GDT: Free Agent Frenzy!

[Jim Bob]

Kim Pegula actually told us what the family’s priorities are herself, and high among those priorities is maintaining their lifestyle. It’s not daft or overly pessimistic to assume she was telling the truth.

During the introductory press conference for the Kevyn Adams hiring, Terry spoke about the need for the Sabres to be, “economic, efficient and effective.”

It’s not daft or overly pessimistic to assume he was being transparent about the new priorities for the franchise. It was no longer the case where “The Buffalo Sabres’ reason for existence will be to win a Stanley Cup.”

 

[Digable5]

Where do the Sabres rank in the NHL is actual cash spent on the NHL roster over the past 5 seasons?

I bet that they are well into the bottom 25% of the NHL in cash spent on the roster over that timeframe.

To act like there are not legit questions of whether or not there is an internal player salary budget since the Botterill firing for refusal to layoff massive amounts of front office employees is a choice.

"Over the past 5 seasons".

People weren't happy with Murray because he went too fast with the rebuild. They don't like Adams because he's going too slow.

Grantao is a genius for making Thompson a C and allowing Dahlin to play more free and not be afraid to make mistakes. Granato is a terrible coach that didn't hold his team accountable.

They need an experienced coach. Why did they hire a re-tread like Bylsma?

They should get a new coach. Housley was a terrible hire because he doesn't have any experience.

Krueger. Krueger was just dumb.

I hope we never make a terrible signing like Okposo again. Why didn't we spend on any of these expensive, aging free agents?

The Pegulas were desperate to make a splash and gave Leino a contract. Why are the Pegulas being so cheap and not desperately signing anyone?

The TEAM/Pegulas have tried every approach. Its terrible for them and us fans that none of them have lead to success. But, we as fans have been excited by many of these decisions ourselves only to have been wrong right along with them.

If they made mistakes like the ones I stated above in earlier seasons, why are we surprised that they might change their strategy "over the last 5 seasons"? There is just as much evidence that they are willing to spend as there are that they are being cheap.

Because I grew up believing that the Sabres could never compete with the likes of the Toronto Maple Leafs because we were a "small market team", please excuse me for being defensive of an ownership that has allowed us to make many moves that only the "large market teams" used to make. I get everyone' frustration with the losing, but I see nothing that this team has tried to do be rejected by the limitations of the owners. You might want to project that on them, but there is no evidence.

 

[Jim Bob]

"Over the past 5 seasons".

People weren't happy with Murray because he went too fast with the rebuild. They don't like Adams because he's going too slow.

Grantao is a genius for making Thompson a C and allowing Dahlin to play more free and not be afraid to make mistakes. Granato is a terrible coach that didn't hold his team accountable.

They need an experienced coach. Why did they hire a re-tread like Bylsma?

They should get a new coach. Housley was a terrible hire because he doesn't have any experience.

Krueger. Krueger was just dumb.

I hope we never make a terrible signing like Okposo again. Why didn't we spend on any of these expensive, aging free agents?

The Pegulas were desperate to make a splash and gave Leino a contract. Why are the Pegulas being so cheap and not desperately signing anyone?

The TEAM/Pegulas have tried every approach. Its terrible for them and us fans that none of them have lead to success. But, we as fans have been excited by many of these decisions ourselves only to have been wrong right along with them.

If they made mistakes like the ones I stated above in earlier seasons, why are we surprised that they might change their strategy "over the last 5 seasons"? There is just as much evidence that they are willing to spend as there are that they are being cheap.

Because I grew up believing that the Sabres could never compete with the likes of the Toronto Maple Leafs because we were a "small market team", please excuse me for being defensive of an ownership that has allowed us to make many moves that only the "large market teams" used to make. I get everyone' frustration with the losing, but I see nothing that this team has tried to do be rejected by the limitations of the owners. You might want to project that on them, but there is no evidence.

I am not into comparing Adams to the other two bad GMs that the Pegulas have hired during their time as the losingest owners in the history of the Sabres.

I am not thrilled with Adams right now because he should have been more proactive 12-13 months ago instead of doing the absolute minimum in adding to a team that missed the playoffs by a point. And now the job is immensely harder in large part due to his passivity a year ago.

https://x.com/i/web/status/1808247575797289040

Adams identified a lot of the needs that the roster had a few weeks ago:

Top 6 F
3C
Energy line 4th liners

Adams has only been able to address the 4th line which was the easiest thing on his offseason To Do list.

Sorry, that is not enough.

 

[La Cosa Nostra]

Funny how the winner franchise here in Buffalo “had” to jettison Skinner since he was the only reason we missed the playoffs the last 6 years while he was here and yet perennial playoff contender Toronto wanted him and the Stanley Cup Runner up immediately pounced on him.

Glad to buy him out, why keep a guy who has 99 goals since the 20-21 season when you can bring in a guy with 58 goals since that year. Skinner has more 30+ goal seasons the past 3 seasons than Zucker has in his career. Skinners total this past year would be the third highest of Zuckers career. This team is not better jettisoning Skinner and adding Zucker. Now we can see Skinner score 40 this season and become more of a joke.

 

[Jim Bob]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1808494231482225063

Funny how the winner franchise here in Buffalo “had” to jettison Skinner since he was the only reason we missed the playoffs the last 6 years while he was here and yet perennial playoff contender Toronto wanted him and the Stanley Cup Runner up immediately pounced on him.

Glad to buy him out, why keep a guy who has 99 goals since the 20-21 season when you can bring in a guy with 58 goals since that year. Skinner has more 30+ goal seasons the past 3 seasons than Zucker has in his career. Skinners total this past year would be the third highest of Zuckers career. This team is not better jettisoning Skinner and adding Zucker. Now we can see Skinner score 40 this season and become more of a joke.

Lindy wasn't going to play Skinner with Thompson and Tuch nor with Cozens and Quinn. And Skinner was absolutely useless on the 3rd line with Krebs last year.

 

[Digable5]

I am not into comparing Adams to the other two bad GMs that the Pegulas have hired during their time as the losingest owners in the history of the Sabres.

I am not thrilled with Adams right now because he should have been more proactive 12-13 months ago instead of doing the absolute minimum in adding to a team that missed the playoffs by a point. And now the job is immensely harder in large part due to his passivity a year ago.

https://x.com/i/web/status/1808247575797289040

Adams identified a lot of the needs that the roster had a few weeks ago:

Top 6 F
3C
Energy line 4th liners

Adams has only been able to address the 4th line which was the easiest thing on his offseason To Do list.

Sorry, that is not enough.

What moves should he have made that he didn't?

Which of the aging and overpaid free agents that don't want to come to Buffalo should he have signed?

Which of the potentially available trade targets he approached should he have spent the farm on? Based on the supposed asking price for Ehlers, that would have made you happy? If there was a similar price on Necas, was that a better option?

There were no takers on the 11th pick. There were no takers on the 14th pick.

I don't remember any upgrades at 3C that were moved that we should have gotten instead.

And what do the Pegulas have to do with any of this? Yes, blame them for a bad GM hire, but enough of the "cheap" BS.

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

What moves should he have made that he didn't?

Which of the aging and overpaid free agents that don't want to come to Buffalo should he have signed?

Which of the potentially available trade targets he approached should he have spent the farm on? Based on the supposed asking price for Ehlers, that would have made you happy? If there was a similar price on Necas, was that a better option?

There were no takers on the 11th pick. There were no takers on the 14th pick.

I don't remember any upgrades at 3C that were moved that we should have gotten instead.

And what do the Pegulas have to do with any of this? Yes, blame them for a bad GM hire, but enough of the "cheap" BS.

The problem he faced with making a big trade for a top-six FW was a hole he dug himself. He made that shit sandwich.

 

[Jim Bob]

What moves should he have made that he didn't?

Keeping and extending Mitts.

Which of the aging and overpaid free agents that don't want to come to Buffalo should he have signed?

Adams being unwilling to sign a player to more than a 1 or 2 year deal boxed himself in and limited the market that was available to him.

Zucker is the only player in FA to sign a 1 year deal at $5M AAV or more.

You and I have no idea what FAs were and were not open to signing in Buffalo if Adams were willing to sign a player to the kind of term that the market called for. Adams has taken the conservative approach time and time again. That is his choice. But, he has to live with the consequences of that approach, as well.

Which of the potentially available trade targets he approached should he have spent the farm on? Based on the supposed asking price for Ehlers, that would have made you happy? If there was a similar price on Necas, was that a better option?

Neither Ehlers nor Necas have moved yet. Neither has Zegras and a few other top 6 options.

While I did not like the reported ask on Ehlers of 4 pieces, 3 of which were premium ones, doing nothing to address the hole in the top 6 that they have is a risk if Zucker is a bust of a UFA signing and if none of the kids are ready to step up and produce like a real top 6 NHLer.

There were no takers on the 11th pick. There were no takers on the 14th pick.

Cool. It's great that the Sabres have a lot of other trade assets to offer up.

Neither you nor I know what other GMs are asking for.

I don't remember any upgrades at 3C that were moved that we should have gotten instead.

They haven't moved yet, but there are potential options on teams that are close to, or over, the cap.

For instance, I'd love to know if Adams has called up Vegas and asked about Karlsson or Roy.

And what do the Pegulas have to do with any of this? Yes, blame them for a bad GM hire, but enough of the "cheap" BS.

The Pegulas are the owners and they want to be heard when it comes to how the team is run. Terry talked about that openly during the press conference following the Botterill firing and the move to hire Adams without interviewing a single other candidate.

To act like Terry is not involved in the moves the Sabres have made since Adams has been named GM...

 

[Digable5]

The problem he faced with making a big trade for a top-six FW was a hole he dug himself. He made that shit sandwich.

What hole and "sandwich" did he make for himself that doesn't allow him to make a trade? They had a valuable pick and one of the best prospect pools in the NHL.

Aside from Guetzel, that probably didn't have interest in extending here, what top 6F moved via trade at a price Adams couldn't, wouldn't have made. Or just didn;t because he's inpet and the Pegulas are cheap?

 

[Jacob582]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1808224519703699673

Probably the right move picking taking passes from McDavid over those two, but still, Toronto getting snubbed by a hometown guy makes me smile.

I bet it was because Toronto was offering him $1 to $2M.

I wonder whether money is more important to Skinner.

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

What hole and "sandwich" did he make for himself that doesn't allow him to make a trade? They had a valuable pick and one of the best prospect pools in the NHL.

Aside from Guetzel, that probably didn't have interest in extending here, what top 6F moved via trade at a price Adams couldn't, wouldn't have made. Or just didn;t because he's inpet and the Pegulas are cheap?

I'm not sure what you can't understand. It's pretty hard to trade for top-six FWs for fair value. He traded one away, bought out another. Probably would've kept the first FW if he had any foresight and considered what he would need to do after ditching Skinner. So now he finds it really hard to trade for a replacement...well of course. It's a LOT easier trading one away than it is to get one. He caused his own problem.

 

[TehDoak]

What moves should he have made that he didn't?

This is such as tired argument.

Adams hasn't been a 'buyer' via trade since Eric Staal trade.

If you want to pick through every trade since 2020 where teams were sellers, be my guest.

From summer of 2021 until 2023, teams got zero cap growth.

The Sabres spent UNDER the cap floor in 2021 and 2022.

Meaning, teams with lots of cap space could have weaponized it and gotten assets for cheap.

The Sabres didn't do that. In fact, they acquired LTIR players so they could spend less.

Which of the aging and overpaid free agents that don't want to come to Buffalo should he have signed?

Again, if you want to go through every UFA from 2021-2024 till now find every good signing and then tell us how none of them would come to Buffalo, please.

Which of the potentially available trade targets he approached should he have spent the farm on? Based on the supposed asking price for Ehlers, that would have made you happy? If there was a similar price on Necas, was that a better option?

There were no takers on the 11th pick. There were no takers on the 14th pick.

I don't remember any upgrades at 3C that were moved that we should have gotten instead.

And what do the Pegulas have to do with any of this? Yes, blame them for a bad GM hire, but enough of the "cheap" BS.

The frustration isn't JUST from this summer.

Adams should have been proactively adding to the roster for years now. He should have been bringing in quality vets to insulate the younger players and improve on ice outcomes.

That's not what he has done. He has sat on his hands, spent as little as possible

And that spending mandate has come directly from the Pegulas. They set the budget.

 

[Jim Bob]

2023-24 NHL Team Salary Cash Tracker

A real-time look at the 2023-24 salary cash totals for each NHL team, including estimated cash space.

www.spotrac.com

The Sabres were 29th in cash spent last season.

2022-23 NHL Team Salary Cash Tracker

A real-time look at the 2022-23 salary cash totals for each NHL team, including estimated cash space.

www.spotrac.com

The Sabres were 30th in cash spent in 2022-23.

2021-22 NHL Team Salary Cash Tracker

A real-time look at the 2021-22 salary cash totals for each NHL team, including estimated cash space.

www.spotrac.com

The Sabres were 31st in cash spent in 2021-22.

2020-21 NHL Team Salary Cash Tracker

A real-time look at the 2020-21 salary cash totals for each NHL team, including estimated cash space.

www.spotrac.com

The Sabres were 18th in cash spent in 2020-21.

2019-20 NHL Team Salary Cash Tracker

A real-time look at the 2019-20 salary cash totals for each NHL team, including estimated cash space.

www.spotrac.com

The Sabres were 18th in cash spent in 2019-20.

 

[Digable5]

Keeping and extending Mitts.

Adams being unwilling to sign a player to more than a 1 or 2 year deal boxed himself in and limited the market that was available to him.

Zucker is the only player in FA to sign a 1 year deal at $5M AAV or more.

You and I have no idea what FAs were and were not open to signing in Buffalo if Adams were willing to sign a player to the kind of term that the market called for. Adams has taken the conservative approach time and time again. That is his choice. But, he has to live with the consequences of that approach, as well.

Neither Ehlers nor Necas have moved yet. Neither has Zegras and a few other top 6 options.

While I did not like the reported ask on Ehlers of 4 pieces, 3 of which were premium ones, doing nothing to address the hole in the top 6 that they have is a risk if Zucker is a bust of a UFA signing and if none of the kids are ready to step up and produce like a real top 6 NHLer.

Cool. It's great that the Sabres have a lot of other trade assets to offer up.

Neither you nor I know what other GMs are asking for.

They haven't moved yet, but there are potential options on teams that are close to, or over, the cap.

For instance, I'd love to know if Adams has called up Vegas and asked about Karlsson or Roy.

The Pegulas are the owners and they want to be heard when it comes to how the team is run. Terry talked about that openly during the press conference following the Botterill firing and the move to hire Adams without interviewing a single other candidate.

To act like Terry is not involved in the moves the Sabres have made since Adams has been named GM...

Mitts for Byram was a trade many people applauded. And if they had talks with Casey and he didn't want to sign in Buffalo, its a tremendous outcome.

The key to all of this is written directly in your post, "Neither you nor I know what other GMs are asking for". You can assume they made a mistake with Casey and didn't want to hand out long contracts to FAs, but I can't assume they tried for a select group and they didn't want to sign in Buffalo?

"To act like Terry is not involved..." I say to you, "to act like Terry turned anything down".

People don't trust Terry to hire a Gm and say he should hire a President of Hockey Operations because there has never been a President of Hockey Operations hire that anyone has regretted. And Terry is a fan of the game so he is involved in the decisions. Thats one of the benefits of owning the team. If you can assume he is meddling in the transactions, I can assume he is not.

 

[Jim Bob]

For those that like graphs:

Data source: 2023-24 NHL Team Salary Cash Tracker

Mitts for Byram was a trade many people applauded. And if they had talks with Casey and he didn't want to sign in Buffalo, its a tremendous outcome.

The key to all of this is written directly in your post, "Neither you nor I know what other GMs are asking for". You can assume they made a mistake with Casey and didn't want to hand out long contracts to FAs, but I can't assume they tried for a select group and they didn't want to sign in Buffalo?

"To act like Terry is not involved..." I say to you, "to act like Terry turned anything down".

People don't trust Terry to hire a Gm and say he should hire a President of Hockey Operations because there has never been a President of Hockey Operations hire that anyone has regretted. And Terry is a fan of the game so he is involved in the decisions. Thats one of the benefits of owning the team. If you can assume he is meddling in the transactions, I can assume he is not.

I did not applaud the Mitts-Byram trade. It is looking worse now that there is a major hole at 3C and there are apparently no ways for Adams to fill the hole in the lineup that he created last season.

I am not assuming that Terry is micromanaging things beyond setting the player payroll budget that Adams has to work within.

I am assuming that Adams is doing what Terry wants him to do with regards to being economical and efficient.

 

[Digable5]

This is such as tired argument.

Adams hasn't been a 'buyer' via trade since Eric Staal trade.

If you want to pick through every trade since 2020 where teams were sellers, be my guest.

From summer of 2021 until 2023, teams got zero cap growth.

The Sabres spent UNDER the cap floor in 2021 and 2022.

Meaning, teams with lots of cap space could have weaponized it and gotten assets for cheap.

The Sabres didn't do that. In fact, they acquired LTIR players so they could spend less.



Again, if you want to go through every UFA from 2021-2024 till now find every good signing and then tell us how none of them would come to Buffalo, please.



The frustration isn't JUST from this summer.

Adams should have been proactively adding to the roster for years now. He should have been bringing in quality vets to insulate the younger players and improve on ice outcomes.

That's not what he has done. He has sat on his hands, spent as little as possible

And that spending mandate has come directly from the Pegulas. They set the budget.

I agree with you that more should have been done to insulate the younger players and improve the on ice outcome. It was misguided to leave spots open for the younger players to "not be blocked".

My argument isn't over Adams' performance, its the projection to the ownership. And you can correlate the lack of spending with the ownership being cheap but correlation is not causation. If the GM proposed allowing the youngsters opportunities and do a slow rebuild instead of blocking them with veterans, then your salary and overall spend would be reduced.

 

[Buff15Sabres]

For those that like graphs:

View attachment 891807

Data source: 2023-24 NHL Team Salary Cash Tracker


I am not assuming that Terry is micromanaging things beyond setting the player payroll budget that Adams has to work within.

I am assuming that Adams is doing what Terry wants him to do with regards to being economical and efficient.

I think T-Pegs made a permanent impression on many Sabres fans when he first bought the team and was spending like a drunken sailor with "the sole purpose to win the Stanley Cup".

He's been aggressively cheap since 2021. Much more so than Golisano or Ralph Wilson ever were.

 

[Jim Bob]

I agree with you that more should have been done to insulate the younger players and improve the on ice outcome. It was misguided to leave spots open for the younger players to "not be blocked".

My argument isn't over Adams' performance, its the projection to the ownership. And you can correlate the lack of spending with the ownership being cheap but correlation is not causation. If the GM proposed allowing the youngsters opportunities and do a slow rebuild instead of blocking them with veterans, then your salary and overall spend would be reduced.

The owner said that he hired Adams to make the team "economic, efficient and effective.”

Then they went from 18th in the NHL in cash spent on players in Adams' first season as GM to 31st, 30th, and 29th in his 2nd, 3rd, and 4th seasons as GM.

Pegula told the whole world that he wanted the team to spend less money and Adams followed the marching orders that his boss gave him.

That is not a correlation vs causation situation. It is a believing Pegula situation.

 

[Digable5]

For those that like graphs:

View attachment 891807

Data source: 2023-24 NHL Team Salary Cash Tracker


I am not assuming that Terry is micromanaging things beyond setting the player payroll budget that Adams has to work within.

I am assuming that Adams is doing what Terry wants him to do with regards to being economical and efficient.

So, this small market owner has spent at an average league wide ranking as the 19th highest cash spend and as high as 5th and 6th?

Last year the team ranked 28th in revenue: Ranked: Which NHL Team Takes Home the Most Revenue?

The team, for good or bad, and many, MANY fans supported the idea of a slow rebuild. I believe the common phrase on this board was "do it the right way this time".

They filled their roster with young, inexpensive players to give them experience and grow together. Therefore reducing their cash spend. Aside from that, it would appear to me that the owner is more than willing to spend when the GM and team performance warrants it.

 

[buffalowing88]

Why? He has done literally nothing to inspire confidence.


100%

I guess I just still think his pedigree/attitude make me think there's more to his game that can still develop. He's not exactly been given the best linemates most nights up to this point.

But again, I admit, I'm not as bullish on his prospects now that it's no longer a hypothetical and becoming a reality.

 

[Jim Bob]

So, this small market owner has spent at an average league wide ranking as the 19th highest cash spend and as high as 5th and 6th?

Last year the team ranked 28th in revenue: Ranked: Which NHL Team Takes Home the Most Revenue?

The team, for good or bad, and many, MANY fans supported the idea of a slow rebuild. I believe the common phrase on this board was "do it the right way this time".

They filled their roster with young, inexpensive players to give them experience and grow together. Therefore reducing their cash spend. Aside from that, it would appear to me that the owner is more than willing to spend when the GM and team performance warrants it.

When Pegula bought the team he said he would not operate the team like a small market, low budget team. That has obviously changed and that has some fans upset because they feel lied to.

To act like the owner's financial commitment to the franchise hasn't changed over the years is a choice...

And as far as "do it the right way this time," the issue is that they have not been doing it the right way over the past 13 months in my opinion.

Feel free to think that Adams is doing a bang up job and is beyond reproach. Just being the best of the last three GMs this team has had during the worst string of 10+ seasons in Sabres history is not good enough.

And if they miss the playoffs again this season, the job will only be harder next offseason.

 

[Jim Bob]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1808519109144952833

https://x.com/i/web/status/1808517409827066361

https://x.com/i/web/status/1808521193042952445

 

[Digable5]

When Pegula bought the team he said he would not operate the team like a small market, low budget team. That has obviously changed and that has some fans upset because they feel lied to.

To act like the owner's financial commitment to the franchise hasn't changed over the years is a choice...

And as far as "do it the right way this time," the issue is that they have not been doing it the right way over the past 13 months in my opinion.

Feel free to think that Adams is doing a bang up job and is beyond reproach. Just being the best of the last three GMs this team has had during the worst string of 10+ seasons in Sabres history is not good enough.

And if they miss the playoffs again this season, the job will only be harder next offseason.

I have said repeatedly throughout this discussion that I am not defending the job Kevyn Adams has done. I've stated things I that I believe he has done wrong. I leave those decisions squarely with him and hold HIM responsible for where the team is. I choose not to project those failings unto the Pegulas aside from their decision to hire him. And if the team fails to make the playoffs again, I will hold them responsible if they do not fire him.

Despite their low cash spend over the last few years that coincides with the youth movement on cheaper contracts, I find no evidence that Terry has stopped them from spending MONEY to acquire a player. Whether Adams should have given out big, regrettable contracts or depleted our farm system to win now is debatable, but looks to be more of a management decision than a budget decision.

 

[Jim Bob]

I have said repeatedly throughout this discussion that I am not defending the job Kevyn Adams has done. I've stated things I that I believe he has done wrong. I leave those decisions squarely with him and hold HIM responsible for where the team is. I choose not to project those failings unto the Pegulas aside from their decision to hire him. And if the team fails to make the playoffs again, I will hold them responsible if they do not fire him.

Despite their low cash spend over the last few years that coincides with the youth movement on cheaper contracts, I find no evidence that Terry has stopped them from spending MONEY to acquire a player. Whether Adams should have given out big, regrettable contracts or depleted our farm system to win now is debatable, but looks to be more of a management decision than a budget decision.

So, what do you think Pegula meant by saying they wanted the team to be "economic, efficient and effective” at the press conference after the Botterill firing and the Adams hiring?

 

[old kummelweck]

I bet it was because Toronto was offering him $1 to $2M.

I wonder whether money is more important to Skinner.

I would think Skinner is smart enough to know that they eventually run every player out of town with only a few exceptions for 'legends'.