Kevyn Adams GM thread

[OkimLom]

Organization is not going to change their lack of sustainability in being successful until they change the structure of their organization. The only GM ownership has fired due to on-ice results was Darcy, and that was at the behest of Patty L after he brought it up in a discussion with him. Every other GM was fired because of their relationship with the owner, and how little/structure of how “involved” he would be. As long as Adams keeps that pipeline so open to him, he’s not getting canned. Adams knows exactly what he needs to do to stay employed. Only way he leaves is under his own accord.

something needs to give, either Pegula needs to come to his senses and allow someone with experience in key areas of the organization while he takes a step back, or he sells the team.

 

[toddkaz]

Adams is the gm who was throwing out 1 year deals at reinhart, ullmark and montour

and was throwing multi year deals at girgens, olofsson, and bryson

he went after free agents like comrie, clifton, bush and johnson to fix holes

he traded for players like stillman, robinson and greenway

he locked up Samuelsson, Cozens and Power on long term deals when they were unproven and could have been on bridge deals

People still think Adams is a good GM? He is a trainwreck.

 

[Dubi Doo]

Im at the point where we can fire this clown, too. The time for a coaching change was weeks ago. It honestly could've righted the ship a bit. If even for the short term, but now the season is completely lost.

Fire the coach. Fire Adams. Trade 'core' players. I really don't care anymore. This team has stench wreaking all over the place, and it's hard for me to pinpoint which terd is the stinkiest.

 

[HogtownSabresfan]

There have been some good draft picks like Peterka and Benson, but is that GMKA or scouting? I guess the buck stops with him, so he gets credit on that stuff. But his over-valuation of guys on the roster is looking ugly because of Comrie, Bryson, Jost, and Stillman -- his fear of waiving these guys (not to mention their contracts, which he signed in some cases) makes him look really bad. The overpayment on Okposo, Girgensons, Erik Johnson, and Clifton is not good. Each of these guys could be waived with no claim that proves the overpayment..

 

[Dubi Doo]

I'm going to go one step further and even if we implode.....Donny starts 24/25 as the HC. Maybe KA will actually throw his weight around a bit and demand that Donny get new assistants.

But I truly think that Adams and company didn't see this season the same way the fans do/did. I don't think for them it was "playoffs or bust". If it were, I think Donny might already be fired.

There's a good team here.....we see it every other game or so. I just don't think Adams is feeling any pressure from above and thus has no urgency to do anything other than watch.

If that's the case, then don't let the door hit you on the way out, Kevyn!

 

[Gras]

For those thinking Granato will be an in season firing, remember it took it the team going 0-10-2 (and 6-18-4 overall) in a playoffs or bust season for them to fire Krueger.

It's going to take an epically bad run for Granato to be fired in season. Just an absolute implosion of epic magnitude for it to happen.

Hes not going to get fired before his extension kicks in either.

 

[toddkaz]

Hes not going to get fired before his extension kicks in either.

Very good Chance Granato will be the coach here next year too but that doesn't mean fans can't put pressure on Adams and make him uncomfortable.

To just stay silent and accept it also isn't Buffalo fans way of doing things.

 

[My Cozen Dylan]

Very good Chance Granato will be the coach here next year too but that doesn't mean fans can't put pressure on Adams and make him uncomfortable.

To just stay silent and accept it also isn't Buffalo fans way of doing things.

I don't live in Buffalo, otherwise I'd seriously consider organizing some kind of protest outside the arena. Try and get people to stop showing up to games en masse. Force a change.

 

[deVolt]

I don't live in Buffalo, otherwise I'd seriously consider organizing some kind of protest outside the arena. Try and get people to stop showing up to games en masse. Force a change.

I'm honestly surpriced people don't protest owners more in NA, this would not fly in europe underperforming for more than a decade, specially in football. Cultural thing i guess.

 

[toddkaz]

"I do believe we have to stick together. We have to find solutions and continue to work and come out the other side. I do believe when we come out the other side, we will be stronger for it." - Kevyn Adams

Sounds like a guy who knows he isn't getting fired.

Also Sounds like a guy who isn't going ot make changes.

 

[May Day 10]

I'm honestly surpriced people don't protest owners more in NA, this would not fly in europe underperforming for more than a decade, specially in football. Cultural thing i guess.

Pegula has made changes in the past once the home crowd starts to get ugly and embarrassing, and national media picks up on it.

We saw the start of it in the Columbus blowout game. Itll get worse.


I remember the night before Ruff got fired. It was a really ugly crowd in a listless loss to Winnipeg. I recall at one point Stafford lost control of the puck and gave it away one time and the entire crowd loudly booed him off the ice. The players were starting to take the brunt of the frustration with the stagnant organization.
The crowds were also getting really rough right before the LaFontaine/Nolan hires. The media was running with the "Fire Darcy" chants. The ends of the Botterill/Housley/Krueger tenures were bad too.



There is almost no chance Adams gets fired over the next 2.5 seasons. It is awful, he is in over his head, and I feel like the Sabres are doomed. The one hope though is if the crowd influences things and it gets really embarrassing. Even then though, I feel like Pegula is going to stick with his guns on this one. Adams is his personal discovery and a source of pride. I also think Pegula believes that more time = better results and the ignorant fans always force change before continuity can do its magical and mythical thing.

 

[Beerz]

Pegula has made changes in the past once the home crowd starts to get ugly and embarrassing, and national media picks up on it.

We saw the start of it in the Columbus blowout game. Itll get worse.


I remember the night before Ruff got fired. It was a really ugly crowd in a listless loss to Winnipeg. I remember Stafford lost control of the puck and gave it away one time and the entire crowd loudly booed him off the ice.
The crowds were also getting really rough right before the LaFontaine/Nolan hires. The ends of the Botterill/Housley/Krueger tenures were bad too.



There is almost no chance Adams gets fired over the next 2.5 seasons. It is awful, he is in over his head, and I feel like the Sabres are doomed.

Too bad that Power giveaway last game wasn't at home.

 

[TehDoak]

There is almost no chance Adams gets fired over the next 2.5 seasons. It is awful, he is in over his head, and I feel like the Sabres are doomed.

There is a very easy solution where Pegula gets to save face, they can claim there is organizational continuity, and reward Adams for essentially eating a shit sandwich for the org being a budget team the last 3 years.

You promote Adam to team President. He gets to do what he excels at, managing people, talking to the media, and making Pegulas feel warm and fuzzy. They go out and hire a veteran GM who has built a team. You bring him in pay him top or market. He brings organizational respectability that they Sabres are "finally doing it right". Adams/Pegula give him autonomy and resources to get the ship in the right direction. Go get a Doug Wilson (assuming he is healthy enough), Mike Gillis, Dave Tallon, etc. Someone who has built a team to some level of success.

And honestly, you can do this today. No major front office changes beside that, just a new set of eyes coming in and evaluating the organization from top to bottom. At the deadline, you purge out pending UFAs and maybe start a few roster shaping moves when selling prices are high.

Then you start the re-shaping of the team in earnest this summer.

 

[May Day 10]

There is a very easy solution where Pegula gets to save face, they can claim there is organizational continuity, and reward Adams for essentially eating a shit sandwich for the org being a budget team the last 3 years.

You promote Adam to team President. He gets to do what he excels at, managing people, talking to the media, and making Pegulas feel warm and fuzzy. They go out and hire a veteran GM who has built a team. You bring him in pay him top or market. He brings organizational respectability that they Sabres are "finally doing it right". Adams/Pegula give him autonomy and resources to get the ship in the right direction. Go get a Doug Wilson (assuming he is healthy enough), Mike Gillis, Dave Tallon, etc. Someone who has built a team to some level of success.

And honestly, you can do this today. No major front office changes beside that, just a new set of eyes coming in and evaluating the organization from top to bottom. At the deadline, you purge out pending UFAs and maybe start a few roster shaping moves when selling prices are high.

Then you start the re-shaping of the team in earnest this summer.

I am all for that.

The major questions are: Would Adams be willing to stay clear of the GM? Also, would Pegula be willing to let go of his obsession with "communication"?

That communication word IMO is the one thing that has made Pegula a disaster. It is always brought up as the most important thing, and it is a not so subtle code word for 'ability and willingness to tolerate meddling'.

 

[TehDoak]

I am all for that.

The major questions are: Would Adams be willing to stay clear of the GM? Also, would Pegula be willing to let go of his obsession with "communication"?

That communication word IMO is the one thing that has made Pegula a disaster. It is always brought up as the most important thing, and it is a not so subtle code word for 'ability and willingness to tolerate meddling'.

I mean, that is the problem. I go back to last year when a media member asked if he viewed missing the playoffs by a point when the team had a 11 year playoff drought as a missed opportunity and he laughed in his face. That tells you what Adams really thinks. He thinks he's doing a great job and took victory laps all summer for finishing 18th out of a 32 team league.

There is a very real ego there and I don't think he's going to accept a situation where he steps away from the day to day operations because he honestly believes he's doing great.

 

[Irie]

Too bad that Power giveaway last game wasn't at home.

Posting the desire to have fans to attack a TWENTY-ONE year old defenseman who is logging TWENTY-THREE minutes a night when they make a mistake may be an alltime low for this board.

 

[jd1970]

Posting the desire to have fans to attack a TWENTY-ONE year old defenseman who is logging TWENTY-THREE minutes a night when they make a mistake may be an alltime low for this board.

I have 58 million reasons to disagree with your opinion of poor Owen.

 

[Beerz]

Posting the desire to have fans to attack a TWENTY-ONE year old defenseman who is logging TWENTY-THREE minutes a night when they make a mistake may be an alltime low for this board.

Jesus Christ..take a joke.

 

[Byron Bitz]

I would give Adams one more year, if they fall out of the playoff race at any point next season he’s done.

 

[Irie]

I have 58 million reasons to disagree with your opinion of poor Owen.

If we are going to use salary as a predictive measurement for the performance of a developing 21 year old defenseman playing 23 minutes a night, then I probably should remind you that Power is earning 900k.

Jesus Christ..take a joke.

says the guy that berates Power multiple times in every thread daily and starts threads to move him on the main board

 

[BB79]

I'm honestly surpriced people don't protest owners more in NA, this would not fly in europe underperforming for more than a decade, specially in football. Cultural thing i guess.

People are too busy working 60 hours a week here to struggle for another week

 

[My Cozen Dylan]

There is a very easy solution where Pegula gets to save face, they can claim there is organizational continuity, and reward Adams for essentially eating a shit sandwich for the org being a budget team the last 3 years.

You promote Adam to team President. He gets to do what he excels at, managing people, talking to the media, and making Pegulas feel warm and fuzzy. They go out and hire a veteran GM who has built a team. You bring him in pay him top or market. He brings organizational respectability that they Sabres are "finally doing it right". Adams/Pegula give him autonomy and resources to get the ship in the right direction. Go get a Doug Wilson (assuming he is healthy enough), Mike Gillis, Dave Tallon, etc. Someone who has built a team to some level of success.

And honestly, you can do this today. No major front office changes beside that, just a new set of eyes coming in and evaluating the organization from top to bottom. At the deadline, you purge out pending UFAs and maybe start a few roster shaping moves when selling prices are high.

Then you start the re-shaping of the team in earnest this summer.

If Adams gets promoted, there's like a 90% chance Karmanos would become the GM. I'm not sure how much would change.

 

[stealth1]

Adams is the gm who was throwing out 1 year deals at reinhart, ullmark and montour

and was throwing multi year deals at girgens, olofsson, and bryson

he went after free agents like comrie, clifton, bush and johnson to fix holes

he traded for players like stillman, robinson and greenway

he locked up Samuelsson, Cozens and Power on long term deals when they were unproven and could have been on bridge deals

People still think Adams is a good GM? He is a trainwreck.

IMO in a lot of those cases he didn't have much choice. Many overlook the fact guys don't want to play here. It's hard to get Free Agents to pick the Sabres. They either have to overpay, which IMO is not worth doing, or go after guys that will come here.

 

[HOOats]

IMO in a lot of those cases he didn't have much choice. Many overlook the fact guys don't want to play here. It's hard to get Free Agents to pick the Sabres. They either have to overpay, which IMO is not worth doing, or go after guys that will come here.

You mean there aren't franchise mode difficulty sliders to adjust easier in real life..? Seems like we're going to need a roster and organization built around development in that case.

(I let out a horrified chuckle as Brett Pesce and his family are shoved into a black SUV with EA Sports license plates, my finger still holding down the OVERRIDE button.)

 

[stealth1]

You mean there aren't franchise mode difficulty sliders to adjust easier in real life..? Seems like we're going to need a roster and organization built around development in that case.

(I let out a horrified chuckle as Brett Pesce and his family are shoved into a black SUV with EA Sports license plates, my finger still holding down the OVERRIDE button.)

What you said also works for trades too.