Sabres looking for Senior Advisor for Adams and Hockey Department

[Gatorman0519]

What a joke. KA needs a babysitter. 

[dudacek]

7 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

Dudley is steady.  He has worked for 8 teams either coaching, front office, executive, and advisory.  He could help the Sabres.    
 

 

He's on 5-year run as a Panther advisor, his longest stint with one franchise.

Maybe he's settling down in his 70s?

• VP Canes 2 years
• VP Habs 4 years
• AGM Habs 2 years
• Director player personnel Leafs 1 year
• GM Thrashers 1 year
• AGM Thrashers 1 year
• AGM Hawks 2 years
• DPP Hawks 2 years
• GM Panthers 2 years
• GM Lightning 2.5 years
• GM Senators 1 year

That's a lot of change, but he keeps getting hired.

[SABRES 0311]

So we’re looking for someone better suited to be GM to work under and report to the failed GM? 

[PerreaultForever]

It's funny to see all the Rick Dudley stuff on twitter etc. 

I wanted them to hire Dudley as a Senior advisor/Director of Hockey ops whatever type thing back when it was time to fire Murray and start over. And then again when they fired JBot. And after that even. So now it just feels like too little way too late. 

I mean sure, but BELOW Adams? That's backass. If they hired Dudley, Dudley should be the one deciding if Adams deserves to keep his job. 

[Thorny]

Just now, PerreaultForever said:

It's funny to see all the Rick Dudley stuff on twitter etc. 

I wanted them to hire Dudley as a Senior advisor/Director of Hockey ops whatever type thing back when it was time to fire Murray and start over. And then again when they fired JBot. And after that even. So now it just feels like too little way too late. 

I mean sure, but BELOW Adams? That's backass. If they hired Dudley, Dudley should be the one deciding if Adams deserves to keep his job. 

If you can’t envision the guy below Adams in a hierarchy, you are aiming too high re: candidate 

[Derrico]

14 hours ago, Brawndo said:

 

6 years into his tenure and we're just now looking for a 'senior advisor to work with Adams that has been in the GM chair before.'  Meanwhile leafs look like they're going to win the cup.  ***** me.  Maybe time for a long extended break from hockey.

[PerreaultForever]

2 minutes ago, Thorny said:

If you can’t envision the guy below Adams in a hierarchy, you are aiming too high re: candidate 

I can't envision anything because the whole organization is just stupid. 

Seth Appert promoted FFS. Joke franchise. 

2 minutes ago, Derrico said:

6 years into his tenure and we're just now looking for a 'senior advisor to work with Adams that has been in the GM chair before.'  Meanwhile leafs look like they're going to win the cup.  ***** me.  Maybe time for a long extended break from hockey.

Let's not jump the gun, they've been up in series before. 

[Pimlach]

1 hour ago, dudacek said:

He's on 5-year run as a Panther advisor, his longest stint with one franchise.

Maybe he's settling down in his 70s?

• VP Canes 2 years
• VP Habs 4 years
• AGM Habs 2 years
• Director player personnel Leafs 1 year
• GM Thrashers 1 year
• AGM Thrashers 1 year
• AGM Hawks 2 years
• DPP Hawks 2 years
• GM Panthers 2 years
• GM Lightning 2.5 years
• GM Senators 1 year

That's a lot of change, but he keeps getting hired.

And it’s great he got a Cup last season with Florida.  

[Flashsabre]

The fact Adams came into this with zero experience but didn’t want any senior hockey people around him tells you everything you need to know. I think his whole plan was simply just listen to Terry’s ideas and implement those.

[Dr. Who]

20 minutes ago, Flashsabre said:

The fact Adams came into this with zero experience but didn’t want any senior hockey people around him tells you everything you need to know. I think his whole plan was simply just listen to Terry’s ideas and implement those.

[inkman]

8 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

It's funny to see all the Rick Dudley stuff on twitter etc. 

I wanted them to hire Dudley as a Senior advisor/Director of Hockey ops whatever type thing back when it was time to fire Murray and start over. And then again when they fired JBot. And after that even. So now it just feels like too little way too late. 

I mean sure, but BELOW Adams? That's backass. If they hired Dudley, Dudley should be the one deciding if Adams deserves to keep his job. 

I think every Sabre fan I know over 60 has been clamoring for Duds since the 80s.  Your use of backass has me spinning.  

[kas23]

It just seems whenever someone is doing a suboptimal job, they get demoted upwards. Appert fell upwards. Looks like he is going to do so again. Forton, same thing. There was talk of Adams falling upwards, but that’s probably for next year. 

[LGR4GM]

2 minutes ago, kas23 said:

It just seems whenever someone is doing a suboptimal job, they get demoted upwards. Appert fell upwards. Looks like he is going to do so again. Forton, same thing. There was talk of Adams falling upwards, but that’s probably for next year. 

Pegula likes his yes men. 

[Flashsabre]

41 minutes ago, Dr. Who said:

This sums it up perfectly right down to the boat/yacht😁. I can even picture Pegula wearing the Skipper’s hat and taking it off to slap Adam’s after every f🤬🤬kup.

[Archie Lee]

I was looking at Rob Blake's history with the Kings.  He was an assistant GM for a few years after their cup seasons. They missed the playoffs in 16-17 and he took over as GM in 17-18.  They had a single season resurgence back into the playoffs, and then started a rebuild in 18-19.  They bottomed out in 19-20 and in the summer of 2020 they drafted Byfield 2nd overall.  They missed the playoffs for one more season (the 2020 covid year), and in the 4 seasons since they have had 99, 104, 99, and 105 points.  He had some misses.  The Turcotte draft and the Dubois trade, being the biggest two. Perhaps in hindsight, Stutzle was the pick over Byfield.  He couldn't get past McDavid and Draisaitl four seasons in a row.

It seems to me that there is some parallel to the moment that the Kings drafted Byfield in 2020 and the moment, under Adams, that the Sabres drafted Power in 2021. I thought I would compare the rosters of the 19-20 Kings and the 2020-21 Sabres, the respective seasons before the Byfield and Power drafts.

Kings        /           Sabres

Kopitar      /          Eichel

Kempe       /         Reinhart

Toffoli          /        Hall

Iafallo           /        Skinner

Vilardi          /        Mittlestadt

Lizotte         /       Cozens

Amadio        /        Thompson

Doughty      /        Dahlin

Roy              /         Montour

Martinez       /        Ristolainen

Walker           /       Miller

Quick            /        Ullmark

 

Now, consider that one season after bottoming out and drafting Byfield, the Kings had a 99 point season and went on to average 102 points over the next 4. And then, Blake decided it was time to move on to see if someone else could get the Kings over the first round playoff hump. Contrast that with the Sabres. Four seasons after drafting Power we have averaged 82 points per year, we have not made the playoffs, and they are just now apparently getting serious about surrounding Adams with a veteran hockey man to assist him in how he carries out his duties.  Would Adams voluntarily step down to allow another person to take the team to the level of just making the playoffs?  Of course not.  Adams knows that this is likely to be his only job as an NHL executive.  Blake, on the other hand, will have a job with another NHL team as soon as he wants one.  

Imagine how different the outlook for the coming seasons would be, if tomorrow it was announced that Kevyn Adams has been relived of his duties and Rob Blake has been hired as GM.

The Sabres are not a serious NHL team. 

 

[Pimlach]

1 hour ago, Flashsabre said:

This sums it up perfectly right down to the boat/yacht😁. I can even picture Pegula wearing the Skipper’s hat and taking it off to slap Adam’s after every f🤬🤬kup.

We are starting the "all in" season with a 20 year old goalie with no NHL experience  When does Barrasso get here?  

Edited 3 hours ago by Pimlach

[PASabreFan]

Wrong sitcom. I can't believe I found this from Feb. 4, 2011.

To the tune of the Beverly Hillbillies theme song:

"Come and listen to my story 'bout a man named Peg

A poor Scrantoneer, to start a business had to beg

And then one day he was frackin' at the earth

And up through the dirt come a gaseous burp

Natural gas, that is -- rock wind, pay dirt!

Well the first thing you know Old Peg's a billionaire

The kinfolk said, Peg move away from there

Said New York State is the place you wanna go

So they loaded up the minivan and moved to Buffalo

Clarence, that is

Swimmin' pools... hockey players

The Buffalo Hillbillies!"

[Pimlach]

4 minutes ago, Archie Lee said:

I was looking at Rob Blake's history with the Kings.  He was an assistant GM for a few years after their cup seasons. They missed the playoffs in 16-17 and he took over as GM in 17-18.  They had a single season resurgence back into the playoffs, and then started a rebuild in 18-19.  They bottomed out in 19-20 and in the summer of 2020 they drafted Byfield 2nd overall.  They missed the playoffs for one more season (the 2020 covid year), and in the 4 seasons since they have had 99, 104, 99, and 105 points.  He had some misses.  The Turcotte draft and the Dubois trade, being the biggest two. Perhaps in hindsight, Stutzle was the pick over Byfield.  He couldn't get past McDavid and Draisaitl four seasons in a row.

It seems to me that there is some parallel to the moment that the Kings drafted Byfield in 2020 and the moment, under Adams, that the Sabres drafted Power in 2021. I thought I would compare the rosters of the 19-20 Kings and the 2020-21 Sabres, the respective seasons before the Byfield and Power drafts.

Kings        /           Sabres

Kopitar      /          Eichel

Kempe       /         Reinhart

Toffoli          /        Hall

Iafallo           /        Skinner

Vilardi          /        Mittlestadt

Lizotte         /       Cozens

Amadio        /        Thompson

Doughty      /        Dahlin

Roy              /         Montour

Martinez       /        Ristolainen

Walker           /       Miller

Quick            /        Ullmark

 

Now, consider that one season after bottoming out and drafting Byfield, the Kings had a 99 point season and went on to average 102 points over the next 4. And then, Blake decided it was time to move on to see if someone else could get the Kings over the first round playoff hump. Contrast that with the Sabres. Four seasons after drafting Power we have averaged 82 points per year, we have not made the playoffs, and they are just now apparently getting serious about surrounding Adams with a veteran hockey man to assist him in how he carries out his duties.  Would Adams voluntarily step down to allow another person to take the team to the level of just making the playoffs?  Of course not.  Adams knows that this is likely to be his only job as an NHL executive.  Blake, on the other hand, will have a job with another NHL team as soon as he wants one.  

Imagine how different the outlook for the coming seasons would be, if tomorrow it was announced that Kevyn Adams has been relived of his duties and Rob Blake has been hired as GM.

The Sabres are not a serious NHL team. 

 

Blake gives you example of accountability.   He will get another job, his team produced points. 

Looking at the two rosters is hard to reconcile the different roads each team took.   Kings average 102 points per season and replace the GM because of first round playoff losses and the GM supports the move.  The Sabres gut a roster full of potential All Stars, fail another rebuild, and the GM spends several days "presenting" why he should stay.   

Expectations?  Culture?  Leadership?   Roster management?  Coaching?  Back to expectations?  

All of the above.  

[inkman]

12 hours ago, Gatorman0519 said:

What a joke. KA needs a babysitter. 

Is it true?  Yes.  Is it a joke? Debatable.  Most teams have a POHO or someone in a role above the GM.  I think Adams 100% needs someone above him to make decisions. He clearly sucks at it and if uncle Terry is unwilling to move on, bring in someone with more experience and credibility than Eric Staal.  Rick Dudley, Jim Rutherford, whoever just get somebody that has a chance to right the ship. 

[DarthEbriate]

The Kings bottomed out but they kept Kopitar. And Quick. The Sabres had ROR but never let him play a game with Dahlin. They had Eichel. And they jettisoned Miller way back when (granted, he alone probably keeps them out of the McDavid sweepstakes, but still) and Ullmark later. The Kings were smart about keeping top end players to show the way. 

[Archie Lee]

49 minutes ago, DarthEbriate said:

The Kings bottomed out but they kept Kopitar. And Quick. The Sabres had ROR but never let him play a game with Dahlin. They had Eichel. And they jettisoned Miller way back when (granted, he alone probably keeps them out of the McDavid sweepstakes, but still) and Ullmark later. The Kings were smart about keeping top end players to show the way. 

Agreed. The Sabres made big mistakes long before Adams arrived. But, I think it is incredible (in the bad sense) that 4 years post the Power draft, considering the assets on the team in 2020-2021, that Adams has not produced a playoff team. It’s actually stunning and reflects that he truly is not capable of being an NHL GM. That Adams is getting a 6th year is negligence. I would not dream of telling any fan how to approach the off-season when it comes to expectations. But from my perspective, every draft pick, trade, front office hire, UFA signing or RFA extension this off-season, should be viewed in the context of “this is being done by Kevyn Adams; set your expectations accordingly”. 

[Pimlach]

1 hour ago, DarthEbriate said:

The Kings bottomed out but they kept Kopitar. And Quick. The Sabres had ROR but never let him play a game with Dahlin. They had Eichel. And they jettisoned Miller way back when (granted, he alone probably keeps them out of the McDavid sweepstakes, but still) and Ullmark later. The Kings were smart about keeping top end players to show the way. 

One big lesson in the Sabres failed rebuilds is the loss of the players (leaders) that had success wearing the Sabres sweater.   Watch Boston rebuild with Pastrnak and McAvoy.   They will build around them, they won't tear it down to studs.   

[Scottysabres]

LG, apply

[Flashsabre]

If Pegula wanted to raise more money he should have recorded Adams “presentations” to him and then charge people $100 to watch them as a Blue and Gold special. It would be utterly fascinating to see the interactions.😁

[Pimlach]

11 minutes ago, Archie Lee said:

Agreed. The Sabres made big mistakes long before Adams arrived. But, I think it is incredible (in the bad sense) that 4 years post the Power draft, considering the assets on the team in 2020-2021, that Adams has not produced a playoff team. It’s actually stunning and reflects that he truly is not capable of being an NHL GM. That Adams is getting a 6th year is negligence. I would not dream of telling any fan how to approach the off-season when it comes to expectations. But from my perspective, every draft pick, trade, front office hire, UFA signing or RFA extension this off-season, should be viewed in the context of “this is being done by Kevyn Adams; set your expectations accordingly”. 

You are spot on.  They surprised everybody that 3rd year, including themselves, and they almost made the playoffs in the 91 point season. 

Imagine of they just went out and acquired a true #1 NHL goalie prior to the start of that season?   Most teams that rebuild start in the goal he relied on Comrie, and 40 year old goalie. 

Sadly the vets were:  Comrie (9-9-1, 3.67, .886) and Anderson (11-11-2, 3.06, .908).   They also played two rookies:  UPL (17-11-4, 3.58, .892), and Levi (5-2-0, 2.94).  

Predictably, Adams went with Levi in his "all in" season the following year and it was a major fail.   "No Blockers".  

He also made cosmetic changes like swapping Lyubushkin for Clifton, and he replaced an injured Quinn who was slated for 2nd line with 18 year old Zach Benson, but no top 6 vet forward was added.    Unbelievable.  

Then he blames the coach for easy practices and the need for more accountability.  He is still there too.