Official Sam Ventura Hired as VP of Hockey Strategy and Research

[Rasmus_]

13 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

Having Ventura and Karmanos on board gives me some hope. I still want 1 more data analyst type brought in to help Ventura

Well, considering, I never thought this would be coming, it's a step in the right direction.  Analytics was promised when Kevyn Adams was brought on board.  The more experience that is brought in, the more I start to gain hope.  *Fingers Crossed*

[Curt]

13 minutes ago, Doohickie said:

Option 4 won't happen.  I mean, even if he starts the season in Buffalo and demands a trade it's in his best interest to play up to his contract.  If the Sabres are going to trade him they have to get more than a bag of pucks and they're only going to get a good return if he demonstrates he's worth it.

I think he can play well on the ice, while simultaneously being a bad influence/distraction off the ice, and also saying F-you, trade me.

[LGR4GM]

33 minutes ago, TheCerebral1 said:

Well, considering, I never thought this would be coming, it's a step in the right direction.  Analytics was promised when Kevyn Adams was brought on board.  The more experience that is brought in, the more I start to gain hope.  *Fingers Crossed*

True and as far as experience, they brought in about the most experienced guy in hockey analytics. Ventura is, I think a major reason Pittsburg was able to win those 2 cups and also why for a couple years they drafted really well. 

[Thorny]

2 hours ago, PASabreFan said:

Does it make you wonder what they know that we don't?

No, not really. Being in the positions they've been in for a decade, they've always been privy to info we haven't. None of the results suggest the average fan would have done worse, without even the benefit of said info. It's been a case study in ineptitude - that's why that "we know a little something they don't" was so embarrassing. If they really do, damn, they've done an even worse job than I thought. 

2 hours ago, WildCard said:

They've done very little to earn the benefit of the doubt.

Pretty much. 

It hasn't been "red' on a roulette wheel 10 times in a row: they've been actively bad 10 times in a row. A neutral observer would look at the results and could only predict more of the same until proven otherwise. 

[dudacek]

2 minutes ago, Thorny said:

. 

It hasn't been "red' on a roulette wheel 10 times in a row: they've been actively bad 10 times in a row. A neutral observer would look at the results and could only predict more of the same until proven otherwise. 

Because of the Pegulas?

Adams Granato Karmanos Ventura is certainly a new braintrust, and the infrastructure underneath them is radically different than it was a year or two ago.

[Thorny]

3 minutes ago, dudacek said:

Because of the Pegulas?

Adams Granato Karmanos Ventura is certainly a new braintrust, and the infrastructure underneath them is radically different than it was a year or two ago.

Considering a significant variable constant in the Pegulas, where we've seen the above mentioned variables adjusted several times under their tenure to poor results, yes the smart money would still be failure, of course. 

I'm not saying it's going to fail, but like Wildcard said, the franchise doesn't get the benefit of the doubt until proven otherwise. The top of the beast hasn't changed. 

Edited July 7, 2021 by Thorny

[Taro T]

10 minutes ago, dudacek said:

Because of the Pegulas?

Adams Granato Karmanos Ventura is certainly a new braintrust, and the infrastructure underneath them is radically different than it was a year or two ago.

It is new and there is the possibility that we are watching the Sabres assemble their own version of Beane/McDermott/crew.

But, after 10 years of horribly botching things up with 4 DFL finishes in that span & being on the verge of the 3rd teardown in only 7 years they need to produce results to even move from the "hopefully, if everything goes right" to the "more likely than not" category. 

(And this from someone who, at the time, liked last off-seasons moves other than retaining Smith, punting Larsson, & not getting a true 2nd NHL caliber goalie & who believes there was a very credible reason, beyond Adams control, to have been unable to obtain that goalie before the season.  (Though there were goalies Adams had access to after the season began for a mere $500 that would've helped and his not even getting them is a strike against him.)) 

Edited July 7, 2021 by Taro T

[Brawndo]

On 7/7/2021 at 11:53 AM, inkman said:

The lack of discussion about the addition of Venture is disappointing.  I get that adding a stats nerd isn’t very sexy but this move has me like:

 
 

Buffalo media is like:

Ventura is easily one of the Top 5 Analytics Minds in the NHL Today. 

NHL Analytics Twitter who usually laugh at the moves the Sabres make, universally hailed this as a very good move for the Sabres. 
 

The Title given to Ventura is the exact same one that Eric Tulsky was given, a few years before the Canes promoted Him to Asst GM. Tulsky is credited with turning the Canes into the team they are now. 
 

Ventura was mentioned as a possible candidate to replace Rutherford when He re-signed. 
 

In addition to running the analytics department in Pittsburgh, He was also in charge of contract negotiations and CBA Compliance. 
 

I have a sneaking suspicion that Adams has moved into a more of a POHO Role and is acting as a link between the team and The Pegulas. This could be the primary reason why Adams is sure to give  praise to the Pegulas during every interview.

Karmanos, much less Ventura would not have joined the Sabres Front Office of there was not reassurance that Their Decisions would be acted upon.  I agree with the others that have posted  they are running hockey ops
 

I believe during the meeting in Boca, Karamanos and Adams sold the Pegulas on an expanded analytics department but demonstrating that is the Best Way to achieve Terry’s Vision for Economic, Efficient and Effective Organization. 

[WildCard]

1 minute ago, Brawndo said:

I have a sneaking suspicion that Adams has moved into a more of a POHO Role and is acting as a link between the team and The Pegulas. This could be the primary reason why Adams is sure to give  praise to the Pegulas during every interview.

Karmanos, much less Ventura would not have joined the Sabres Front Office of there was not reassurance that Their Decisions would be acted upon.  I agree with the others that have posted  they are running hockey ops

Been thinking the same myself

[Drag0nDan]

On 7/7/2021 at 12:23 PM, Curt said:

I think he can play well on the ice, while simultaneously being a bad influence/distraction off the ice, and also saying F-you, trade me.

Sort of like what Duchene did in Colorado.  

[Doohickie]

5 hours ago, Brawndo said:

I have a sneaking suspicion that Adams has moved into a more of a POHO Role and is acting as a link between the team and The Pegulas. This could be the primary reason why Adams is sure to give  praise to the Pegulas during every interview.

Karmanos, much less Ventura would not have joined the Sabres Front Office of there was not reassurance that Their Decisions would be acted upon.  I agree with the others that have posted  they are running hockey ops
 

I believe during the meeting in Boca, Karamanos and Adams sold the Pegulas on an expanded analytics department but demonstrating that is the Best Way to achieve Terry’s Vision for Economic, Efficient and Effective Organization. 

I've said it before, partly in jest but not really:  Kevyn Adams staged a coup of the Sabres organization.  He got JBott fired and replaced him, then he got Kreuger fired and replace him with his spy on coaching staff that have him the dirt that doomed Krueger.  He knows how to stroke Terry and Kim so that they think they're still in charge, but he does it in a way that he convinces them that his own decisions are their ideas.  He is clearly the Hockey Czar of the Sabres organization.  The owners don't even realize they've been sidelined.

[LGR4GM]

19 minutes ago, Doohickie said:

I've said it before, partly in jest but not really:  Kevyn Adams staged a coup of the Sabres organization.  He got JBott fired and replaced him, then he got Kreuger fired and replace him with his spy on coaching staff that have him the dirt that doomed Krueger.  He knows how to stroke Terry and Kim so that they think they're still in charge, but he does it in a way that he convinces them that his own decisions are their ideas.  He is clearly the Hockey Czar of the Sabres organization.  The owners don't even realize they've been sidelined.

Krueger lost 12 games in a row, that's what got him fired. 

[kas23]

On 7/7/2021 at 1:39 PM, Taro T said:

It is new and there is the possibility that we are watching the Sabres assemble their own version of Beane/McDermott/crew.

 

Interesting you should bring the Bills into the conversation. Unlike the NHL, the term “analytics” isn’t as buzzworthy in NFL. In fact, I didn’t even realize it was thing for the Bills. Here it what I found:

 

https://billswire.usatoday.com/2021/05/17/buffalo-bills-investing-analytics-sean-mcdermott/

 

There’s a good Tweet in their. The Jags lead the way, which makes me think NFL go the route of analytics when success on the field isn’t going so well. And I partially agree. Analytics usually take a backseat when you are poor at drafting or don’t have enough talent on the team. When you do, analytics seem to be more of a marketing term. 

[erickompositör72]

6 hours ago, Brawndo said:

I have a sneaking suspicion that Adams has moved into a more of a POHO Role and is acting as a link between the team and The Pegulas. This could be the primary reason why Adams is sure to give  praise to the Pegulas during every interview.

Karmanos, much less Ventura would not have joined the Sabres Front Office of there was not reassurance that Their Decisions would be acted upon.  I agree with the others that have posted  they are running hockey ops
 

I believe during the meeting in Boca, Karamanos and Adams sold the Pegulas on an expanded analytics department but demonstrating that is the Best Way to achieve Terry’s Vision for Economic, Efficient and Effective Organization. 

 

6 hours ago, WildCard said:

Been thinking the same myself

I had also been thinking/hoping this.

Although Adams's player acquisitions/roster-building aptitude are still a bit of a question mark, we do know that he was actually in a Stanley Cup-winning locker room. From that perspective, theoretically, he can keep an eye on the "intangible" part of the team as a unit, and let Karmanos and Ventura assemble the roster strategically.

As far as intangibles go, I find it interesting that it was rumored he wanted Jack out from the get-go.

[Curt]

54 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Krueger lost 12 games in a row, that's what got him fired. 

All part of Adams genius plan, obviously.

[Doohickie]

1 hour ago, LGR4GM said:

Krueger lost 12 games in a row, that's what got him fired. 

In jest.

 

 

 

 

Kind of.

25 minutes ago, erickompositör72 said:

As far as intangibles go, I find it interesting that it was rumored he wanted Jack out from the get-go.

Maybe it's Jack we should have traded to St. Lou and kept ROR...

[LGR4GM]

1 hour ago, erickompositör72 said:

 

I had also been thinking/hoping this.

Although Adams's player acquisitions/roster-building aptitude are still a bit of a question mark, we do know that he was actually in a Stanley Cup-winning locker room. From that perspective, theoretically, he can keep an eye on the "intangible" part of the team as a unit, and let Karmanos and Ventura assemble the roster strategically.

As far as intangibles go, I find it interesting that it was rumored he wanted Jack out from the get-go.

Karmanos and Ventura were a part of 2 cup winners. 

[erickompositör72]

7 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Karmanos and Ventura were a part of 2 cup winners. 

Karmanos's and Ventura's FO resumes speak for themselves. My point was that Adams's experience as a player in the locker room may give him a unique perspective on intangibles as a GM, which can be supplemented by what Kamanos and Ventura bring to the table.

 

Edited July 9, 2021 by erickompositör72

[Brawndo]

 

They are expanding the Analytics Department further it appears 

[Brawndo]

They also have an opening for a data engineer 

[WildCard]

Just now, Brawndo said:

They also have an opening for a data engineer 

Link?

[Brawndo]

9 minutes ago, WildCard said:

Link?

https://www.teamworkonline.com/multiple-properties/buffalosports/pegula-sports/player-operations

[Mustache of God]

I wonder what those pay.

[LGR4GM]

 

[Norcal]

23 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

 

So does this make people happy? Will this new department lead to better players in the system?