Kevyn Adams GM thread

[Fearnot]

NFL and NHL are completely different beasts and trying to compare destination desirability of how the NFL should correlate to the NHL is completely misguided.

Football season is short. Less than half a year. 8 or 9 home games and often over at the start of January. Players on the NFL are either chasing money or a chance to win. Location is less of a concern. Contracts are not guaranteed, so most stints with teams players sign with only last a couple of years, max (often even less).

A strong team in a small football market makes a much bigger difference on the recruiting bottom line than a strong team in a small hockey market.

The Sabres with high taxes and extreme weather is a tough sell, no matter how good they are.

They can sell people on Buffalo during world war 3 that we have fresh water and electricity.

 

[TehDoak]

NFL and NHL are completely different beasts and trying to compare destination desirability of how the NFL should correlate to the NHL is completely misguided.

Football season is short. Less than half a year. 8 or 9 home games and often over at the start of January. Players on the NFL are either chasing money or a chance to win. Location is less of a concern. Contracts are not guaranteed, so most stints with teams players sign with only last a couple of years, max (often even less).

A strong team in a small football market makes a much bigger difference on the recruiting bottom line than a strong team in a small hockey market.

The Sabres with high taxes and extreme weather is a tough sell, no matter how good they are.

The market is an issue. The losing is a bigger issue. The Bills can recruit because they have a top 5 QB and have made the playoffs 6 out of the last 7 years.

1/2 the league are in cold weather markets. The high state/local income tax only applies to 1/2 of their paycheck because the other half is paid on the road market via 'jock tax'.

Buffalo is never going to be a top target for UFAs. But they are a bottom of the barrel target because its a high tax poor weather market AND the team hasn't made the playoffs in 13 years.

 

[Jim Bob]

The market is an issue. The losing is a bigger issue. The Bills can recruit because they have a top 5 QB and have made the playoffs 6 out of the last 7 years.

1/2 the league are in cold weather markets. The high state/local income tax only applies to 1/2 of their paycheck because the other half is paid on the road market via 'jock tax'.

Buffalo is never going to be a top target for UFAs. But they are a bottom of the barrel target because its a high tax poor weather market AND the team hasn't made the playoffs in 13 years.

The UFA market is never the place to really retool your roster in the NHL.

The biggest issue with the attractiveness of the Sabres is that it is a huge challenge with getting guys to waive to come to Buffalo. The consistent losing is the #1 reason for that. The taxes and weather are just convenient excuses to cover up the fact that management's inability to build a winner for over a decade has made the job that much harder.

 

[Irie]

The biggest issue with the attractiveness of the Sabres is that it is a huge challenge with getting guys to waive to come to Buffalo. The consistent losing is the #1 reason for that. The taxes and weather are just convenient excuses to cover up the fact that management's inability to build a winner for over a decade has made the job that much harder.

I think this is only partially true. Taxes, Weather and "smaller quiet city" with little appeal to pro athletes in their 20s are all large factors in the "declining to waive discussion".

I remember back in the 90s when the Sabres were a competent playoff team, when players around the league were asked "Where do you like playing the least on the road", the most consistent answers always had Buffalo and Ottawa right at the top.

I think the new found interest there has been to re-sign in Buffalo among this current group of young players is still a positive that is quite the accomplishment. I don't like a lot of what Adams does, but I have to give him some credit there.

 

[Chainshot]

I think this is only partially true. Taxes, Weather and "smaller quiet city" with little appeal to pro athletes in their 20s are all large factors in the "declining to waive discussion".

I remember back in the 90s when the Sabres were a competent playoff team, when players around the league were asked "Where do you like playing the least on the road", the most consistent answers always had Buffalo and Ottawa right at the top.

I think the new found interest there has been to re-sign in Buffalo among this current group of young players is still a positive that is quite the accomplishment. I don't like a lot of what Adams does, but I have to give him some credit there.

Part of the issue borne out by Regier playing hardball in contract negotiations was the shift in how the team was perceived. How they ran off LaFontaine, how they ran off Peca, how they ran off Hasek were all factors when players talked about them. Lack of communication was a hallmark of Regier's off-seasons - the anecdote from Steve Heinze about not finding out he wasn't in their plans until at a summer team function when Regier basically did the "what are you doing here" to him. Yes, the lack of nightlife and small town atmosphere is a detractor. But the shift didn't happen over night with regards to the team.

Yes, getting players who say they want to be there is great. And at some point, those players have to play with enough accountability to actually win games. Winning is the quickest and easiest way to shift perception of the franchise. They've twice been on the verge of things in the last few years where summer conversation from talking heads was about players wanting to come to the team. And yet they've turned both of those moments into poor seasons in regards to their overall record.

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

Part of the issue borne out by Regier playing hardball in contract negotiations was the shift in how the team was perceived. How they ran off LaFontaine, how they ran off Peca, how they ran off Hasek were all factors when players talked about them. Lack of communication was a hallmark of Regier's off-seasons - the anecdote from Steve Heinze about not finding out he wasn't in their plans until at a summer team function when Regier basically did the "what are you doing here" to him. Yes, the lack of nightlife and small town atmosphere is a detractor. But the shift didn't happen over night with regards to the team.

Yes, getting players who say they want to be there is great. And at some point, those players have to play with enough accountability to actually win games. Winning is the quickest and easiest way to shift perception of the franchise. They've twice been on the verge of things in the last few years where summer conversation from talking heads was about players wanting to come to the team. And yet they've turned both of those moments into poor seasons in regards to their overall record.

Small anecdote, but at a function to specifically make Regier and Ruff available to fans that showed up, Regier was as aloof as when I met Thurman Thomas on the old "Jim Kelly" show. He hardly responded to me and his body language said it all. I figured then that if a guy can't even fake it for an hour or so during a function for that very purpose, he must be a real swell guy to be around under normal circumstances.

Edit - fwiw, I didn't even try to talk to Thurman Thomas, but I watched my HS teammates try with big eyes and walk off very disappointed. It made being a Redskins fan during SB 26 a few months later even more satisfying.

 

[Irie]

Part of the issue borne out by Regier playing hardball in contract negotiations was the shift in how the team was perceived. How they ran off LaFontaine, how they ran off Peca, how they ran off Hasek were all factors when players talked about them. Lack of communication was a hallmark of Regier's off-seasons - the anecdote from Steve Heinze about not finding out he wasn't in their plans until at a summer team function when Regier basically did the "what are you doing here" to him. Yes, the lack of nightlife and small town atmosphere is a detractor. But the shift didn't happen over night with regards to the team.

Yes, getting players who say they want to be there is great. And at some point, those players have to play with enough accountability to actually win games. Winning is the quickest and easiest way to shift perception of the franchise. They've twice been on the verge of things in the last few years where summer conversation from talking heads was about players wanting to come to the team. And yet they've turned both of those moments into poor seasons in regards to their overall record.

I think the "here and now about this team", "miss-steps from past management in failing to retain players", and the "I hate traveling to that city to play away games" are probably three separate discussions.

In terms of past player retention, the points you are bringing up are totally valid. I do not have a lot of insider info on that front, but from an outsider's perspective, it has been a historically poor optic.

If players generally have a lousy time when visiting Buffalo for away games, the desire to sign or waive to play there is heavily diminished. I don't know exactly what is in the formula to make players feel that way, nightlife? Weather? Amenities? Arena condition? But whatever the factors they all add up to a real perceived issue, and I don't know how or if it can be addressed - I just know from player polls that it is real.

Winning does help make players want to stay in most cities, but good players in their mid 20s also often seek some of the fame of playing in larger cities, and say they want to stay, but actually plan to move to larger markets all along. There is an undeniable draw to play for a huge market fan base that just isn't satiated playing for small market teams. Nothing can be done about that unfortunately. There is a reason why most of the top UFAs rarely sign in small markets without gross overpays.

All in all, Buffalo has a lot to overcome that other franchises do not have to worry about in player recruiting/retention. It is not an excuse as some posters constantly claim, it is just a fact of being a small market team.

 

[Ace]

Do you ever just stop and ask yourself what Adams does all day? I know the NHL isn’t a big move system…but as he hasn‘t made any moves that would require any time or thought in over two years…what is he doing? Other GMs will eventually make a big move and tel you how it was a year in the making. Eichel was traded in November 2021. A move that took up a lot of conversations and thought. Since then there is nothing, despite screaming need and an abundance of assets, that has required a damn thing.

Has he been wasting two years and counting discussing moves he doesn’t make? Has he not been trying to despite the obvious? Does he overvalue everyone he has? What is the best case scenario here? When will this end?

Even if he finally does something this year and tells us all about the year long process that began the previous offseason…da fuq was he doing the two years in between?

 

[Irie]

Do you ever just stop and ask yourself what Adams does all day? I know the NHL isn’t a big move system…but as he hasn‘t made any moves that would require any time or thought in over two years…what is he doing? Other GMs will eventually make a big move and tel you how it was a year in the making. Eichel was traded in November 2021. A move that took up a lot of conversations and thought. Since then there is nothing, despite screaming need and an abundance of assets, that has required a damn thing.

Has he been wasting two years and counting discussing moves he doesn’t make? Has he not been trying to despite the obvious? Which is worse? When will this end?

Even if he finally does something this year and tells us all about the year long process that began the previous offseason…da fuq was he doing the two years in between?

He's the "General MANAGER" . He manages the daily operations of the team. While GMs may not do most of the individual tasks themselves, they have a whole array of areas where they constantly have to make decisions on, many are not even player related.

I see you thought his title was "General TRADE GUY". Maybe you should petition Terry Pegula to open up that position. If he'd hire someone strictly for that job that was more qualified than Adams, I would not complain. But be carefully what you ask for or next weeks headline might read, "New hiree General Trade Guy Mike Milburry added to staff!"

 

[TehDoak]

Do you ever just stop and ask yourself what Adams does all day? I know the NHL isn’t a big move system…but as he hasn‘t made any moves that would require any time or thought in over two years…what is he doing? Other GMs will eventually make a big move and tel you how it was a year in the making. Eichel was traded in November 2021. A move that took up a lot of conversations and thought. Since then there is nothing, despite screaming need and an abundance of assets, that has required a damn thing.

Has he been wasting two years and counting discussing moves he doesn’t make? Has he not been trying to despite the obvious? Does he overvalue everyone he has? What is the best case scenario here? When will this end?

Even if he finally does something this year and tells us all about the year long process that began the previous offseason…da fuq was he doing the two years in between?

He's the "General MANAGER" . He manages the daily operations of the team. While GMs may not do most of the individual tasks themselves, they have a whole array of areas where they constantly have to make decisions on, many are not even player related.

I see you thought his title was "General TRADE GUY". Maybe you should petition Terry Pegula to open up that position. If he'd hire someone strictly for that job that was more qualified than Adams, I would not complain. But be carefully what you ask for or next weeks headline might read, "New hiree General Trade Guy Mike Milburry added to staff!"

The answer is somewhere in between I'd guess.

You ever hear the phrase "You don't know what you don't know"?

Adams doesn't really have anyone to detail what his day to day tasks are and what he should and shouldn't delegate. He has no example to follow. He's got a few years experience so he likely has SOME sort of system in place at this point. We really don't have any insight to what the front office is like other than he has some vocal loyalists (The director of Amateur scouting for one). Whatever it is, the results aren't following.

 

[toddkaz]

Do you ever just stop and ask yourself what Adams does all day? I know the NHL isn’t a big move system…but as he hasn‘t made any moves that would require any time or thought in over two years…what is he doing? Other GMs will eventually make a big move and tel you how it was a year in the making. Eichel was traded in November 2021. A move that took up a lot of conversations and thought. Since then there is nothing, despite screaming need and an abundance of assets, that has required a damn thing.

Has he been wasting two years and counting discussing moves he doesn’t make? Has he not been trying to despite the obvious? Does he overvalue everyone he has? What is the best case scenario here? When will this end?

Even if he finally does something this year and tells us all about the year long process that began the previous offseason…da fuq was he doing the two years in between?

What are you talking about? Do you have any idea the mental energy it took to finally tear down the three goalie rotation.

After the decision to waive Comrie I can only imagine Adams is so mentally exhausted it will be another year before he can work up the energy to do something significant.

I bet you it took him weeks if not months to come to that decision and you want him to do something again anytime soon? Patience, these things take time.

 

[joshjull]

Marek is absolutely right.

Is he though?

I didn’t feel too strongly about where Levi should start before the season, he could always get sent down if need be. But it’s way too early to declare what they're doing is a mistake that will ”wreck” him.

The issue I have with takes like Marek’s is its disconnected from the reality of goaltending in this league. What’s he basing Levi’s performance against?

League averages
SV% -> .903 (UPL .906/Levi .889)
GAA -> 2.94 (UPL 2.77/Levi 3.32)

There are 48 goalies who have started at least 15gms.

1) Only 21 of the 48. have a save% above the league average. UPL being one at #20.

2) 20 of the 48 have sub .900sv%. They range from Gibson at 29th (.899) to Samsonov at 48th (.863). Levi is 41st and grouped with 20 goalies who are pretty close statistically. It doesn’t take much for them move up or down week to week. Just 1/2 good or bad games.

This isn’t me arguing he’s been playing really well. It’s showing that Levi’s numbers aren’t some terribly bad outlier or of someone in over their head. So what is Marek basing his criticism on? What exactly should Levi’s numbers be in his mind that would “justify” this approach?

The group of 20 goalies with sub .900 sv% includes a lot of the goalies posters have been wanting to acquire; Gibson, Georgiev, MAF, Husso, Kuemper, Forsberg, Korpisolo, Grubauer, Vanecek and Raanta.

Unlike most of those near him, Levi is very young with a ton of upside potential. We’ll see over time if the path they’ve taken was correct.

 

[Zman5778]

Is he though?

I didn’t feel too strongly about where Levi should start before the season, he could always get sent down if need be. But it’s way too early to declare what they're doing is a mistake that will ”wreck” him.

The issue I have with takes like Marek’s is its disconnected from the reality of goaltending in this league. What’s he basing Levi’s performance against?

League averages
SV% -> .903 (UPL .906/Levi .889)
GAA -> 2.94 (UPL 2.77/Levi 3.32)

There are 48 goalies who have started at least 15gms.

1) Only 21 of the 48. have a save% above the league average. UPL being one at #20.

2) 20 of the 48 have sub .900sv%. They range from Gibson at 29th (.899) to Samsonov at 48th (.863). Levi is 41st and grouped with 20 goalies who are pretty close statistically. It doesn’t take much for them move up or down week to week. Just 1/2 good or bad games.

This isn’t me arguing he’s been playing really well. It’s showing that Levi’s numbers aren’t some terribly bad outlier or of someone in over their head. So what is Marek basing his criticism on? What exactly should Levi’s numbers be in his mind that would “justify” this approach?

The group of 20 goalies with sub .900 sv% includes a lot of the goalies posters have been wanting to acquire; Gibson, Georgiev, MAF, Husso, Kuemper, Forsberg, Korpisolo, Grubauer, Vanecek and Raanta.

Unlike most of those near him, Levi is very young with a ton of upside potential. We’ll see over time if the path they’ve taken was correct.

Levi's numbers aren't outliers. As you've documented, they're a tick below league average. But it's not the numbers that lead me to the conclusion that he should be spending time in Rochester -- it's how he's arriving at these numbers.

There are games where he's positionally fine and playing with confidence.

Then there are games where he has no clue where his net is and it seems like he's just to get through.

In ALL games, his rebound control NEEDS work.

And the stuff he needs to work on -- his positioning, his rebound control.....all come with playing games, not necessarily practices -- and CERTAINLY not the "practices" that happen when we're on back-to-back, 3-in-4, 4-in-6 stretches that happen so often in the NHL. The AHL schedules are much more spread out (especially Mon-Thurs) and I believe that more effective practices can occur down there, even with 3 goalies. I also believe that it's better for Levi to play 50 AHL games this year and get the better practices in between than it is to have him play every other game or so and get nominal practice in between. I just think it's better for his overall development. It's not in the numbers.

 

[May Day 10]

The organization is certainly challenged with a few things out of their control: Taxes and Buffalo's appeal to a 20-something millionaire vs places like Vegas, NY, Boston, Phoenix, Tampa, etc... Being in the East and proximity to the Golden Horseshoe are marks in our favor.

Much of the organization's stink is self-inflicted. Going back to the stinginess of Rigas/Golisano as well as bankruptcy. Rigas was a pretty austere general manager. Ruff was a tough coach and no possibility they would move on from him.

Also mis-steps dealing with players over time. As mentioned Peca and LaFontaine. Briere and Drury. I and sure the Eichel thing is perceived very poorly by the NHLPA. All the players we had here who were miserable/unsuccessful have likely spread their tales all over the league.

13 years of losing too. Not even relevant through that time. Its probably tough for many players to even remember a Sabres' playoff round victory.

I fear that Adams is every bit as austere as Regier.



The only way to fix it, as I have said many times, is put down the flag of 'under new management' and hire someone respected with credibility at the very top and build a serious hockey organization who does right by their players. Focus on winning and succeeding. Players here will succeed and move on to make more money either here or elsewhere. Players wouldnt mind getting traded here if it meant big opportunities to up their earning potential.

As it is now, there is a laundry list of players who are here and stink, but go elsewhere and thrive. Not good. If my kid were drafted to the Sabres, I would be gutted.

 

[Irie]

The organization is certainly challenged with a few things out of their control: Taxes and Buffalo's appeal to a 20-something millionaire vs places like Vegas, NY, Boston, Phoenix, Tampa, etc... Being in the East and proximity to the Golden Horseshoe are marks in our favor.

Much of the organization's stink is self-inflicted. Going back to the stinginess of Rigas/Golisano as well as bankruptcy. Rigas was a pretty austere general manager. Ruff was a tough coach and no possibility they would move on from him.

Also mis-steps dealing with players over time. As mentioned Peca and LaFontaine. Briere and Drury. I and sure the Eichel thing is perceived very poorly by the NHLPA. All the players we had here who were miserable/unsuccessful have likely spread their tales all over the league.

13 years of losing too. Not even relevant through that time. Its probably tough for many players to even remember a Sabres' playoff round victory.

I fear that Adams is every bit as austere as Regier.



The only way to fix it, as I have said many times, is put down the flag of 'under new management' and hire someone respected with credibility at the very top and build a serious hockey organization who does right by their players. Focus on winning and succeeding. Players here will succeed and move on to make more money either here or elsewhere. Players wouldnt mind getting traded here if it meant big opportunities to up their earning potential.

As it is now, there is a laundry list of players who are here and stink, but go elsewhere and thrive. Not good. If my kid were drafted to the Sabres, I would be gutted.

I agree with the premise and I think you are right about Adams, but I think the idea that it all has to be torn down And rebuilt is a bit overblown. Very few organizations in NHL history are picture perfect from Top to bottom.

Terry Pegula has to replace himself, and that is not happening, so that is our unfortunate starting point.

This roster is not terrible, it just is unbalanced, and like you said, players stink here and go elsewhere and thrive, that is mostly on the coaching staff. I will fault the GM a little as well, as the roster the way it is built is forcing the coaching staff to mis-use players, but I mostly lay blame on the coaching staff's inability to evolve and only coach one way in their one size fits all, strategy. An exceptional coach adjusts their game plan to best utilize the pieces they have. This staff requires an entire roster overhaul to have success with their strategy, which is totally unnecessary imo.

Get a legitimate NHL coach and I believe this team will be a lot better than they have shown lately.

 

[Chainshot]

I agree with the premise and I think you are right about Adams, but I think the idea that it all has to be torn down And rebuilt is a bit overblown. Very few organizations in NHL history are picture perfect from Top to bottom.

Terry Pegula has to replace himself, and that is not happening, so that is our unfortunate starting point.

This roster is not terrible, it just is unbalanced, and like you said, players stink here and go elsewhere and thrive, that is mostly on the coaching staff. I will fault the GM a little as well, as the roster the way it is built is forcing the coaching staff to mis-use players, but I mostly lay blame on the coaching staff's inability to evolve and only coach one way in their one size fits all, strategy. An exceptional coach adjusts their game plan to best utilize the pieces they have. This staff requires an entire roster overhaul to have success with their strategy, which is totally unnecessary imo.

Get a legitimate NHL coach and I believe this team will be a lot better than they have shown lately.

Look at the dysfunction of the recent Oilers, Canucks and Jets. All three have made coaching changes and the teams, while flawed and in the Jets' case, bleeding talent, and are now among the cream of the west. There is certainly a shelf-life to coaches and I think Don has reached his.

 

[ValJamesDuex]

Reinhart on a 60 goal pace, Levi better turn out to be Carey Price like.

#learningonthejob

 

[rams]

Reinhart on a 60 goal pace, Levi better turn out to be Carrie Price like.

#learningonthejob

Reinhart was not signing in Buffalo. Zero chance. Less than zero.

So Levi's entire career in Buffalo will be matched against one more Reinhart season in Buffalo before he UFA'd. What he does after that single season is irrelevant. It could have been a really good season, he was turning it around under Granato just like the entire team.

Pretty good chance Levi will eventually outshine what Reinhart did (or would have done in Buffalo) in 21-22.

 

[BFLO]

I agree with the premise and I think you are right about Adams, but I think the idea that it all has to be torn down And rebuilt is a bit overblown. Very few organizations in NHL history are picture perfect from Top to bottom.

Terry Pegula has to replace himself, and that is not happening, so that is our unfortunate starting point.

This roster is not terrible, it just is unbalanced, and like you said, players stink here and go elsewhere and thrive, that is mostly on the coaching staff. I will fault the GM a little as well, as the roster the way it is built is forcing the coaching staff to mis-use players, but I mostly lay blame on the coaching staff's inability to evolve and only coach one way in their one size fits all, strategy. An exceptional coach adjusts their game plan to best utilize the pieces they have. This staff requires an entire roster overhaul to have success with their strategy, which is totally unnecessary imo.

Get a legitimate NHL coach and I believe this team will be a lot better than they have shown lately.

Also agree that we don't need to tear down and rebuild. I think there are obvious holes and changes to be made on the roster that can be filled through UFA/Trades without breaking the bank.

I don't think Adams or his front office are equipped to make those signings or trades. He's had 1 pro-scout on staff for the previous 3 years and just added a second scout.

And we need a new coaching staff.

I think that the roster moves i've been advocating for ad infinitum are worth approximately +10 points on a full season, and a legit NHL coach is also worth approximately +10 points. Takes us from pacing for 78 points in a season to 98 points. I don't think there's any saving this season, but we can start making changes now that will save next season.

 

[BFLO]

Reinhart was not signing in Buffalo. Zero chance. Less than zero.

So Levi's entire career in Buffalo will be matched against one more Reinhart season in Buffalo before he UFA'd. What he does after that single season is irrelevant. It could have been a really good season, he was turning it around under Granato just like the entire team.

Pretty good chance Levi will eventually outshine what Reinhart did (or would have done in Buffalo) in 21-22.

All signs point toward Reinhart wanting to sign in Buffalo until the collapse of 2020-21. From everything that Reinhart has said it sounds like we never offered him a long term deal.

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

Fire Granato. I cannot fathom actually watching this team anymore until that happens.

 

[toddkaz]

Reinhart was not signing in Buffalo. Zero chance. Less than zero.

So Levi's entire career in Buffalo will be matched against one more Reinhart season in Buffalo before he UFA'd. What he does after that single season is irrelevant. It could have been a really good season, he was turning it around under Granato just like the entire team.

Pretty good chance Levi will eventually outshine what Reinhart did (or would have done in Buffalo) in 21-22.

Thats just not true at all. Reinhart wanted to stay at one point but Buffalo refused to offer him a long term contract.

Buffalo absolutely refused to give him a contract. Adams pushed him out of Buffalo.


"I think I've done a lot I want to be recognized for and be here long-term for sure, there's no question about it," Reinhart said. "Do I think I've proven everything? No absolutely not. I don't think anyone can say that with the lack of success we've had as a team."

"Do I think I've proven everything? No absolutely not", Reinhart ready to get back to work after re-signing with Sabres

Reinhart is coming off a 22 goal and 28 assist performance in 2019-20 before the season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic

www.wkbw.com

 

[oldgoalie]

Thats just not true at all. Reinhart wanted to stay at one point but Buffalo refused to offer him a long term contract.

Buffalo absolutely refused to give him a contract. Adams pushed him out of Buffalo.


"I think I've done a lot I want to be recognized for and be here long-term for sure, there's no question about it," Reinhart said. "Do I think I've proven everything? No absolutely not. I don't think anyone can say that with the lack of success we've had as a team."

"Do I think I've proven everything? No absolutely not", Reinhart ready to get back to work after re-signing with Sabres

Reinhart is coming off a 22 goal and 28 assist performance in 2019-20 before the season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic

www.wkbw.com

stupid decision, as we can see this season.

 

[toddkaz]

stupid decision, as we can see this season.

People can argue that ROR, Eichel and Reinhart didn't want to be here but at one point in their time here they did and they soured on Buffalo.

They all went on to be successful elsewhere which is definitely a deeper issue with the owner in my opinion.

The constant hiring of coaches and managers without any NHL experience have no idea how to handle difficult situations have players with leverage want to get out.(Their leverage is their value)

A witness to this is Adams oversized contracts for fringe NHL players that are ecstatic to get a chance in Buffalo because no one else wants them only to be waived later on. These types of players will say anything about Buffalo and the franchise because Adams gave them contracts no one else would.

If we had GMs and Coaches with experience who have connections throughout the league perhaps more players would be happy to come here and play.

 

[CaliSabresfan24]

Reinhart on a 60 goal pace, Levi better turn out to be Carrie Price like.

#learningonthejob

Botterill (and / or Terry) f***ed up the Reinhart situation by not committing to him long term..

Getting a bridge deal when I've proven to be a core piece to this team would piss me off too.