What is the jolt this franchise needs?

[PASabreFan]

What is the jolt this franchise needs?

Edited 11 hours ago by PASabreFan

[PASabreFan]

Oops, I hit poll only content.

Have at it.

[Mr Peabody]

We have enough assets for a new front office to re-tool (or is it tool in our case?) to make a competitive team.  Not cup contenders but certainly playoff contenders.  Voted for new leader.

[Indabuff]

New owner or Terry needs to get the ***** out of the way. 

[inkman]

[GASabresIUFAN]

cattle prod. 

[JoeSchmoe]

Our offensive numbers are good.

Our defensive numbers are good (they actually are this year).

Our goaltending stinks. 

If we get a breakout goalie to play at or near the top third of the league like our offense and defense, then we are jolted.

[sabremike]

Same one that saved the Blackhawks a few decades back.

[Night Train]

After all these years of no playoffs, I LOL'd at the mention of " Patience " . 

[Weave]

It genuinely feels to me like the only way out starts with a new owner.  Outside players don’t respect the team.  We fear every good, established player on the roster is on the verge of bailing out.  Our stars aren’t star enough to carry the team for more than a game or two.  The coach isn’t the answer.  The AHL coach isn’t the answer. The GM is over his head.  We have quite a few good, young kids, but none of them project into stars.

[Big Guava]

[Eli Cash]

How about Terry transferring managing control of the team to one of his children?  What’s the worse that could happen?  They fail to qualify for the playoffs for a decade +?  I am not sure a sale of the team helps those who care for a NHL team in WNY.

Edited 1 hour ago by Eli Cash

[Weave]

10 minutes ago, Eli Cash said:

How about Terry transferring managing control of the team to one of his children?  What’s the worse that could happen?  They fail to qualify for the playoffs for a decade +?  I am not sure a sale of the team helps those who care for a NHL team in WNY.

I am not sure that Pegula ownership helps those that care for an NHL team in WNY.

[Archie Lee]

I understand the frustration with ownership.  GMs and coaches are replaced all of the time in pro-sports, and fan dissatisfaction can even play a role in such changes. Ownership is different though, and changes at that level are comparatively quite rare. I think once I get to the point of thinking it is hopeless with Pegula as the owner, it will be time for me to take a break from following the team closely. I will always be a fan, but the Sabres are probably one more bad GM/HC hire away from that being the case. 

So, ownership aside, in the long-term the Sabres need a new GM and HC. While I have opinions on who the candidates for those roles should be, the reality is that when that time comes it is most likely that the new GM and HC will not be people with histories of overwhelming success. It will be people with histories of middling success (Jarmo), or a relative newcomer. I have no faith that Pegula will make the right decision, but any change will give me at least momentary hope, if only because the current GM/HC combination, based on their track records, could not realistically be worse.

In the short-term, if the Sabres were a real NHL team and did not start the season with a lame-duck GM, replacing Ruff would be a no-brainer. The single thing that the Sabres could do that would potentially reverse their fortunes this season, is replace Ruff. It happens in the NHL all the time and it is often the case that such a move has at least a short-term positive impact. We should ask ourselves why Granato was fired and Ruff was hired.  The rationale laid out by Adams was that the team was needing (craving) structure and accountability. The clear implication, though Adams has always been reluctant to plainly state it, was that it was time to win and Ruff was the guy who could take the team to the next step. Ruff has failed across the board. No structure. No accountability.  They win less than they did under Granato. Replacing Ruff mid-season would guarantee nothing, but staying with him seems pointless.

Lastly, a prediction.  If Adams is fired or promoted at year-end (and I'm not certain that will be the case), the new GM will be Jarmo and the HC will be Pascal Vincent.        

 

[thewookie1]

29 minutes ago, Weave said:

I am not sure that Pegula ownership helps those that care for an NHL team in WNY.

Well there aren't a whole lot of billionaires lining up to not only fund the Sabres but keep them locked in Buffalo in perpetuity 

[DarthEbriate]

Emperor Sheevyn needs to go bye-bye.

 

 

[steveoat87]

1 hour ago, Eli Cash said:

How about Terry transferring managing control of the team to one of his children?  What’s the worse that could happen?  They fail to qualify for the playoffs for a decade +?  I am not sure a sale of the team helps those who care for a NHL team in WNY.

To me this is the best solution -- they hopefully are of the generation where they respect outside help (consultants) to help put together new management.  Selling the team most likely means no more Buffalo Sabres (Atlanta, San Antonion, etc.)

[St. Pete Gogolak]

15 minutes ago, steveoat87 said:

To me this is the best solution -- they hopefully are of the generation where they respect outside help (consultants) to help put together new management.  Selling the team most likely means no more Buffalo Sabres (Atlanta, San Antonion, etc.)

Atlanta???  I guess the thinking would be third time’s a charm.