Kevyn Adams GM thread

[Jim Bob]

Wait, but did Pegula pick his own GM? Didn't the league tell him to hire Murray and Botterill? Adams was just an economic filler and an acquaintance of the "Yes" man. Maybe this time Terry won't listen to the league's advice and hire an experienced GM.

Pegula asked the NHL for advice and they said that Murray and Botterill were top rookie GM candidates.

Pegula owns the team. He didn't have to listen to the NHL. Plus, he could have hired a veteran GM either time, as well.

But, my guess is that he wanted a rookie GM for various reasons that I could only guess at.

 

[Fjordsen]

Pegula asked the NHL for advice and they said that Murray and Botterill were top rookie GM candidates.

Pegula owns the team. He didn't have to listen to the NHL. Plus, he could have hired a veteran GM either time, as well.

But, my guess is that he wanted a rookie GM for various reasons that I could only guess at.

Well, he turned to the NHL for advice, since he himself may not have understood and did not know who to hire. If I'm not mistaken, Bean was already an experienced GM? He hired him once. So why not do the same, especially when you've already hired three inexperienced GMs and it didn't work. Although an experienced GM is also not a guarantee of success, but this has its advantages, but even some GM from an NHL team can become a good GM, but here you need to choose the right person, which is also not easy.

 

[Chainshot]

Maybe someone should pin Adams' ears back the next time he talks about "sustainable success". What does that mean? At the moment, it seems to mean putting the youngest team in the league on the ice year after year and angling for even more youth in the near future without ever seeing anyone grow into a good veteran NHLer. It seems like this design is working as designed, it's a feature not a bug.

 

[TehDoak]

Pegula has said repeatedly that he doesn't want a POHO.

I will believe that he is open to hiring someone experienced for that role when it happens. Terry has been as dismissive of that in the past as Adams was about having the youngest team in the league again being an issue.

If they ever hire a team President, they aren't going to have that title just so he won't be proven wrong. Hockey CEO or something stupid.

Maybe someone should pin Adams' ears back the next time he talks about "sustainable success". What does that mean? At the moment, it seems to mean putting the youngest team in the league on the ice year after year and angling for even more youth in the near future without ever seeing anyone grow into a good veteran NHLer. It seems like this design is working as designed, it's a feature not a bug.

"Kevyn, you talk about sustainable success, how can that work when the teams greatest success in 5 years as GM has been missing the playoffs by a point in a league where half the teams make the playoffs. Your team has finished dead last, 23rd,19th, 21st, and now sit at 26th in the league So how can you sustain success when you can't even sustain mediocrity?"

 

[OkimLom]

It's simple, Pegula is not hiring a President of Hockey Operations because its a role that he's too confident in his own ability to handle those tasks himself. Why hire a guy to "enforce" the "Sabre Way" when he can do it with direct communication himself.

 

[truthbluth]

It's simple, Pegula is not hiring a President of Hockey Operations because its a role that he's too confident in his own ability to handle those tasks himself. Why hire a guy to "enforce" the "Sabre Way" when he can do it with direct communication himself.

Yeah, but is self awareness possible eventually? Can he eventually look in the mirror and say, hey, maybe I’m bad at this? I don’t know. All, ahem, other evidence seems to suggest being a billionaire makes introspection a near impossibility. Looks like we’re going to have to wait until Terry lucks into a winner like he did with the Bills.

 

[buffalowing88]

It's simple, Pegula is not hiring a President of Hockey Operations because its a role that he's too confident in his own ability to handle those tasks himself. Why hire a guy to "enforce" the "Sabre Way" when he can do it with direct communication himself.

Didn't his wife run LaFontaine out of essentially that same position within like a month or two of being named?

 

[Ace]

Puck Soup podcast took their turn discussing the press conference today. Destroyed Pegula and the organization as they should.

Had a fun bit where they added things to the list of reasons Adams can’t get talent here.

A free agent walking in and saying they’d like one of the following 4 things in order to sign

1. Palm trees
2. Low taxes
3. Make the playoffs once every 14 years
4. Don’t block me from getting the surgery I want to get

Can you offer one of those things? No? Ok. I’ll be going elsewhere.

They brought up the unspent money…believe Adams will be gone soon but the next guy will just be whoever sits in an interview with Terry and tells him what he wants to hear. Basically that the core is super great because he’s so smart and they’ve done such a good job and I’m the man to get us over the hump!

For those keeping track…that makes 100% of like a dozen places who see no way this ever improves. But also that Adams isn’t the guy who figures it out. They pointed out no player under 27 has a no trade clause so he needed to be doing work on this by now…instead of making excuses.

 

[SabresFan26]

Pegula listened to Lafontaine and hired Murray then listened to the league and hired Botterill and then listened to his gut and hired Kevyn Adams who’s been the worst of three easily.

Like I said yesterday, the NHL record for a GM to miss the playoffs consecutively was Doug Maclean and it was 6 years with an expansion organization in the Columbus Blue Jackets. Kevyn is at year 5 with multiple #1 draft picks. He will go done as one of the worst GMs in the history of the sport.

I lost all respect with how unprofessional his press conference was and the things he said. He’s also rubbed in Buffalos face that he won a Stanley cup with the canes that beat Buffalo. He’s got to go.

 

[slip]

Yeah, but is self awareness possible eventually? Can he eventually look in the mirror and say, hey, maybe I’m bad at this? I don’t know. All, ahem, other evidence seems to suggest being a billionaire makes introspection a near impossibility. Looks like we’re going to have to wait until Terry lucks into a winner like he did with the Bills.

Jerry Jones has been f***ing up the Cowboys for almost 30 years. Billionaire sports owners can remain irrational longer than we can stay emotionally solvent.

 

[Beerz]

Didn't his wife run LaFontaine out of essentially that same position within like a month or two of being named?

No.

 

[Sabre Dance]

Jerry Jones has been f***ing up the Cowboys for almost 30 years. Billionaire sports owners can remain irrational longer than we can stay emotionally solvent.

Jerry at least owns it. He’s the official GM.

 

[SabresFan26]

Jerry at least owns it. He’s the official GM.

He also delivered multiple super bowls.

 

[DolanPlsGoSabres]

Does this go here?

 

[Tijuana Donkey Show]

Appert's teams in Rochester by PP%:

2020-21 - 4th in the AHL at 23.2%
2021-22 - 2nd in the AHL at 23.1%
2022-23 - 14th in the AHL at 19.9%
2023-24 - 18th in the AHL at 17.5%

Of note, this year they are currently 28th at 13.9%

I’m not the guru you are Chain. But I’ve done some NCAA coaching, program management, and consulting for the US National Team in a different sport. Having (basically l) 4 consecutive years of regression would be a reason for replacement not a promotion.

Also worth noting that in my experience, no respected NCAA program would ever ever hire a staff of US Development Coaches. EVER! Let alone for the US Olympic Team, which would be most comparable to the NHL in this scenario. Just about any coach worth their salt is either an assistant (sometimes even volunteer) in a respected NCAA program or running a major junior rowing club charging a major premium. All the u19, u17, etc full time US Dev coaches are generally super nice people, but relatively bottom of the barrel in the professional coaching world.

It’s always been insane to me that Pegula and Adams went this route.

 

[Tijuana Donkey Show]

Pegula listened to Lafontaine and hired Murray then listened to the league and hired Botterill and then listened to his gut and hired Kevyn Adams who’s been the worst of three easily.

Like I said yesterday, the NHL record for a GM to miss the playoffs consecutively was Doug Maclean and it was 6 years with an expansion organization in the Columbus Blue Jackets. Kevyn is at year 5 with multiple #1 draft picks. He will go done as one of the worst GMs in the history of the sport.

I lost all respect with how unprofessional his press conference was and the things he said. He’s also rubbed in Buffalos face that he won a Stanley cup with the canes that beat Buffalo. He’s got to go.

Curious whose gonna be the first guy when the weather breaks to pay a landscape company to plant palm trees in Adams yard?

 

[HaNotsri]

Someone should be giving out cervical collars with tropical patterns outside the arena.

 

[Fjordsen]

 

[ValJamesDuex]

3 Assistant GM's but...interesting thought. I could get behind a Kaleta/Peca partnership

 

[Fjordsen]

3 Assistant GM's but...interesting thought. I could get behind a Kaleta/Peca partnership

Another internal hire and a guy with no experience? No thanks. If you can't find or don't want to hire an experienced GM, then at least an experienced guy who has many years of experience as an AGM and in the front office. Someone like Michael Futa or one of the Dallas AGMs for example.

 

[Sabre Dance]

Serious question.

Does anyone feel confident they know how to turn around the Sabres organization? I honestly don’t even know where to begin. Typically I have an idea of what to do.

Is it simply hire an experienced Hockey Ops guy and give him the keys?

 

[Fjordsen]

Serious question.

Does anyone feel confident they know how to turn around the Sabres organization? I honestly don’t even know where to begin. Typically I have an idea of what to do.

Is it simply hire an experienced Hockey Ops guy and give him the keys?

Why not? At least something needs to be done, and not wait for palm trees to grow in the city and taxes to go down.Either hire an experienced GM who has made the playoffs before and isn't afraid to make trades. Or hire an experienced POHO/Advisor who will find a GM to build a playoff team, and not just develop youth. Let them demolish any employees if necessary.

 

[TageGod]

When is this lie going to stop?

Because anyone with eyes can say Quinn Peterka Benson Thompson etc are TALENTED, as in they have talent? Playing like shit doesn't mean they don't have talent.

 

[Fjordsen]

Because anyone with eyes can say Quinn Peterka Benson Thompson etc are TALENTED, as in they have talent? Playing like shit doesn't mean they don't have talent.

Are we willing to wait for every talent in the organization to develop, do we have time? Although Tage is 27 years old and already an established player and I don't know what he is doing on this list.

 

[Jim Bob]

Puck Soup podcast took their turn discussing the press conference today. Destroyed Pegula and the organization as they should.

Had a fun bit where they added things to the list of reasons Adams can’t get talent here.

A free agent walking in and saying they’d like one of the following 4 things in order to sign

1. Palm trees
2. Low taxes
3. Make the playoffs once every 14 years
4. Don’t block me from getting the surgery I want to get

Can you offer one of those things? No? Ok. I’ll be going elsewhere.

They brought up the unspent money…believe Adams will be gone soon but the next guy will just be whoever sits in an interview with Terry and tells him what he wants to hear. Basically that the core is super great because he’s so smart and they’ve done such a good job and I’m the man to get us over the hump!

For those keeping track…that makes 100% of like a dozen places who see no way this ever improves. But also that Adams isn’t the guy who figures it out. They pointed out no player under 27 has a no trade clause so he needed to be doing work on this by now…instead of making excuses.

Here is the problem for me.

One HUGE issue right now is that this is the youngest roster in the NHL once again. Trading for more young guys with team control, especially talk of young guys that are struggling elsewhere, isn't what this team needs.

The Sabres need more vets like Zucker, or the vets that Vegas had when they traded for Eichel or Florida had when they traded for Reinhart. And those kinds of vets are a huge challenge to get to Buffalo right now because the team stinks.

Plus, it's hard because they don't want to acquire vets on multi-year big money deals because of fear of having to make hard cap decisions in the future.

Just like trading Mitts for Byram hasn't been a huge positive impact (young guy for younger guy), I feel like Quinn for Zegras (or fill in the blank with any other young guy for young guy deal), is doing something that isn't likely to solve the main issue with this roster.