Kevyn Adams Press Conference 11/4 11am EST

[Marvin]

7 minutes ago, Thorny said:

But this is because of Adams' chosen course, his desire to rebuild, right? I think it's easy enough to just agree it should come down to the results, then. Can hardly blame Adams for moving a guy who said he wanted out, but he assuredly still is accountable for the total result of his plan - Jack backing out is a domino to fall from him choosing that plan. 

The motivations behind the deal itself, it context, make sense. It's really the overall strategy on trial, for me. 

Maybe it always has been. Hearing Jack say he wanted out because the team didn't want to try and win is something I've been talking about for a long time, maybe too long. 

My impression was that even before the season, when the Sabres signed players to compete "now", it was in an effort to help convince Jack to say.  Maybe I am wrong, but that was my inference.

You can question the strategy -- whether or not it is a good idea is a genuinely open question.  To be honest, a rebuild of a rebuild of a rebuild has a whiff of fishiness to it -- and I am neutral to on-board with most of GMKA's moves.

[Thorny]

16 minutes ago, Marvin, Sabres Fan said:

My impression was that even before the season, when the Sabres signed players to compete "now", it was in an effort to help convince Jack to say.  Maybe I am wrong, but that was my inference.

You can question the strategy -- whether or not it is a good idea is a genuinely open question.  To be honest, a rebuild of a rebuild of a rebuild has a whiff of fishiness to it -- and I am neutral to on-board with most of GMKA's moves.

Oh ya, it seemed from what Jack said that Adams tried to "go for it" last year, after originally having a "rebuild" plan. We all saw the "this means we are cup contenders" video with Adams and Pegs. It almost reads now as if Pegula needed that convincing, "hey, terry, I know you said we are going to do it the long way but this doesn't make us playoff contenders, it makes us CUP CONTENDERS! Let's go!" In that, KA was able to convince the group to go a different way, considering Hall falling into their lap, etc. Krueger had a big say too, remember, they were choosing to attribute a lot of influence to the coach, too. 

It didn't work. Adams has decided to go back to the original plan. Jack's feelings re: rebuilding unchanged, of course still says he "wants out". 

Edited November 4, 2021 by Thorny

[Doohickie]

18 minutes ago, Thorny said:

Oh ya, it seemed from what Jack said that Adams tried to "go for it" last year, after originally having a "rebuild" plan. We all saw the "this means we are cup contenders" video with Adams and Pegs. It almost reads now as if Pegula needed that convincing, "hey, terry, I know you said we are going to do it the long way but this doesn't make us playoff contenders, it makes us CUP CONTENDERS! Let's go!" In that, KA was able to convince the group to go a different way, considering Hall falling into their lap, etc. Krueger had a big say too, remember, they were choosing to attribute a lot of influence to the coach, too. 

It didn't work. Adams has decided to go back to the original plan. Jack's feelings re: rebuilding unchanged, of course still says he "wants out". 

This is probably the best synopsis of the situation.  Adams shifted quickly into a rebuild mode after Krueger was gone.  It seemed like he was primed and ready to go, like he'd already thought it through.  As a Sabres insider prior to being GM, he knew what he wanted to do.  I think he got hired, the Pegulas instructed him to make Jack and Ralph happy and he did what he could to do so, but Jack's injury, the terrible coaching of Krueger, and the utter ineptitude of Hall exposed the folly of the Pegula's direction and they (I think... and wisely) gave KA permission to do what he needed to do.

Edited November 4, 2021 by The Ghost of Yuri

[Taro T]

7 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

The Sabres had no young talent in 2013 or 2014

What does the Sabres roster in 2013 or 2014 have to do with teams (or in this case the specific example of A team, the '15-'16 Loafs) undergoing a "mini tank?"

 

[Curt]

On 11/4/2021 at 4:31 PM, The Ghost of Yuri said:

This is probably the best synopsis of the situation.  Adams shifted quickly into a rebuild mode after Krueger was gone.  It seemed like he was primed and ready to go, like he'd already thought it through.  As a Sabres insider prior to being GM, he knew what he wanted to do.  I think he got hired, the Pegulas instructed him to make Jack and Ralph happy and he did what he could to do so, but Jack's injury, the terrible coaching of Krueger, and the utter ineptitude of Hall exposed the folly of the Pegula's direction and they (I think... and wisely) gave KA permission to do what he needed to do.

Yes, last season really does look like a last ditch effort (maybe even a half hearted one) to make it work with the group they had.  After that failed, it seems like Adams got the full green light to do things his way.

I think Adams is a pretty astute executive with a skill for getting his way, but I don’t know if Adams will turn out to be a good GM.  I like his vision for the team, and I grudgingly accept that I need to have a little patience for this rebuild.  However, I do acknowledge that tearing down a team is a heck of a lot easier that building a team.