Hockey Heaven? what the Sabres are competing with

[PerreaultForever]

9 hours ago, FrenchConnection44 said:

But even without the losing that was the good old days as you say. Now with teams with tons of money in places like Tampa and Miami, and even Carolina,  Dallas, etc., and with state of the art facilities, those are no longer vacation spots but where players are able to live. 

Add to that the fact that Florida (Texas is the same deal) has no state income tax and if you are signing a quality player he’s going to be in the 10% state tax range for NY. So at minimum you are going to have to beat an offer from teams in those states over 10% higher just to be even.
 

To say nothing of the facilities and lifestyle. There is just no way to compete unless Pegula puts the kind of effort into the Sabres org that he has into the Bills org. Both facilities and management. As it is he treats the Sabres like a step child he has to tolerate. 

Bull. Winnipeg signs players. Nobody is ever going to convince me that Winnipeg is a better spot than Buffalo. I've been to both. 

[PerreaultForever]

2 hours ago, 7+6=13 said:

It's a proven reality.  Remember when a lot of us thought players would want to play with McDavid or Eichel - and we needed a star?  

TP put money into the organization and we started hosting the combined etc.  It didn't work to get players.  TP has tried plenty conceivable things to create a spark.  It hasn't worked.  

Buffalo is a place that critically relies on drafting talent and trading. Then hoping the draft picks develop and some of them and any traded players grow to like the City.  That also hasn't worked.  

What you describe is what they do, but I say it's a self fulfilling prophecy. If the team was committed to winning and had a good culture it would be a fine destination same as most places. We don't though. We are not a serious franchise. 

[7+6=13]

6 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

It literally worked to get players. Do y'all just get amnesia about the ufas we sign?

What worked?

[7+6=13]

6 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

What you describe is what they do, but I say it's a self fulfilling prophecy. If the team was committed to winning and had a good culture it would be a fine destination same as most places. We don't though. We are not a serious franchise. 

I just don't believe, nor think it's factual that the majority of TP's ownership, there has not been a commitment to win.  

I actually think he over committed at times and that didn't work. The last few years, IMO, have been a reset (lack of a better term) because of the financial over commitment.

[Pimlach]

Florida’s facility is great, awesome, and probably in a league of its own. Reminds me of the Bills facility, which looks much bigger and better than Floridas and includes an indoor practice field for winter.  

Harbor Center was pretty nice at one time and still is in good repair and probably could be expanded into some of the other levels.   The Sabres dressing room was already refreshed to one of the tops in the league when Pegula took over. 

In the 70’s and 80’s the Sabres were a good destination for many players.  The team was always in the playoffs, the Aud was always packed, and players did not avoid Buffalo, lots of players lived in Buffalo for many years and a bunch still do.  Anyone who thinks otherwise was not close to the team back then.   

JUST START WINNING.  Veteran Free Agent players want to win.  If you’re not a winning team they won’t sign unless it’s for a big paycheck.  The action, or inaction, of the Sabres ownership and their FO is telling the hockey world that the Sabres do not know how to win and are not trying to win - probably both. 

[Big Guava]

Well, they are competing against the Bandits for fanbase and losing badly 

Edited 10 hours ago by Big Guava

[PerreaultForever]

2 hours ago, 7+6=13 said:

I just don't believe, nor think it's factual that the majority of TP's ownership, there has not been a commitment to win.  

I actually think he over committed at times and that didn't work. The last few years, IMO, have been a reset (lack of a better term) because of the financial over commitment.

Well that's not exactly what I'm saying. I think TP THINKS he is committed to winning but he's set in his ideas regardless of the evidence to show how flawed it is. People outside Buffalo however see what they do, how they spend, who they hire and don't hire and they don't see it as a real serious commitment to winning. Terry has to turn over the top decisions to a hockey voice like Dudley or this will just continue . 

[Demoted]

On 5/23/2025 at 5:01 PM, mjd1001 said:

Maybe this was discussed already, the video is a year old, but I just saw it and found it interesting.

Make the jokes about Palm trees, but when you consider Buffalo is Buffalo, the Sabres need to do BETTER than other teams to get players to want to come here/stay here.

After watching this video...how much more do the Sabres have to pay someone vs a team like Florida (or the other teams that are doing stuff like this) just to be on even gound?

 

Let's not forget the taxes are better in Florida for the players also.

[LGR4GM]

2 hours ago, Demoted said:

Let's not forget the taxes are better in Florida for the players also.

I heard they have palm trees in Florida. 

[Wyldnwoody44]

Who are we competing with you say. 

 

We have our answer....