GDT: Draft Day GDT -- Sabres current picks: 14, 42, 71, 108, 123, 172, 204, 219

[Snippit]

If we use all 3 picks it’s a disgrace

 

[HOOats]

So I get the bottom line mentality. But sports is like gambling, results oriented thinking isn't a sound strategy. Especially not in a sport with the variance of hockey.

The Gambler's Fallacy has crossed my mind more than a few times this week...

On the other hand, I cannot get past history. Adams sits on his hands, and I think it is just as likely that we just use all our picks this weekend and, come Sunday, the only roster move is a Skinner buyout.

Assuming Adams won't do anything because "he sits on his hands" historically is like saying parents won't buy a car for their kid on his 16th birthday because they didn't for his 13th, 14th, 15th. After breaking apart the previous Jack-Sam cokehead build that he inherited, this was always the summer to emerge into contention, "real NHL teamhood," whatever we call it. It doesn't matter that people misunderstood the timeline along the way.

Naturally, the pressure is on Adams this summer and we'll see. But to assume he's just going to watch his dream job evaporate via cowardly inaction is unfair imo. He's a competitive SOB who wants to win as much as anyone.

 

[Dingo44]

Pronman now has the Sabres selecting Brandsegg-Nygard if they keep the pick, which he acknowledges they may not.

Still don't get why he thinks the Sabres need to draft their "goalie of the future".

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5590819/2024/06/28/sabres-draft-picks-grades-2024?source=user-shared-article

14. Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, RW, Mora (SWEDEN-2)
42. Adam Kleber, D, Lincoln (USHL)
43. Gabriel Eliasson, D, Hv71 Jr. (SWEDEN-JR.)
76. Timur Kol, D, Omsk Jr. (RUSSIA-JR.)
108. Dawson Cowan, G, Spokane (WHL)
109. Miguel Marques, RW, Lethbridge (WHL)
161. Austin Burnevik, RW, Madison (USHL)
172. Fyodor Avramov, LW, Stupino Jr. (RUSSIA-JR.)
204. Roman Shokhrin, D, Loko-76 Yaroslavl (RUSSIA-JR.)

 

[Jim Bob]

Pronman now has the Sabres selecting Brandsegg-Nygard if they keep the pick, which he acknowledges they may not.

Still don't get why he thinks the Sabres need to draft their "goalie of the future".

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5590819/2024/06/28/sabres-draft-picks-grades-2024?source=user-shared-article

He doesn't like Leinonen and Ratzlaff, apparently.

 

[Dingo44]

He doesn't like Leinonen and Ratzlaff, apparently.

I agree they should draft a goalie but I don't think it's as pressing. But they should keep the system stocked, especially when you have all your draft picks plus extras. Never know when one will hit.

 

[toomuchsauce]

not sounding good. I guess just make your 3 picks and pray for rain or w/e. maybe the swedish guy you draft in the 6th round will turn out to be New Zetterberg. Even thought that shit doesn't happen anymore...hey, it could happen! On to 2025-26!

 

[HaNotsri]

not sounding good. I guess just make your 3 picks and pray for rain or w/e. maybe the swedish guy you draft in the 6th round will turn out to be New Zetterberg. Even thought that shit doesn't happen anymore...hey, it could happen! On to 2025-26!

Herman Träff could be Franzén with a 3rd or 4th

 

[Snippit]

The problem with not trading any picks is our assets to trade with are only the prospects now. That limits suitors.

 

[Jim Bob]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1806708735353700562

 

[old kummelweck]

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I think that Adams has to focus on players with no trade protection, hence the Necas rumors.

And that shrinks the pool of potential trades that Adams can even try and get done.

Ehlers - CLAUSE DETAILS: Player submits a 10 team no trade list.
Laine - CLAUSE DETAILS: Player submits an 10 team no trade list.
Buchnevich - CLAUSE DETAILS: Includes a 12 team no trade list

And Necas would need and extension, so that is an additional hurdle. So a trade with an ext in place is more value to Carolina. Could happen, but highly unlikely.

I think a lot of GM don’t respect him because of how he became GM. So they squeeze him. He cant get it done because a lot of GMs think they can bend him over. FWIW, he hasn’t gotten worked over like that, but that’s part of the deals he can’t make.

Side note, but as much as I like Jerry Forton, I don’t generally feel like it’s a good idea for somebody to be involved in both amateur scouting and pro scouting. Guys that do can sometimes get stuck on their pre-draft evaluations. See Murray, Tim.

He was an AGM when he was promoted, right? Lots of guys have gotten jobs like that. If you mean how he was a hatchet man for Pegula sports? Maybe - but they needed to clean house. I do wonder if GMs aren't clicky, considering what an old boys club the NHL is.

I think also GMs are bad at their jobs, are part of disfunctional organizations tehmselves, or not necessarily doing due dillegence.

I love Forton, but can't disagree with what you said. I think you also get duped into reclamation projects this way. Reality is players need to hit that development window and grow. When that doesn't happen, you need to let them got. Sometimes they get there, but those are outliers.

That he sat on his hands for multiple years when he needed to make moves. Now he’s trapped himself to a one week window where most players on the market won’t come here and GMs who know he’s beyond desperate and ask for the moon on guys who can’t prevent movement.

He botched this season two off-seasons ago.

I am not going to defend him, since he could have done more. I also think last offseason his inexperience really became aparent needing to bring in a vet goalie and rebuild his bottom six. I also think he was fooled into thinking last years team would just come in and build off of the previous season without really seeing the warning signs of a one-dimensional coach and weak roster construction.

I suspect it’s that they’re going to be on every no trade clause contract in the league. They are a shitty team that doesn’t seem to take teambuilding seriously so they’re gonna have to figure it out on their own or target guys who don’t have trade protection.

Mostly, I’m just tired of hearing him say that he tried. I don’t care that he tried. He didn’t get it done. Have a press conference for acquiring a player, not a press huddle to tell us how hard his job is.

I guess the question is what GM would be better? Would just replacing him with a respected, seasoned GM fix some of the systemic issues with the org? I mean, he had five years to fix this thing, but we are on year 13 of no playoffs. This all started with Murray.

 

[enthusiast]

It might be naive but I do think pulling in an established guy that has found success elsewhere in the league might affect the perception of the Sabres, whether or not the guy is actually more likely to bring them success on the ice

 

[hizzoner]

I have no problem trading draft picks for established nhl players but do not think that would bring in what we need. I would like to see using more valuable currency-our prospects?-to zone in on what we need. For the future we should be stocking up on good middle six 2 way players to complement what we have-and tough big RD we can develop. Greentree would be nice as would Sennecke although both may be gone. There are a number of large, tough to play against RD who will be available in the second round and absent a sleeper complementary C I would not be upset if Sabres took a shot at 2 of those RD.

 

[truthbluth]

He was an AGM when he was promoted, right? Lots of guys have gotten jobs like that. If you mean how he was a hatchet man for Pegula sports? Maybe - but they needed to clean house. I do wonder if GMs aren't clicky, considering what an old boys club the NHL is.

Adams was not on Botterill’s staff at all. The only staff job Adams has ever held is Asst Coach. He was never in the FO before being given the GM job.

Edit: Looks like he was named VP before Botterill’s firing. Prior to that, he was GM of the Buffalo junior Sabres.

 

[Gras]

What is Matt Ellis up to?

You gotta ask Rayzor

 

[sabremike]

Adams was not on Botterill’s staff at all. The only staff job Adams has ever held is Asst Coach. He was never in the FO before being given the GM job.

The only other comparable I can think of is Garth Snow, and he was hired by an owner who was a batshit crazy lunatic who argued for sumo wrestler goalies and every team qualifying for the playoffs.

 

[tsujimoto74]

He doesn't like Leinonen and Ratzlaff, apparently.

Does he know that Luukkonen and Levi exist?

 

[Sabre the Win]

Not sure how much more depressing this Sabres franchise can become but I think there is still some more room inside me to crush after this weekend when all we did was make 9 picks and resign Clague.

 

[joshjull]

I’m assuming all moves over the weekend are going in here

 

[old kummelweck]

Adams was not on Botterill’s staff at all. The only staff job Adams has ever held is Asst Coach. He was never in the FO before being given the GM job.

Edit: Looks like he was named VP before Botterill’s firing. Prior to that, he was GM of the Buffalo junior Sabres.

I am old enough to remember the "WTF" moment when I heard Garth Snow went from backup goalie to GM on the Island. He kept that job for 12 years and the team made the playoffs 4 times.

 

[TageGod]

He didn't start from the bottom though, he started with a a franchise center, a top line winger, a starting goalie, and a soon to be top pair d-man.

He had the building blocks in place. Just because he threw it all away doesn't mean he gets a fresh start. Adams has to own all of this.

No one starts with nothing. Are you saying he decided to trade Eichel and Reinhart and start over? What did he throw away? Rebuilding years? There is nothing to own except missing maybe one addition last offseason. Which would not have been enough to get them to the playoffs. If Adams submits a 4 year plan and says year 4 the rebuild phase ends, is pegula mad they didnt make the playoffs in year 3?

 

[joshjull]

 

[sabremike]

Not sure how much more depressing this Sabres franchise can become but I think there is still some more room inside me to crush after this weekend when all we did was make 9 picks and resign Clague.

More depressing is understanding not trading the first is almost surely the correct option at this point given that the other GM's smell blood and are no doubt calling Adams with terrible offers hoping they can sucker a guy whose desperate.

 

[Beerz]

Adams was not on Botterill’s staff at all. The only staff job Adams has ever held is Asst Coach. He was never in the FO before being given the GM job.

Edit: Looks like he was named VP before Botterill’s firing. Prior to that, he was GM of the Buffalo junior Sabres.

Correct.. but the VP gig was not in the Hockey Department. That was the business side of things.... so yeah
.. no Hockey Front Office experience

 

[old kummelweck]

The only other comparable I can think of is Garth Snow, and he was hired by an owner who was a batshit crazy lunatic who argued for sumo wrestler goalies and every team qualifying for the playoffs.

If you look hard enough you will find a steady percentage of non-traditional picks. Did the Sabres suffer due the learning curve for Adams? Most likely, but he had a big job and has grown into a pretty decent GM. I think one problem we have had over these 13 years is it takes a while for a GM to execute his vision. Frankly, I didn't hate Murray and if he wasn't so offensive to the Pegula's, this team may have done something if he was given another year or two with a coaching change.

Regardless, the writing is on the wall for him if he doesn't turn this thing around quick.

More depressing is understanding not trading the first is almost surely the correct option at this point given that the other GM's smell blood and are no doubt calling Adams with terrible offers hoping they can sucker a guy whose desperate.

The sabres are flush with assets. FFS overpay if it makes this team better. Who cares if you have the best prospect pool. There is no tomorrow.

They need to stop coveting these kids and picks, and see them as currency.

 

[Sabre the Win]

More depressing is understanding not trading the first is almost surely the correct option at this point given that the other GM's smell blood and are no doubt calling Adams with terrible offers hoping they can sucker a guy whose desperate.

Sad state of affairs we find ourselves in. We can't draw in free agents, we can't draw in players to waive their NTC apparently, we can't convince players to take a discount, no playoffs for 13 years, constant revolving door of ineptitude of management and coaches, players asking out and losing their love for the game, coaches admitting its hard to win the NHL, GM's admitting they can't get deals done, players not being prepared to play, players making 8 million who haven't earned it, alumni wearing bootleg jerseys with their name misspelled and the list goes on and on.