Kevyn Adams GM thread

[Beerz]

It just sounds like lame excuses. Cold weather cities sign UFAs and make trades all the time. Like 2/3 of the NHL is in cold weather cities that experience winter and snow. Many of the cities are actually way colder and miserable than here. Does the Minnesota Wild GM say “it’s cold here, players don’t want to sign here”? Minnesota is freezing and has income tax (actually a really high income tax for the top bracket). It just sounds ridiculous.

Yes but he also said that winning will help overcome this...

When you suck no players are going to want to come here.

When you suck in Florida ..you are probably helped out by the fact that there is no state taxes and have year round warm weather with a big city and lots to do. Those things can help.

It all comes down to winning... if we start winning players will come..not all.. but significantly more.

 

[Jim Bob]

Who signed with Minnesota as top UFAs despite the cold weather and taxes (yes I know they are from that area).

Adams signed Hall as a top UFA.

Zucker was the highest paid UFA on a 1 year deal this year.

I think the bigger thing is that trades are the better way to build a roster and that is hard with Buffalo being on so many No Trade lists.

 

[DapperCam]

Adams signed Hall as a top UFA.

Zucker was the highest paid UFA on a 1 year deal this year.

I think the bigger thing is that trades are the better way to build a roster and that is hard with Buffalo being on so many No Trade lists.

I guess I’m just done buying his excuses. Most players have no trade protection. I think other GMs only want to work with him if they think they are taking advantage of him. He didn’t pay his dues, and he’s not part of their club.

 

[Fjordsen]

Yes but he also said that winning will help overcome this...

When you suck no players are going to want to come here.

When you suck in Florida ..you are probably helped out by the fact that there is no state taxes and have year round warm weather with a big city and lots to do. Those things can help.

It all comes down to winning... if we start winning players will come..not all.. but significantly more.

We won't start winning, not with this GM.

The excuse about players not wanting to come here is just ridiculous. Some UFA doesn't want to come? Overpay him 1-2 million, I'm talking about guys like Noesen or Sherwood for example. If a player doesn't want to give up his NMC/NTC, find another player to trade. It's so simple, and so difficult for this idiot.

 

[Jim Bob]

 

[paulmm3]

I've heard players cite NY state taxes as why they don't want to come. Other players just have family members who don't want to be in Buffalo (like Kyle Jusczyk in the NFL). All players want to go to a contender. Facing all 3 headwinds at the same time does make it difficult, no doubt. But the Bills built a good team despite all that so we can too.

 

[Jim Bob]

I guess I’m just done buying his excuses. Most players have no trade protection. I think other GMs only want to work with him if they think they are taking advantage of him. He didn’t pay his dues, and he’s not part of their club.

He has gotten trades done.

6 of the forwards on the roster today were acquired via trade.

I think it's just tough. Look at Yzerman in Detroit or Verbeek in Anaheim. They paid their dues and they are having a tough time rebuilding, too.

 

[Jim Bob]

The Question of Cap Space Remains After Kevyn Adams’ Presser

Don’t get distracted by the palm trees. That’s not why you should be frustrated with Kevyn Adams’ press conference. He’s right, after all. Buffalo is not a destination city in the NHL. …

twointhebox.com

 

[Fjordsen]

He has gotten trades done.

6 of the forwards on the roster today were acquired via trade.

I think it's just tough. Look at Yzerman in Detroit or Verbeek in Anaheim. They paid their dues and they are having a tough time rebuilding, too.

What a ridiculous excuse.

 

[Jim Bob]

What a ridiculous excuse.

Where is the excuse?

You think it's easy to rebuild an NHL team into a winner? Some teams have done it, other haven't. Including GMs who were "proven."

 

[DapperCam]

He has gotten trades done.

6 of the forwards on the roster today were acquired via trade.

I think it's just tough. Look at Yzerman in Detroit or Verbeek in Anaheim. They paid their dues and they are having a tough time rebuilding, too.

- Tuch and Krebs for Eichel was not a great value deal at the time, and is worse with hindsight.
- McLeod for Savoie was considered bad value even if it’s worked out okay so far.
- Malenstyn for a 2nd was definitely considered an overpay.
- Jokiharju was traded for by Botteril
- Greenway for a 2nd and 5th was probably about fair value at the time

In every trade other than Greenway, Adams has had to overpay. Other GMs will work with him if they feel like they can fleece him. And that trade volume for contributors is very low for 5 seasons.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

All NHL GMs sound useless and their pressers are all terrible.

Name one GM who gives pressers anywhere near this bad.

I didn’t say they were great, or even good, I said none are nearly as bad as Adams.

 

[Chainshot]

I've heard players cite NY state taxes as why they don't want to come. Other players just have family members who don't want to be in Buffalo (like Kyle Jusczyk in the NFL). All players want to go to a contender. Facing all 3 headwinds at the same time does make it difficult, no doubt. But the Bills built a good team despite all that so we can too.

I've heard the same about California taxes and Canadian taxes. That's for players who have trade protection. The issue of identifying talent BEFORE they have trade protection and BEFORE they are UFA is up to his scouting staff, which he says is sufficient but one could look at what they've turned up and wonder what are the voices in the room to point out who they should gamble on.

He's so risk averse they won't be doing that though.

 

[sabremike]

Name one GM who gives pressers anywhere near this bad.

I didn’t say they were great, or even good, I said none are nearly as bad as Adams.

The only press conference I've ever seen that was worse was Budd Dwyer's.

 

[toddkaz]

People actually making excuses for Adams? SMH.

It was Adams who came up with the 4 year plan.
It was Adams who said last year was to make the playoffs

It was Adams who traded Eichel
It was Adams who traded Mittelstadt
It was Adams who traded Reinhart without a single player on the roster
It was Adams who let Ullmark walk

Plenty of assets and moves in 5 years that accomplished nothing. All I hear is excuses.

Adams had assets to built a winner and traded them away for magic beans.

 

[jc17]

I guess I’m just done buying his excuses. Most players have no trade protection. I think other GMs only want to work with him if they think they are taking advantage of him. He didn’t pay his dues, and he’s not part of their club.

Idk, take a look around the league: https://puckpedia.com/teams

Whether its playmaking top 6 forward, or top 4 defensive RHD we need someone who meets the following qualifications:

1) On a team that is willing to sell a top6/4 guy
2) Does not have trade protection
3) Almost universally considered top 6/4 guy by both eye and stats

The number of guys meeting this criteria is a lot smaller than people realize IMO

 

[BFLO]

He has gotten trades done.

6 of the forwards on the roster today were acquired via trade.

I think it's just tough. Look at Yzerman in Detroit or Verbeek in Anaheim. They paid their dues and they are having a tough time rebuilding, too.

He didn't trade for Tage. So only 5 of the forwards were acquired by trades that Kevyn made.

In: Tuch + Krebs
Out: Jack Eichel

In: Greenway
Out: 2023 2nd + 2024 5th

In: Malenstyn
Out: 2024 2nd

In: McLeod
Out: Savoie (9th overall 2022)

Are these moves really what you want to hang your hat on like it's some kind of win for Adams?

 

[jd1970]

Did I hear right.
Did this sob blame the community for his epic failure?

 

[HOOats]

I actually halfway agree with this. There’s only so much he can say. BUT that Jack Quinn kid is someone who HE HIMSELF hand picked. If he’s partying away his rehab, that’s on Kevyn for putting his faith in a guy that would do that. Trade him then. Or better yet, draft a different player. There’s a shit ton that goes into drafting including finding out players’ mental makeup. Draft guys who are fully committed to being great, no matter what.

Please lend him your crystal ball that 100% predicts how an 18yo kid will mature. Everyone was projecting Quinn to be a breakout star before this season. Shit is complicated, there are unknowns and accepted risks that shape results (obviously).

As Chain’s been saying, he’s acting like a complete p***y. Take a f***ing risk. We need to win now! What’s the worst that even happen!? We are still the worst f***ing franchise in the league? Oh no, we have to climb back up from the exact same place as before!

What's the worst that could happen? We plunge back into the depths of the drought that has destroyed our fanbase (which bears reminding, we are NOT ANYWHERE NEAR that low point right now). That seems pretty bad. Like franchise-ending bad.

I want Adams to make a strong, impactful move. He took a decent risk over the summer in Savoie for McLeod and was 80% panned for it by this board. And that's the best trade of the year in the entire league. It would be silly to assume that he isn't trying just as hard to make another move. It takes two to tango, as ever.

We just outplayed four of the best teams in the West for the majority of our contests against them. We're a few bounces and goals away from WINNING NOW, right now. I recognize the urge to heap the angst of the Matt Moulson years on this group of 25 year old kids, but it's counterproductive and will only deepen the suffering imo.

 

[jd1970]

So, no one wants to play ice hockey in icy Buffalo, but football is different. Football players love playing in icy Buffalo.
Season over.

 

[TheBarnIsElectric]

I'm not trying to make excuses for Adams. I'm just trying to be reasonable and fair when I assess his performance. His press conference was fine. I've watched a lot of Stevie Y's press conferences and he says a lot of the same stuff.

It IS hard to build a winner in this league. It just is. It's really hard to acquire top talent because those players are rarely available in free agency and via trade and when they are available, they can often choose their destination. So you have to build through the draft. But then you're drafting 17 year old kids and it's really hard to know who is going to be a good player, let alone their character. Most 17 year old kids aren't even fully formed as people yet.

Adams failure was, and continues to be, risk aversion. He's trying to thread the needle or shoot the moon and end up with a young, cheap juggernaut of a team with tons of prospects in the pipeline. He needs to bite the bullet, identify a player that would help now, and make it happen. He needed to do it years ago.

But... before you criticize him for not making a move, ask yourself how many of the trades proposed around here you've been ok with. Speaking from experience, any idea you bring up gets met with a bunch of people saying, "I don't want that contract" "he's too old" "it'll block a young player" "That's too much of an overpayment". If you're one of the people being critical of those proposals for those reasons, that's fine, but then remember that when you turn around and criticize Adams for doing the same things.

 

[BFLO]

Idk, take a look around the league: https://puckpedia.com/teams

Whether its playmaking top 6 forward, or top 4 defensive RHD we need someone who meets the following qualifications:

1) On a team that is willing to sell a top6/4 guy
2) Does not have trade protection
3) Almost universally considered top 6/4 guy by both eye and stats

The number of guys meeting this criteria is a lot smaller than people realize IMO

You're right that it's slim pickins' right now. But Adams wasn't hired this morning. He's been here for 5 years. He's had 5 years to find these players. There's easily been 100 players available that fit those definitions over the last 5 years through trade or UFA and he managed to acquire ZERO OF THEM

 

[Gabrielor]

Sounds like it was what we all knew it would be.

I'm telling you guys/gals, other hobbies deserve your attention more.

Not this joker.

 

[toddkaz]

Tyler Toffoli was traded, had no clauses in his contract.
JT Miller was traded, had no clauses in his contract.
Bo Horvat was traded, had no clauses in his contract.
Pavel Buchnevich was traded, had no clauses in his contract.
Jack Roslovic was traded. Had no clauses in his contract.
Jakob Chychrun was traded, had no clauses in his contract.
JJ Moser was traded, had no clauses in his contract.
John Marino was traded, had no clauses in his contract.


I can list another 20-30 players over the last 5 years that could have helped this team and don't have a choice where they play.

You can pick the list apart but the point stands, players are being traded that can help Buffalo and Adams is too scared to make the wrong move.

All I hear from Adams is excuses.

 

[Fjordsen]

Please lend him your crystal ball that 100% predicts how an 18yo kid will mature. Everyone was projecting Quinn to be a breakout star before this season. Shit is complicated, there are unknowns and accepted risks that shape results (obviously).

Before this season, some of us, maybe even many on this board, were saying that we needed a legit top 6 forward. Also, Jack Quinn has a long injury history, so that's a concern to say the least.

Tyler Toffoli was traded, had no clauses in his contract.
JT Miller was traded, had no clauses in his contract.
Bo Horvat was traded, had no clauses in his contract.
Pavel Buchnevich was traded, had no clauses in his contract.
Jakob Chychrun was traded, had no clauses in his contract.
JJ Moser was traded, had no clauses in his contract.
John Marino was traded, had no clauses in his contract.


I can list another 20-30 players over the last 5 years that could have helped this team and don't have a choice where they play.

You can pick the list apart but the point stands, players are being traded that can help Buffalo and Adams is too scared to make the wrong move.

All I hear from Adams is excuses.

100% true