Adam Mair Placed on Leave after DWI with 3 Kids in Car.

[Sabres73]

18 hours ago, SHAAAUGHT!!! said:

Thanks for sharing this.  It was nice to see some understanding and compassion in this thread instead of pitchforks and holier-than-thou perspectives. 
 

If he wasnt on company time, and maybe even if we was, Adam Mair doesn’t and shouldn’t be fired.  He should get some help and likely therapy because I’m assuming he’s as upset at Adam Mair as everyone else is.  
 

Pointing out he was hammered with three kids in the car isn't exactly "pitchforks and holier-than-thou." It's completely reasonable.

[SHAAAUGHT!!!]

10 hours ago, Sabres73 said:

Pointing out he was hammered with three kids in the car isn't exactly "pitchforks and holier-than-thou." It's completely reasonable.

Yes it’s reasonable because it happened.  What isn’t reasonable is assuming he should lose his job and ability to care for himself and his kids, yeah?

also, and not to you Sabres73, if you laughed at my original response you are only exposing yourself for the type of person you are.  Real recognizes real. Basic ***** need not apply.  Not sorry at all.

Edited Sunday at 03:56 PM by SHAAAUGHT!!!
Further reading explanation for the people without any life experience and/or empathy

[LGR4GM]

33 minutes ago, SHAAAUGHT!!! said:

Yes it’s reasonable because it happened.  What isn’t reasonable is assuming he should lose his job and ability to care for himself and his kids, yeah?

also, and not to you Sabres73, if you laughed at my original response you are only exposing yourself for the type of person you are.  Real recognizes real. Basic ***** need not apply.  Not sorry at all.

What consequences, in your opinion, should Mair face for his actions?

[Sabres73]

7 hours ago, SHAAAUGHT!!! said:

Yes it’s reasonable because it happened.  What isn’t reasonable is assuming he should lose his job and ability to care for himself and his kids, yeah?

also, and not to you Sabres73, if you laughed at my original response you are only exposing yourself for the type of person you are.  Real recognizes real. Basic ***** need not apply.  Not sorry at all.

No, I disagree. It's not 100% he will lose his job over this, but it would be absolutely reasonable if he did for risking the lives of three children because he was drunk, as many others in the same circumstances would. The type of person I am is someone who is concerned for the safety of the children and others. The only person exposing the "type of person" they are is you.

[Pimlach]

On 9/13/2025 at 6:10 AM, SHAAAUGHT!!! said:

If he wasnt on company time, and maybe even if we was, Adam Mair doesn’t and shouldn’t be fired.  He should get some help and likely therapy because I’m assuming he’s as upset at Adam Mair as everyone else is.  
 

Company time has nothing to do with the handling of substance abuse problems.  

One part of me gets angry and wants him fired for recklessly endangering children and possibly others.  

Another part of me knows that if he worked for a big corporation, or the government, he would have an option to call their Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and ask for help.  Depending on circumstances his employment would be protected while he was put on a recovery plan of some sort.  As a former Engineering Director for a large corporation that is what we did.  I was introduced to this plan in about 2005 and have seen it help people, and I’ve also seen people fail and move on.  It puts a strain on the organization to have to replace the employee and then possibly have to accommodate him later, but overall I thought it was a good benefit.  

I have no clue as to whether the Sabres provide this as an employee benefit.    It’s a different business altogether.  

[Indabuff]

IMO, EAP is underutilized.  Wish more people took advantage of it.

[Flashsabre]

https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/capitals-place-assistant-coach-mitch-love-on-leave-pending-investigation/

Washington just put assistant coach Mitch Love on leave.

[bob_sauve28]

20 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

What consequences, in your opinion, should Mair face for his actions?

Tough question. How do you punish addiction in a way that helps the offender, his family and society? I think that around 50% of people in jail committed their offence while intoxicated, so this is a pretty big problem that society has been dealing with forever. Would firing Mair help him and his family or just purge the Sabres organization of a problem? No clue 

My friend's ex just crashed his motorcycle into a tree and got all broken up, like bad, and this was like his sixth DWI. He had no license and might kill someone next time. And he posts his injuries on FB like he is a war hero or something, total moron and its only a matter of time until he drinks and drives again. 

I don't think any punishment will deter a person who gets that intoxicated. Once you are drunk your ability to reason goes out the window, but obviously there needs to be serious consequences that hopefully will make them think before they start drinking. 

I'm sentencing Mair to a day in jail and a warning that if he does it again its ten days in jail. 

 

 

[LTS]

23 hours ago, SHAAAUGHT!!! said:

Yes it’s reasonable because it happened.  What isn’t reasonable is assuming he should lose his job and ability to care for himself and his kids, yeah?

also, and not to you Sabres73, if you laughed at my original response you are only exposing yourself for the type of person you are.  Real recognizes real. Basic ***** need not apply.  Not sorry at all.

Why is it not reasonable?  These are the very real consequences people face for their actions. It can happen to anyone and has. We've seen people fired from their jobs when their name makes it into the public and people begin associating them with the company they work for. The company has every right to protect its brand from its employees bad decisions, whether they occur on company time or not.

Perhaps he should have recognized this before he made the decision to drink and drive.

 

2 hours ago, bob_sauve28 said:

Tough question. How do you punish addiction in a way that helps the offender, his family and society? I think that around 50% of people in jail committed their offence while intoxicated, so this is a pretty big problem that society has been dealing with forever. Would firing Mair help him and his family or just purge the Sabres organization of a problem? No clue 

My friend's ex just crashed his motorcycle into a tree and got all broken up, like bad, and this was like his sixth DWI. He had no license and might kill someone next time. And he posts his injuries on FB like he is a war hero or something, total moron and its only a matter of time until he drinks and drives again. 

I don't think any punishment will deter a person who gets that intoxicated. Once you are drunk your ability to reason goes out the window, but obviously there needs to be serious consequences that hopefully will make them think before they start drinking. 

I'm sentencing Mair to a day in jail and a warning that if he does it again its ten days in jail. 

 

 

I'm not following the situation that closely but are we assuming he has an addiction or has it been stated?  Just because someone blows a .2 does not mean they are an addict. 

That said, it doesn't change things. If you are someone who has a close relationship with a person who has an alcohol addiction then I would hope you've taken steps to make sure they aren't driving drunk and absolutely not with their kids in the car.

Even then, you can't prevent people from making bad decisions 100% of the time.  Bad stuff is going to happen.

In this case he's not even fired right?  He's on leave. So, are people just making all kinds of assumptions about the situation or did I miss some facts?

[SHAAAUGHT!!!]

On 9/15/2025 at 12:24 AM, LGR4GM said:

What consequences, in your opinion, should Mair face for his actions?

Suspended license, fine, impact panel, potential jail time, counseling, etc.. Basically the same as anyone else in this situation.  

On 9/15/2025 at 7:29 AM, Sabres73 said:

No, I disagree. It's not 100% he will lose his job over this, but it would be absolutely reasonable if he did for risking the lives of three children because he was drunk, as many others in the same circumstances would. The type of person I am is someone who is concerned for the safety of the children and others. The only person exposing the "type of person" they are is you.

Losing your job for a DWI, even as a felony, is not what typically happens.  It does happen because companies often care about their bottom line or projecting their own personal beliefs on others.  

Im also concerned for the safety of others and children.  I didn’t realize that was something people had to spell out in this type of conversation.  Maybe we need a poll to see who values safety of children and people? 😉

I know exactly who I am.  I’m 100% confident you have no idea the type of person I am.  

On 9/15/2025 at 9:12 AM, Pimlach said:

Company time has nothing to do with the handling of substance abuse problems.  

One part of me gets angry and wants him fired for recklessly endangering children and possibly others.  

Another part of me knows that if he worked for a big corporation, or the government, he would have an option to call their Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and ask for help.  Depending on circumstances his employment would be protected while he was put on a recovery plan of some sort.  As a former Engineering Director for a large corporation that is what we did.  I was introduced to this plan in about 2005 and have seen it help people, and I’ve also seen people fail and move on.  It puts a strain on the organization to have to replace the employee and then possibly have to accommodate him later, but overall I thought it was a good benefit.  

I have no clue as to whether the Sabres provide this as an employee benefit.    It’s a different business altogether.  

This is a reasonable, honest, and well thought out and considerate take.  I only mentioned the “on company time part” because companies can have rules about behavior while representing the company or during work events.  That would be a justifiable cause for termination in that case, although it seems this was the first situation he’s had like this and usually they want people to get help before cutting off their ability to get such help. 

14 hours ago, LTS said:In this case he's not even fired right?  He's on leave. So, are people just making all kinds of assumptions about the situation or did I miss some facts?

I agree it’s a bit premature to assume he will be fired.  People are calling for him to be fired.  This is what I was addressing.

In general:
It’s weird that people expect people to be perfect all the time, and don’t allow them a chance to grow and learn from their mistakes.  I’ve never heard of any other legal trouble Mair has gotten into, and from his statement to the police it sounds like he’s struggling with life a bit right now.  I hope he gets the help he needs and that he can be an example of how people can turn their life around and bounce back.  That is the best possible outcome here and what I hope happens.  

[JohnC]

On 9/14/2025 at 9:12 PM, Pimlach said:

Company time has nothing to do with the handling of substance abuse problems.  

One part of me gets angry and wants him fired for recklessly endangering children and possibly others.  

Another part of me knows that if he worked for a big corporation, or the government, he would have an option to call their Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and ask for help.  Depending on circumstances his employment would be protected while he was put on a recovery plan of some sort.  As a former Engineering Director for a large corporation that is what we did.  I was introduced to this plan in about 2005 and have seen it help people, and I’ve also seen people fail and move on.  It puts a strain on the organization to have to replace the employee and then possibly have to accommodate him later, but overall I thought it was a good benefit.  

I have no clue as to whether the Sabres provide this as an employee benefit.    It’s a different business altogether.  

You gave a very thoughtful and humanistic response. It's obvious that Mair has a serious drinking problem. He should be treated like others who have been involved in similar situations. He will certainly have to contend with the legal system that will direct him to a somewhat coercive course for first time offenders. What will the outcome be after he is directed into a rehabilitating setting? It depends on how seriously he takes the treatment. If he blows it off or just goes through the motions just to get this issue over with, he will then face bigger issues and more severe consequences. 

For those who blithely and reflexively say that he should be automatically fired, my response is that he is not a disposable human being who isn't capable of redemption. Addiction is a complicated and challenging issue to deal with. It affects not only the individual but the family and relationships around the person. We all know someone either in the family, friends and work circle who struggle to deal with what usually is a life-long tormenting battle. Anyone undergoing what he is currently undergoing needs support, not scorn and harsh judgment. And that doesn't mean that he shouldn't be held accountable for his behavior. I wish him well.  

[Pimlach]

2 hours ago, JohnC said:

You gave a very thoughtful and humanistic response. It's obvious that Mair has a serious drinking problem. He should be treated like others who have been involved in similar situations. He will certainly have to contend with the legal system that will direct him to a somewhat coercive course for first time offenders. What will the outcome be after he is directed into a rehabilitating setting? It depends on how seriously he takes the treatment. If he blows it off or just goes through the motions just to get this issue over with, he will then face bigger issues and more severe consequences. 

For those who blithely and reflexively say that he should be automatically fired, my response is that he is not a disposable human being who isn't capable of redemption. Addiction is a complicated and challenging issue to deal with. It affects not only the individual but the family and relationships around the person. We all know someone either in the family, friends and work circle who struggle to deal with what usually is a life-long tormenting battle. Anyone undergoing what he is currently undergoing needs support, not scorn and harsh judgment. And that doesn't mean that he shouldn't be held accountable for his behavior. I wish him well.  

I don't know Adam Mair or what is going on with him.  You sometimes see this in sports.  Time away from family support systems and  life on the road can contribute to this kind of problem.  Just because professional athletes make a lot of money or are better known to the general public than engineers, accountants, factory workers, service industry employees, etc., does not mean they do not deserve a chance to fix their problems.    They are not above problems that the rest of us have.  

It was good fortune that the police were on the spot and did their job.   The best case scenario was he got caught and no one was hurt.  Next, its to try to fix the problem.   Simply discarding him is more likely to lead to a repeat offense that could have a worse outcome the next time.  

[LTS]

9 hours ago, SHAAAUGHT!!! said:

[cut the responses that weren't to me]

 

I agree it’s a bit premature to assume he will be fired.  People are calling for him to be fired.  This is what I was addressing.

In general:
It’s weird that people expect people to be perfect all the time, and don’t allow them a chance to grow and learn from their mistakes.  I’ve never heard of any other legal trouble Mair has gotten into, and from his statement to the police it sounds like he’s struggling with life a bit right now.  I hope he gets the help he needs and that he can be an example of how people can turn their life around and bounce back.  That is the best possible outcome here and what I hope happens.  

It is strange because people spend more time looking at what everyone else does wrong versus spending that energy on critically analyzing themselves. It's easier that way I suppose.

That said, mistakes have varying degree of significance and that's where the debatable line occurs.  In this case it's not like he a registered a .08.  He registered a 2.0. That's not accidentally overdoing it, that's blatantly going all out.  

Sure, I'd love for him to get help, but he should have gotten it before this happened. People around him should have taken a stronger stand if they knew it was going on. But it didn't happen and now he very much has to deal with the situation.  He's in charge of player development, players who are routinely going into their legal drinking age.  It's not a good sign to have the person overseeing that demonstrating a reckless drinking behavior.  It's even worse to do it with his kids in the car. If he's willing to do it with his kids then I am sure a 19 year old player might be less of an obstacle.

Overall that's the way it is.  We are held accountable for our actions.  He'll be held accountable for his.  We'll see what happens.

[Weave]

As a fan we loved the game Mair played.  The aggression, the big hits, the fights, the physical intimidation.  With the recent transparency over hockey and CTE and the type of game Mair played, I don’t feel I have room to judge him at all.  I cheered on his aggressive game.  I cheered on the fights. Even the ones where he got his head handed to him, and there were alot of those.  Given what we know about the game, CTE, and the depression, anxiety, and substance abuse that goes along with it, I can’t help but feel a level of complicity. (Is that the right word here?)

Adam, I don’t know you from Adam, but I know you played the way I wanted you to play, and the aftermath likely contributed to where you are today. 
 

I hope the help he gets is effective.  And I hope this doesn’t ruin his life.  It was a scary lesson.  Hopefully its a lesson learned.

 

[That Aud Smell]

On 9/14/2025 at 9:12 PM, Pimlach said:

Another part of me knows that if he worked for a big corporation, or the government, he would have an option to call their Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and ask for help.  Depending on circumstances his employment would be protected while he was put on a recovery plan of some sort.  As a former Engineering Director for a large corporation that is what we did.  I was introduced to this plan in about 2005 and have seen it help people, and I’ve also seen people fail and move on.  It puts a strain on the organization to have to replace the employee and then possibly have to accommodate him later, but overall I thought it was a good benefit.  

I have no clue as to whether the Sabres provide this as an employee benefit.    It’s a different business altogether.  

EAP's do a lot of good for a lot of people.

11 hours ago, SHAAAUGHT!!! said:

Suspended license, fine, impact panel, potential jail time, counseling, etc.. Basically the same as anyone else in this situation.  

Anyone? There are lots of public and semi-public careers/professions where an aggravated DWI can cost someone their job (or in the case of certain professions, your license).

22 minutes ago, Weave said:

As a fan we loved the game Mair played.  The aggression, the big hits, the fights, the physical intimidation.  With the recent transparency over hockey and CTE and the type of game Mair played, I don’t feel I have room to judge him at all.  I cheered on his aggressive game.  I cheered on the fights. Even the ones where he got his head handed to him, and there were alot of those.  Given what we know about the game, CTE, and the depression, anxiety, and substance abuse that goes along with it, I can’t help but feel a level of complicity. (Is that the right word here?)

Adam, I don’t know you from Adam, but I know you played the way I wanted you to play, and the aftermath likely contributed to where you are today. 
 

I hope the help he gets is effective.  And I hope this doesn’t ruin his life.  It was a scary lesson.  Hopefully its a lesson learned.

Yeah - complicit is a good word choice. I had not thought of this. I'm thinking about it now. 

I really do hope he gets straightened out.

Separately, do I care whether or not he continues to work in player development for the Sabres? I'm not sure. Given the team's recent history, I would not presume that he adds value to the franchise's competitiveness. But I have no idea -- maybe he does a great job with the work he does.

[JP51]

On 9/14/2025 at 12:55 AM, Wyldnwoody44 said:

I got pulled over once, .28 driving one night while I was in medial school. Cop knew that if the university found out, I'd get the boot, so he kindly let me sleep it off in the Tim Hortons I was in front of. Perhaps different times, but I never did that again. I imagine Mair is in a situation where maybe a touch of grace will lead to a change in habits (though 3 kids in the car is hard to swallow) ... And if not, we'll, then the decision comes down very hard. 

I suspect he has virtual hell coming for him from the mother of those kids.... 

[That Aud Smell]

On 9/14/2025 at 12:55 AM, Wyldnwoody44 said:

I got pulled over once, .28 driving one night while I was in medial school. 

ffs - were you studying anesthesiology?!