GDT: Blues @ Sabres, 7:00pm Nov. 6, 2025, 🎙 📺 ESPN+/MSG

[\GoBillsInDallas/]

25 minutes ago, HumanSlinky39 said:

our baboon of a GM.

[HumanSlinky39]

Just now, \GoBillsInDallas/ said:

This fella looks way more competent than our baboon. 

[LGR4GM]

23 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

Doan is third on the team in points, but has less ice time  than Quinn, Kulich and Krebs 

Coughcoachingcough

6 minutes ago, HumanSlinky39 said:

And it's only that high because of two hot games in a row against Ottawa (3/5) and Florida (2/4). After tonight, we're 8/45 (17.8%). Outside of those two games, we're 3/36 (8.3%). We have one of the worst power plays I've ever seen. It's a total mess. I cannot believe that they practice it at all.

And yet Appert makes no changes. 

[Crusader1969]

43 minutes ago, Thorny said:

UPL wasn’t outstanding but if he stood on his head we’d have lost 1-0 in the shootout. Gotta score

How anyone disagrees here is amazing   

im serious considering just skipping the next week of Sabres hockey 

if they get a win in their next 3 , maybe I'll watch the game against the wings  

fully expect them to go 0-3 though 

Edited 9 hours ago by Crusader1969

[Mango]

45 minutes ago, Slack_in_MA said:

Stats aside, is that how you felt watching it? Personally, I thought their effort kinda sucked.

I only caught the 3rd tonight. From that period alone my big gripe was that this team lacks top end talent, and what top end player we do have have to start burying the puck on games like thought.

Tommers and Tuch playing like top end players every night give us an extra 2 points in a couple of our 6 game OTL's.

I know everybody hates Lindy right now, but this team is bottom of the league, as bad or worse than STL with a different Adams HC hitched to this staff and FO.

[sabresouth]

I don't ever want to see upl in net again.  Great move kevi boy

[HumanSlinky39]

12 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

 

And yet Appert makes no changes. 

That's kind of the organization's approach to everything, innit?

[...]

14 minutes ago, Thorny said:

Terry Pegula isn’t phoning in starting goalie decisions. Are we in the GDT’s congratulating him when Lyon plays well because he called those ones in too? 

he’s a terrible owner. He’s not the variable x in every equation to determine the root cause of a bad team decision - He facilities the environment. That’s really enough to lambast him. He’s at fault. Just not in cartoonish way often portrayed 

Statements from Kevyn Adams on Pegula's Involvement

Adams has repeatedly emphasized Pegula's hands-on role, framing it as collaborative and supportive. These comments often come in end-of-season pressers or during slumps, where Adams highlights daily communication and Pegula's input on major calls.

• Daily conversations and strong opinions on roster/operations (April 2024): In a season-ending press conference, Adams pushed back on criticism of Pegula's visibility, saying, "Terry Pegula watches closely, talks to me every day, has strong opinions on what he sees, and we have great conversations." He added that Pegula would be "absolutely someone that I’m leaning on" for the coaching search, though Adams called it his "final decision." This was amid questions about the team's culture and failure to end the drought. wivb.com
• Endorsement of Pegula's engagement (April 2025): After another playoff miss, Adams reiterated their routine: "I have daily conversations with owner Terry Pegula about the direction of the franchise." He described upcoming meetings to "review everything, talk about the roster and everything in the organization in hockey operations, where we can improve," and stressed being "very honest in the conversations with Terry to say where I think I’ve made mistakes." buffalonews.com +1 Adams has echoed this "every day" dynamic in multiple interviews, including one where he said, "Terry and I always had a good back and forth," tying it to alignment on issues like puck management and special teams. nytimes.com
• Trade deadline input (March 2025): Ahead of the deadline, Adams quoted Pegula directly as asking, "What do we need to do to make this team better? Everything we should be thinking about is we need to improve, and what are those decisions?" Adams noted Pegula's empowerment but stressed keeping him "in the loop" on scenarios, saying, "I took in all the information, listened, made sure he was in the loop... it’s my call. But that’s what I love about Terry, because we do have that relationship where there’s true honesty." buffalohockeybeat.com This came during trades like sending Dylan Cozens to Ottawa, seen as a vote of confidence in Adams but with Pegula's clear oversight.

Statements and Actions from Terry Pegula Himself

Pegula speaks less often (his last full Sabres presser was in 2020), but when he does, he positions himself as deeply invested. His actions—like joining calls and hires—reinforce this.

• On the Taylor Hall signing (2020): In a team-released behind-the-scenes video, Pegula directly intervened during free agency, telling Adams, "We sign this guy, we’re not only trying to make the playoffs. We’re trying to win the Cup." This bold move (Hall's four-year, $45M deal) backfired with a last-place finish, but it exemplified Pegula's push for win-now decisions amid the drought's ninth year. nytimes.com
• On hiring Adams as GM (2020): Pegula bypassed a traditional search, calling Adams to Florida for an immediate promotion after firing Jason Botterill. He explained, "We felt like we weren’t being heard. We have a vision, and we want to see our vision succeed." Pegula added that Adams was an "in-house hire" they'd had "in mind very recently" due to nine years of knowing him, emphasizing loyalty and efficiency over external expertise. This led to Adams accepting a below-market salary and a staff overhaul (22 firings). nytimes.com +1
• Broader historical involvement: Pegula has described crowding trade deadlines ("He was there every day," per a former scout) and drafts early in ownership. In 2023, after firing coach Don Granato, he stressed accountability "starts with me" and the need for "discipline, structure, and communication" in searches—qualities he said were lacking. nhl.com +1

More recently, in December 2024, he met players in Montreal during a skid, affirming faith in Adams and coach Lindy Ruff while ruling out big trades. @frank_seravalli

Reporters note he "has influence on every consequential decision," from prospects to cap spending (the Sabres have been $60M under the cap over five years). buffalonews.com +1

Context and Broader Implications

These examples align with a pattern: Pegula's passion for hockey (he built Harborcenter and scouts prospects personally) leads to heavy input, but it's often blamed for instability—e.g., no experienced president of hockey ops, rushed hires, and veto power on extensions like Jeff Skinner's. Adams' defenses (e.g., "Terry Pegula is as engaged as he’s ever been" in 2024) suggest loyalty, but outlets like The Athletic describe it as a "hamster wheel" where Pegula's vision overrides expertise, contributing to the drought. nytimes.com +1

In 2023, Pegula even named himself team president, dissolving the shared Bills/Sabres entity for more direct control. nfl.com +1

[Thorny]

8 minutes ago, ... said:

Statements from Kevyn Adams on Pegula's Involvement

Adams has repeatedly emphasized Pegula's hands-on role, framing it as collaborative and supportive. These comments often come in end-of-season pressers or during slumps, where Adams highlights daily communication and Pegula's input on major calls.

• Daily conversations and strong opinions on roster/operations (April 2024): In a season-ending press conference, Adams pushed back on criticism of Pegula's visibility, saying, "Terry Pegula watches closely, talks to me every day, has strong opinions on what he sees, and we have great conversations." He added that Pegula would be "absolutely someone that I’m leaning on" for the coaching search, though Adams called it his "final decision." This was amid questions about the team's culture and failure to end the drought. wivb.com
• Endorsement of Pegula's engagement (April 2025): After another playoff miss, Adams reiterated their routine: "I have daily conversations with owner Terry Pegula about the direction of the franchise." He described upcoming meetings to "review everything, talk about the roster and everything in the organization in hockey operations, where we can improve," and stressed being "very honest in the conversations with Terry to say where I think I’ve made mistakes." buffalonews.com +1 Adams has echoed this "every day" dynamic in multiple interviews, including one where he said, "Terry and I always had a good back and forth," tying it to alignment on issues like puck management and special teams. nytimes.com
• Trade deadline input (March 2025): Ahead of the deadline, Adams quoted Pegula directly as asking, "What do we need to do to make this team better? Everything we should be thinking about is we need to improve, and what are those decisions?" Adams noted Pegula's empowerment but stressed keeping him "in the loop" on scenarios, saying, "I took in all the information, listened, made sure he was in the loop... it’s my call. But that’s what I love about Terry, because we do have that relationship where there’s true honesty." buffalohockeybeat.com This came during trades like sending Dylan Cozens to Ottawa, seen as a vote of confidence in Adams but with Pegula's clear oversight.

Statements and Actions from Terry Pegula Himself

Pegula speaks less often (his last full Sabres presser was in 2020), but when he does, he positions himself as deeply invested. His actions—like joining calls and hires—reinforce this.

• On the Taylor Hall signing (2020): In a team-released behind-the-scenes video, Pegula directly intervened during free agency, telling Adams, "We sign this guy, we’re not only trying to make the playoffs. We’re trying to win the Cup." This bold move (Hall's four-year, $45M deal) backfired with a last-place finish, but it exemplified Pegula's push for win-now decisions amid the drought's ninth year. nytimes.com
• On hiring Adams as GM (2020): Pegula bypassed a traditional search, calling Adams to Florida for an immediate promotion after firing Jason Botterill. He explained, "We felt like we weren’t being heard. We have a vision, and we want to see our vision succeed." Pegula added that Adams was an "in-house hire" they'd had "in mind very recently" due to nine years of knowing him, emphasizing loyalty and efficiency over external expertise. This led to Adams accepting a below-market salary and a staff overhaul (22 firings). nytimes.com +1
• Broader historical involvement: Pegula has described crowding trade deadlines ("He was there every day," per a former scout) and drafts early in ownership. In 2023, after firing coach Don Granato, he stressed accountability "starts with me" and the need for "discipline, structure, and communication" in searches—qualities he said were lacking. nhl.com +1

More recently, in December 2024, he met players in Montreal during a skid, affirming faith in Adams and coach Lindy Ruff while ruling out big trades. @frank_seravalli

Reporters note he "has influence on every consequential decision," from prospects to cap spending (the Sabres have been $60M under the cap over five years). buffalonews.com +1

Context and Broader Implications

These examples align with a pattern: Pegula's passion for hockey (he built Harborcenter and scouts prospects personally) leads to heavy input, but it's often blamed for instability—e.g., no experienced president of hockey ops, rushed hires, and veto power on extensions like Jeff Skinner's. Adams' defenses (e.g., "Terry Pegula is as engaged as he’s ever been" in 2024) suggest loyalty, but outlets like The Athletic describe it as a "hamster wheel" where Pegula's vision overrides expertise, contributing to the drought. nytimes.com +1

In 2023, Pegula even named himself team president, dissolving the shared Bills/Sabres entity for more direct control. nfl.com +1

Thank you for proving my point. Literallly nothing in there about day to day lineup decisions. Sounds like nothing more than the average input expected of any owner particularly when being framed against concerns he’s not involved enough 

again, are you in here praising TP after the wins because of his chosen line combos? You can’t have it both ways, and just attribute the ones you don’t like to him  

also you shouldn’t flood the board with AI jargon - write your own stuff (you didn’t even edit out the little link references at the end haha)

Edited 9 hours ago by Thorny

[Flashsabre]

It is pretty hard to get shutout by this goalie but the boys rose to the occasion tonight.

[Porous Five Hole]

I understand not wanting to break up Tuch-McCleod-Doan, but throwing Tage with two rookies was a terrible idea.  
 

Other than Doan, who is “going” right now? It’s hard to watch.  Everyone is a half a second late all over the place. Nothing is smooth and the subtle plays are routinely bobbled. No juice.  
 

The blue line was fine tonight, but the Sabres need more than just ‘fine’ given the forward injuries. 
 

Quinn deserves the heat he’s getting, but I’m annoyed with Krebs. At this point, he’s a guy who we are supposed to be able to move up the lineup when it is warranted, and he’s just a no show.  He’s not a prospect any longer. And we are getting absolutely nothing from him.  
 

Just don’t know what to say about UPL.  That soft second goal was a killer tonight. Lindy has to know he’s not good enough. I hope he still has enough pride left to let UPL rot for a while.  
 

It’s a good time to go on a road trip and break up the crappy routine we are in.  

[Indabuff]

55 minutes ago, HumanSlinky39 said:

our baboon of a GM.

An insult to baboons.  

[sabremike]

Just now, Porous Five Hole said:

I understand not wanting to break up Tuch-McCleod-Doan, but throwing Tage with two rookies was a terrible idea.  
 

Other than Doan, who is “going” right now? It’s hard to watch.  Everyone is a half a second late all over the place. Nothing is smooth and the subtle plays are routinely bobbled. No juice.  
 

The blue line was fine tonight, but the Sabres need more than just ‘fine’ given the forward injuries. 
 

Quinn deserves the heat he’s getting, but I’m annoyed with Krebs. At this point, he’s a guy who we are supposed to be able to move up the lineup when it is warranted, and he’s just a no show.  He’s not a prospect any longer. And we are getting absolutely nothing from him.  
 

Just don’t know what to say about UPL.  That soft second goal was a killer tonight. Lindy has to know he’s not good enough. I hope he still has enough pride left to let UPL rot for a while.  
 

It’s a good time to go on a road trip and break up the crappy routine we are in.  

HOW ABOUT PUTTING DOAN ON THE TOP LINE YOU ABSOLUTE BRAINDEAD MORONS??????????????????????

Our coaches are total ***** idiots.

[eman]

1 hour ago, Carmel Corn said:

Given the upcoming schedule, November will finish the Sabres hopes for the post season.

As it has for the past several seasons anyhow. Nothing new here.

[GASabresIUFAN]

Well at least they didn’t lose again in OT.

Hard to believe that they just got shut out by the worst team in the NHL on the back-end of a road back to back with a goalie who had a 5.02 gaa.  Truly a new low and that is saying something.

Edited 4 minutes ago by GASabresIUFAN

[PerreaultForever]

That was pathetic. 

[...]

1 hour ago, Thorny said:

Thank you for proving my point. Literallly nothing in there about day to day lineup decisions. Sounds like nothing more than the average input expected of any owner particularly when being framed against concerns he’s not involved enough 

again, are you in here praising TP after the wins because of his chosen line combos? You can’t have it both ways, and just attribute the ones you don’t like to him  

also you shouldn’t flood the board with AI jargon - write your own stuff (you didn’t even edit out the little link references at the end haha)

Don't be a Luddite. The AI "jargon" is the output of a tool. No different than the output of a LexisNexis search. You begged for it by forgetting there is a clear trend pointing at meddling of the sort I conjectured, therefore you get the AI output.

Good thing you don't do my landscaping with an imagination lacking in possibilities.

 

[Gatorman0519]

1 hour ago, Crusader1969 said:

How anyone disagrees here is amazing   

im serious considering just skipping the next week of Sabres hockey 

if they get a win in their next 3 , maybe I'll watch the game against the wings  

fully expect them to go 0-3 though 

They have won 4 games in regulation out of 14 games. That is really bad. If not for the loser point, they’d be buried already. 

[GASabresIUFAN]

3 minutes ago, Gatorman0519 said:

They have won 4 games in regulation out of 14 games. That is really bad. If not for the loser point, they’d be buried already. 

Amen Brother!

[Spoonman]

3 hours ago, Pimlach said:

They tend to play better on the road when they are done sucking at home. 

Love & respect you Pim. I have had it with Kevyn (and yes Pegs, who enables him). How can same owner have a really good GM/Coach in one franchise, and suck w GM (I struggle to blame Lindy here, he can’t even pick his assistants, and I guess still wants to coach)?

[clink]

3 hours ago, ... said:

That the coaches, or, perhaps GM Pegula, haven't recognized this really says it all about how this team is run.

I would not be shocked in the least to learn that GM Pegula wanted to play UPL as much as possible since his return in an effort to try and move him. Of course, I would also not be shocked to learn that GM Pegula wanted to play UPL no matter what because he's their high-dollar goalie.

This checks, as it sounds like the sort of tone def and obtuse philosophy which are hallmarks of unca Terry 

He really needs to luck into a competent POHO to right this shipwreck 

[Demoted]

Well at least everything is right in the world again lol

5 hours ago, ... said:

That the coaches, or, perhaps GM Pegula, haven't recognized this really says it all about how this team is run.

I would not be shocked in the least to learn that GM Pegula wanted to play UPL as much as possible since his return in an effort to try and move him. Of course, I would also not be shocked to learn that GM Pegula wanted to play UPL no matter what because he's their high-dollar goalie.

Doesn't matter who the goalie was when they couldn't even score 1 point 

[sabresouth]

This team plays more apprehensive in front of upl. They know he's not going to be able bale them out if they make a mistake. It's disheartening to them and after years of this they just don't try as hard. If we as fans know upl let's in soft goals at the worst times. You know the players know it even more.

Edited 3 hours ago by sabresouth

[JP51]

6 hours ago, Flashsabre said:

It is pretty hard to get shutout by this goalie but the boys rose to the occasion tonight.

Lol This guy couldn't shut out a pee wee team!!!!

 

Sabres: Hold my beer lol 

[Weave]

So, the Blues played a back to back, had a FULL practice in between, had the statistically worst goalie in the league in net, and we got shut out?