Sabres looking for Senior Advisor for Adams and Hockey Department

[Archie Lee]

3 hours ago, kas23 said:

Interesting quote in there. He has won just 2 playoff series in 11 years. Now, that is 2 more than anyone on the Sabres has won, but not sure if that’s the type of team we want him to build here. 

Another way of looking at is that he won 2 playoff series in the last 3 years. Over the last 3 playoffs, only 5 NHL teams have won more playoff games than the Leafs. Four of them are still playing. The other is Vegas. 

 

Also on Shanahan. I read earlier this week that his salary with the Leafs was $7 million annually. My guess is that is more than what Pegula paid Adams, Ruff, and Granato, this past season. 

[PerreaultForever]

Just pay Dudley to come home. Full stop. 

[French Collection]

3 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

Just pay Dudley to come home. Full stop. 

It would be a good place to start.

We all know the culture needs a shake up and it doesn’t happen by running it back with the youngest team, an incompetent GM and a below average coaching staff.

Adding vets that are beyond their best before dates like Staal and EJ to a bunch of kids doesn’t work when their bodies can’t back up their words. If their hearts aren’t into it (Staal) there is no way the kids will buy what these guys are selling. It’s not like dropping a still great Messier into a Rangers lineup. Even he had a bunch of older winners to back him up. The Zucker signing was a step in the right direction and they need a few more like that.

Dudley would bring a winning pedigree and tons of management experience. If brought in, he should be given the reins to get rid of dead weight and bring in some competent people. These people’s standards would be to bring in players who hate to lose, which is such a higher bar than “want to be here”.

There are some good pieces in Buffalo, there just needs to be a team builder at the top. Players will come if there are positive changes and the team starts winning.

If a guy like Dudley is given the keys to the franchise smart hockey people will want to learn from and work with him. The tide will raise all boats, attracting quality talent to every part of the organization. These guys would not have a soft spot for existing players like Bryson and others, and would just make better roster decisions. The coaching staff would also be changed.

I am not saying that Dudley is the messiah, but he would bring way more to the table than the present option.

This is my longest post in a long time, not sure why I bothered, because the idiot at the top of the food chain isn’t doing anything.

[PerreaultForever]

1 hour ago, French Collection said:

It would be a good place to start.

We all know the culture needs a shake up and it doesn’t happen by running it back with the youngest team, an incompetent GM and a below average coaching staff.

Adding vets that are beyond their best before dates like Staal and EJ to a bunch of kids doesn’t work when their bodies can’t back up their words. If their hearts aren’t into it (Staal) there is no way the kids will buy what these guys are selling. It’s not like dropping a still great Messier into a Rangers lineup. Even he had a bunch of older winners to back him up. The Zucker signing was a step in the right direction and they need a few more like that.

Dudley would bring a winning pedigree and tons of management experience. If brought in, he should be given the reins to get rid of dead weight and bring in some competent people. These people’s standards would be to bring in players who hate to lose, which is such a higher bar than “want to be here”.

There are some good pieces in Buffalo, there just needs to be a team builder at the top. Players will come if there are positive changes and the team starts winning.

If a guy like Dudley is given the keys to the franchise smart hockey people will want to learn from and work with him. The tide will raise all boats, attracting quality talent to every part of the organization. These guys would not have a soft spot for existing players like Bryson and others, and would just make better roster decisions. The coaching staff would also be changed.

I am not saying that Dudley is the messiah, but he would bring way more to the table than the present option.

This is my longest post in a long time, not sure why I bothered, because the idiot at the top of the food chain isn’t doing anything.

You hear things now and again that Dudley has had a real influence on how Florida came together. Not an in the spotlight guy now but I think he quietly has a huge impact. Florida certainly plays his style that's for sure. 

[tom webster]

12 hours ago, French Collection said:

It would be a good place to start.

We all know the culture needs a shake up and it doesn’t happen by running it back with the youngest team, an incompetent GM and a below average coaching staff.

Adding vets that are beyond their best before dates like Staal and EJ to a bunch of kids doesn’t work when their bodies can’t back up their words. If their hearts aren’t into it (Staal) there is no way the kids will buy what these guys are selling. It’s not like dropping a still great Messier into a Rangers lineup. Even he had a bunch of older winners to back him up. The Zucker signing was a step in the right direction and they need a few more like that.

Dudley would bring a winning pedigree and tons of management experience. If brought in, he should be given the reins to get rid of dead weight and bring in some competent people. These people’s standards would be to bring in players who hate to lose, which is such a higher bar than “want to be here”.

There are some good pieces in Buffalo, there just needs to be a team builder at the top. Players will come if there are positive changes and the team starts winning.

If a guy like Dudley is given the keys to the franchise smart hockey people will want to learn from and work with him. The tide will raise all boats, attracting quality talent to every part of the organization. These guys would not have a soft spot for existing players like Bryson and others, and would just make better roster decisions. The coaching staff would also be changed.

I am not saying that Dudley is the messiah, but he would bring way more to the table than the present option.

This is my longest post in a long time, not sure why I bothered, because the idiot at the top of the food chain isn’t doing anything.

Rick Dudley is great at what he does but he is notoriously abrasive and difficult to work with. He would be a great addition to the front office but I don’t think he’d bring a lot of people with him. Florida has been the perfect spot for him because he’s out of the spotlight. His joining the Sabres would also be a sign that Terry is willing to back away because Duds isn’t coming here without those assurances.

On a personal note, I’d love it. One of my all time favorites, I still remember the day that Punch admitted letting him go to the WHA was his biggest regret as Sabres’ GM. He was that team’s JP Dumont. They underestimated what his toughness and drive meant to the mid-70’s Sabres in the same way Darcy did with Dumont.

[JohnC]

43 minutes ago, tom webster said:

Rick Dudley is great at what he does but he is notoriously abrasive and difficult to work with. He would be a great addition to the front office but I don’t think he’d bring a lot of people with him. Florida has been the perfect spot for him because he’s out of the spotlight. His joining the Sabres would also be a sign that Terry is willing to back away because Duds isn’t coming here without those assurances.

On a personal note, I’d love it. One of my all time favorites, I still remember the day that Punch admitted letting him go to the WHA was his biggest regret as Sabres’ GM. He was that team’s JP Dumont. They underestimated what his toughness and drive meant to the mid-70’s Sabres in the same way Darcy did with Dumont.

The unknown for me is the relationship between the Senior Advisor and the GM. What is the power balance when there is a difference of opinion on players and other issues such as contracts? Whose voice will be more influential if an issue is brought to the owner, whether he wants to stay engaged or not. There certainly could be a lot of upsides for the GM to have a wise sounding board to discuss issues with.  Who has the last say? In general, I would think that the GM would be the final authority, but I'm not sure it would be so in this case because our GM has lost some stature due to his performance in office. 

[Pimlach]

On 5/22/2025 at 8:41 PM, mjd1001 said:

I don't think there's much of a chance of Shanahan wanting to come here, or the Sabres wanting him. But it would be interesting.

I don't think he'd be the type of guy to come in and just keep things the same...there WOULD be changes. And as for his shortcomings or 'failings' in Toronto...sometimes when a guy is 'good' but not 'great' in their first chance in a role...they learn from that and get better the 2nd time around.

I would love to get Shanahan.  That is instant credibility around the league.  He is still young and very well connected.  I would trade his successes and shortcomings in Toronto for the misery that is the Sabres past 14 years any day   

I suspect he would want full reign and that will be a problem for Terry.  Probably not gonna happen.  

[Pimlach]

1 hour ago, tom webster said:

Rick Dudley is great at what he does but he is notoriously abrasive and difficult to work with. He would be a great addition to the front office but I don’t think he’d bring a lot of people with him. Florida has been the perfect spot for him because he’s out of the spotlight. His joining the Sabres would also be a sign that Terry is willing to back away because Duds isn’t coming here without those assurances.

On a personal note, I’d love it. One of my all time favorites, I still remember the day that Punch admitted letting him go to the WHA was his biggest regret as Sabres’ GM. He was that team’s JP Dumont. They underestimated what his toughness and drive meant to the mid-70’s Sabres in the same way Darcy did with Dumont.

I like Dudley a lot but I agree he should not be the big boss and he might not fit in at all in Buffalo.  He is up there in years and probably doesn’t want a full time gig either but I think he would a very fine exec advisor to the big boss.  Zito seems to love him.  His style of play is what Buffalo fans want.  
 

I saw an internet rumor, could have been from here, that he did not want to work for Adams.  

[Palm Trees And Taxes]

Terry's insane loyality to Adams is setting this franchise back horribly.

[Flashsabre]

Harrington advocating for Shanahan. 
 

why go get a Shanahan or Dudley when you can keep the entire group that has failed here for years. 
 

Why succeed when you can fail but be heard.

Just watched the CBC’s documentary on Harold Ballard and the way he destroyed the Leafs franchise in the 70s and 80s.  I can see a Pegula one in the future.  He’s not as abrasive or as mean as Ballard but there are parallels to the damage they did to their teams.

[Archie Lee]

If Adams was fired today and Dudley was hired as a senior advisor to help Pegula find a new GM, that would be amazing. Adding Dudley to advise Adams though, would only give me hope because Dudley might eventually get Pegula’s ear and explain that big changes need to be made. It would give me no hope for a quick turnaround .

The scenario that is unfolding, has disaster written all over it. Adams and Ruff are, demonstrably, among the current worst to hold jobs in their respective positions in the NHL. And they are lame ducks. And players know, generally speaking, that the rest of the league looks at Sabre players and thinks they are likely better than what they have shown in Buffalo. If and when things start to go south, the booing will start and there will be zero motivation for the average Sabre player to lay it on the line for the current regime. Team failure will mean a new GM/HC and/or individual players being sent to a new team. Losing this year will be a no lose situation for many key Sabre players. 

Edited 4 hours ago by Archie Lee

[dudacek]

1 minute ago, Archie Lee said:

If Adams was fired today and Dudley was hired as a senior advisor to help Pegula find a new GM, that would be amazing. Adding Dudley to advise Adams though, would only give me hope because Dudley might eventually get Pegula’s ear and explain that big changes need to be made. It would give me no hope for a quick turnaround .

The scenario that is unfolding, has disaster written all over it. Adams and Ruff are, demonstrably, among the current worst to hold jobs in their respective positions in the NHL. And they are lame ducks. And players know, generally speaking, that the rest of the league looks at Sabre players and thinks they are likely better than what they have shown in Buffalo. If and when things start to go south, the booing will start and there will be zero motivation for the average Sabre player to lay it on the line for the current regime. Team failure will mean a new GM/HC and/or individual players being sent to a new team. Losing this year will be a no lose situation for many key Sabre players. 

There's so much about next year that points toward another 2020/21 or 2017/18.

[jahnyc]

I not clear at this point whether they really will do something, and if they do, what they are looking for.  Keeping Adams as the GM for at least this year creates all kinds of complications for this search.  Who will this advisor report to?  Are they looking for an advisor to Adams, and if yes, what will be his role, if any, if Adams is out after this year?  Who would be interested in this role if they could be out after one year?  Are they thinking that this hire potentially is someone who will replace Adams after next season?  

Just seems like a very unattractive situation with very limited upside in the near term where you are not GM, may have to report to the current GM and you are stuck with a head coach (who has a history with the owner and fans) and coaching staff that you had no role in choosing.  

Edited 3 hours ago by jahnyc

[PASabreFan]

21 minutes ago, Flashsabre said:

Harrington advocating for Shanahan. 
 

why go get a Shanahan or Dudley when you can keep the entire group that has failed here for years. 
 

Why succeed when you can fail but be heard.

Just watched the CBC’s documentary on Harold Ballard and the way he destroyed the Leafs franchise in the 70s and 80s.  I can see a Pegula one in the future.  He’s not as abrasive or as mean as Ballard but there are parallels to the damage they did to their teams.

I always hesitate to characterize these people whom we don't really know. For example, Kyke Okposo Good Man. Who knows?

We can only go by what we know. Terry might not be mean, but on Day One he went to visit TBN and he went after them. I might never forget how he sat there and scraped the junk out of his fingernails onto the conference room table. Yes, it happened!

I think there's a passive aggressiveness to the man. Mean? How about ghosting Sabres fans? Cruel, at the least. And that's not to mention what he's actually done to come close to destroying the franchise.

I've always suspected that a change took place when he was booed on RJ Night.

Edited 3 hours ago by PASabreFan

[Archie Lee]

4 minutes ago, dudacek said:

There's so much about next year that points toward another 2020/21 or 2017/18.

Yep. These scenarios never end with the GM who hasn’t figured it out in 5 years, suddenly doing so and going on to glory. 

Everywhere you look in the East teams are making front office or coaching moves with the intent of improving.

The Rangers and Flyers didn’t bring in Sullivan and Tocchet for prolonged rebuilds. The Bruins made clear to their fans that losing is not acceptable.

Columbus has $40 million in cap space and one, maybe two, free agents they would really want back; I’m not sure what they will do, but odds are they will do more than the equivalent of signing Erik Johnson and Connor Clifton.

Montreal, Ottawa, and Detroit have passed us. Could that be fleeting? Maybe. But what has Adams done to have any confidence he will out manoeuvre Gorton/Hughes or Staios or Yzerman this off-season?

Carolina has more cap space than us. So does Toronto. The best free agents will not be choosing the Sabres. 

At the end of last season, for the first time under Adams, there were reports of unrest amongst Sabres players. They are not dumb and they can see what other franchises are doing and how winning is valued elsewhere. If this season doesn’t start well, things will quickly implode.

[LGR4GM]

11 minutes ago, Archie Lee said:

Yep. These scenarios never end with the GM who hasn’t figured it out in 5 years, suddenly doing so and going on to glory. 

Everywhere you look in the East teams are making front office or coaching moves with the intent of improving.

The Rangers and Flyers didn’t bring in Sullivan and Tocchet for prolonged rebuilds. The Bruins made clear to their fans that losing is not acceptable.

Columbus has $40 million in cap space and one, maybe two, free agents they would really want back; I’m not sure what they will do, but odds are they will do more than the equivalent of signing Erik Johnson and Connor Clifton.

Montreal, Ottawa, and Detroit have passed us. Could that be fleeting? Maybe. But what has Adams done to have any confidence he will out manoeuvre Gorton/Hughes or Staios or Yzerman this off-season?

Carolina has more cap space than us. So does Toronto. The best free agents will not be choosing the Sabres. 

At the end of last season, for the first time under Adams, there were reports of unrest amongst Sabres players. They are not dumb and they can see what other franchises are doing and how winning is valued elsewhere. If this season doesn’t start well, things will quickly implode.

I think the most likely scenario is Buffalo starts ok and then upl sucks in November and Adams is fired before Christmas. 

[PerreaultForever]

My thought for today is Adams looked at Carolina and Adams wanted to build the Sabres into Carolina and now we see Carolina fully exposed to their weaknesses and how the Carolina model is a failure. We didn't even get to Carolina. 

and yet Adams is still in charge. 

[Night Train]

Wondering how many of the recent hires received call from the Sabres prior and responded with laughter..