to be "the devil u don't know".

[bills_fan_in_raleigh]

Hopefully the fact they are Sabres fans will make a big diff since TG wasnt a big fan. This could be great for Buffalo all around as now frees up TG to be involved in an ownership play for the Bills when that time may come.

[Weave]

I'm about ready for the devil I don't know.

 

IMO Golisano bought the team thinking it might further his political career (IIRC he bought the team right in between his 2 attempts at the governorship). He was never in it for the long haul. And he admitted as much. From day 1 it appeared to me that management marching orders were to run the team so as to preserve it's sale value. Make sure Tommy G didn't lose on his political investment. And Darcy/Larry did a fine job of doing just that. They kept the arena full and the games televised, there was even a smattering of national attention, but the only push was for continued enhancement of the value of the franchise, never a push for on-ice performance.

 

I'd like to see a new guy at the helm just for the hope that preserving the value of the investment becomes = in importance to icing a winning team instead of it being the overwhelming purpose as it is now.

[Marvelo]

Hard to say how he'd run the team. Feels like since the Briere/Drury fiasco, the Sabres have been in suspended animation. If Pegula or another entity takes over, there should at least be a honeymoon where players are added and the deadwood is flushed out. There's enough deadwood around the Sabres to make for a real bonfire!

[SabresFan526]

Hopefully the fact they are Sabres fans will make a big diff since TG wasnt a big fan. This could be great for Buffalo all around as now frees up TG to be involved in an ownership play for the Bills when that time may come.

Just a hunch, but given the fact that Pegula's favorite sports are hockey and football, and given the fact that he used to live in Orchard Park, and given the fact that he has over $3 billion in estimated wealth, I think there's a good chance that Pegula would be a serious candidate to buy the Bills when Wilson dies. Like I said, it's just a hunch.

 

I think it's a bit difficult to determine whether the team will be better under Pegula. I think we are putting the cart before the horse as nothing is actually complete and people can back out at any time. However, assuming this deal does go through, I think it's a bit premature to say what kind of owner he will be. He's a Hockey fan and a Sabres fan, so that implies that he would want to put a winner out on the ice. The problem is, you simply cannot buy a winner and the Redskins have proven this year after year in the NFL and the Rangers have proven this since 1997 in the NHL. So, going on an all-out spending spree could actually cause things to be worse as we have seen with many other teams.

 

For the Sabres in particular, not renewing expiring contracts like Connolly, Rivet, and Lalime would be a good start. I'm not convinced of the success of the Rob Neidermeyer experiment, so maybe you let that contract expire. Assuming the cap stays about the same, these moves will gain you about $8.6 million in cap space plus the $5 million still available, so about $13.6 million in total cap space available for next year. If you can trade guys like Butler and Stafford, you gain another $2.7 million. So, that's a little over $15 million with which to work.

 

Keeping Steve Montador and re-signing Sekera would be good at a reasonable raises. Promoting Luke Adam and Jhonas Enroth would be good, too. Giving Mike Weber a shot to play full time on defense would be good. Doing that gives you about $10 million to work with to really go after a number 1 center and a top six winger. If the Sabres can do that, they are in great shape in my opinion. And, these are probably moves that are reasonable, allows the team to continue growing from within and adds a few key components from the outside that supplements the growth from the "Core." These are the right things to do, but spending freely on huge contracts like Kovalchuk would be a complete waste of money as we are seeing this year. Grow from within and supplement with one or two key pieces from the outside. That's the right thing to do, and maybe Pegula will see that. Either way, it'll be interesting.

[Mike Oxhurtz]

Just a hunch, but given the fact that Pegula's favorite sports are hockey and football, and given the fact that he used to live in Orchard Park, and given the fact that he has over $3 billion in estimated wealth, I think there's a good chance that Pegula would be a serious candidate to buy the Bills when Wilson dies. Like I said, it's just a hunch.

 

I think it's a bit difficult to determine whether the team will be better under Pegula. I think we are putting the cart before the horse as nothing is actually complete and people can back out at any time. However, assuming this deal does go through, I think it's a bit premature to say what kind of owner he will be. He's a Hockey fan and a Sabres fan, so that implies that he would want to put a winner out on the ice. The problem is, you simply cannot buy a winner and the Redskins have proven this year after year in the NFL and the Rangers have proven this since 1997 in the NHL. So, going on an all-out spending spree could actually cause things to be worse as we have seen with many other teams.

 

For the Sabres in particular, not renewing expiring contracts like Connolly, Rivet, and Lalime would be a good start. I'm not convinced of the success of the Rob Neidermeyer experiment, so maybe you let that contract expire. Assuming the cap stays about the same, these moves will gain you about $8.6 million in cap space plus the $5 million still available, so about $13.6 million in total cap space available for next year. If you can trade guys like Butler and Stafford, you gain another $2.7 million. So, that's a little over $15 million with which to work.

 

Keeping Steve Montador and re-signing Sekera would be good at a reasonable raises. Promoting Luke Adam and Jhonas Enroth would be good, too. Giving Mike Weber a shot to play full time on defense would be good. Doing that gives you about $10 million to work with to really go after a number 1 center and a top six winger. If the Sabres can do that, they are in great shape in my opinion. And, these are probably moves that are reasonable, allows the team to continue growing from within and adds a few key components from the outside that supplements the growth from the "Core." These are the right things to do, but spending freely on huge contracts like Kovalchuk would be a complete waste of money as we are seeing this year. Grow from within and supplement with one or two key pieces from the outside. That's the right thing to do, and maybe Pegula will see that. Either way, it'll be interesting.

 

Great post & all good points!

[PASabreFan]

IMHO, his challenge is to purge the status quo (toppling the statues of Lindy and Darcy like they did to Saddam after the invasion), change the small-market mindset and make Buffalo a destination for the best players in the world, a la Detroit. Oh yeah, the ice should be the best in the league, and the building should be the loudest.

 

Not that tough. Pegs (I like that), I want it on my desk by 4.

[Skibum]

Who knows. It's always easy to hate the ruling party, but who's to say this Pegula guy actually knows what he's doing when it comes to owning a hockey team? If he gets rid of Quinn and Regier, do Connolly, Pominville, and Hecht suddenly start scoring mad goals?

[vasabresfan]

Just a hunch, but given the fact that Pegula's favorite sports are hockey and football, and given the fact that he used to live in Orchard Park, and given the fact that he has over $3 billion in estimated wealth, I think there's a good chance that Pegula would be a serious candidate to buy the Bills when Wilson dies. Like I said, it's just a hunch.

 

I think it's a bit difficult to determine whether the team will be better under Pegula. I think we are putting the cart before the horse as nothing is actually complete and people can back out at any time. However, assuming this deal does go through, I think it's a bit premature to say what kind of owner he will be. He's a Hockey fan and a Sabres fan, so that implies that he would want to put a winner out on the ice. The problem is, you simply cannot buy a winner and the Redskins have proven this year after year in the NFL and the Rangers have proven this since 1997 in the NHL. So, going on an all-out spending spree could actually cause things to be worse as we have seen with many other teams.

 

For the Sabres in particular, not renewing expiring contracts like Connolly, Rivet, and Lalime would be a good start. I'm not convinced of the success of the Rob Neidermeyer experiment, so maybe you let that contract expire. Assuming the cap stays about the same, these moves will gain you about $8.6 million in cap space plus the $5 million still available, so about $13.6 million in total cap space available for next year. If you can trade guys like Butler and Stafford, you gain another $2.7 million. So, that's a little over $15 million with which to work.

Keeping Steve Montador and re-signing Sekera would be good at a reasonable raises. Promoting Luke Adam and Jhonas Enroth would be good, too. Giving Mike Weber a shot to play full time on defense would be good. Doing that gives you about $10 million to work with to really go after a number 1 center and a top six winger. If the Sabres can do that, they are in great shape in my opinion. And, these are probably moves that are reasonable, allows the team to continue growing from within and adds a few key components from the outside that supplements the growth from the "Core." These are the right things to do, but spending freely on huge contracts like Kovalchuk would be a complete waste of money as we are seeing this year. Grow from within and supplement with one or two key pieces from the outside. That's the right thing to do, and maybe Pegula will see that. Either way, it'll be interesting.

 

Good points. I was listening to NHL on XM this morning and they were talking about the Lightning (not a model franchise by any stretch, although they do have a cup and presently sit in a playoff position). They signed Gagne in addition to superstars like Lecavalier, and St. Louis (Stamkos is still on his first contract, I believe), and I was thinking how it is strange they they can afford multiple star-level contracts. Then I remembered that we gave those star-level contracts to Pominville (1-4), Connolly (5-8) and to some extent, Hecht (2-4).

 

To that end, I just hope that the the new ownership (if it happens), spends more wisely. Like others have said, I don't think it is that they don't spend, it is that they don't spend wisely. Players certainly have slumps, but contracts like Connolly's and Pominville's don't make sense because I don't think teams were eager to sign them away anywhere near those numbers.

 

As you said, part ways Connolly, Rivet, and Lalime, but also Grier and maybe Niedermeyer too. Find any taker for Stafford (although interesting since he is an RFA next year). I think Adam has shown he belongs. I would think Kassian will be up next year. I agree that Weber and Enroth should be up too (certainly Enroth). Then hit the free agent market to fill holes and maybe make a splash or two. With a healthy Miller and some much needed heart/desire, the team could do well. It certainly would look a lot different with all of those guys out of the lineup.

 

On a semi-related note, I was hoping that the Washington OT goal that Vanek scored would represent the coming-of-age of TV and that we'd finally see some desire out of him. It is disappointing that he seems to be back to the same old complacent Vanek. If your highest paid skater doesn't have enough fire and leadership to wear the C, that's a real disappointment in my opinion.

[ROC Sabres]

I think Ruff deserves a shot with a new GM new players

I like that idea better.

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

IMHO, his challenge is to purge the status quo (toppling the statues of Lindy and Darcy like they did to Saddam after the invasion), change the small-market mindset and make Buffalo a destination for the best players in the world, a la Detroit. Oh yeah, the ice should be the best in the league, and the building should be the loudest.

 

Not that tough. Pegs (I like that), I want it on my desk by 4.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmF_Phk6eIE

[donteatyellowsnow]

The best part of all this imho is that Quinn would be gone.

 

I still believe Darcy needs to go through him on 90% of all player transactions. A GM shouldn't have to do that.

 

With that said has Darcy made some bad move, yes, but it would sure be nice to see if the problem is Darcy or Quinn.

[bills_fan_in_raleigh]

IMHO, his challenge is to purge the status quo (toppling the statues of Lindy and Darcy like they did to Saddam after the invasion), change the small-market mindset and make Buffalo a destination for the best players in the world, a la Detroit. Oh yeah, the ice should be the best in the league, and the building should be the loudest.

 

Not that tough. Pegs (I like that), I want it on my desk by 4.

Maybe Pegula is PASabrefan <_<

[gregkash]

The buffalo news said that the only issue with Quinn's denial is the 150 million dollar pricetag. They went on to say that the price was actually considerably higher. Which means this guy overpaid. Which means he wants the franchise. You don't overpay to turn and make a profit. You overpay if you really want the franchise. So if he's not in to make a profit, and he really wants the franchise. I can only see the other option being he wants to win.

[nucci]

Hopefully the fact they are Sabres fans will make a big diff since TG wasnt a big fan. This could be great for Buffalo all around as now frees up TG to be involved in an ownership play for the Bills when that time may come.

So you want him out as Sabres owner because he wasn't a fan but you want him to buy the Bills? Anyway, being owner of the Sabres does not prevent him from being involved with the Bills.