Kevyn Adams GM thread

[TehDoak]

Yes to this.
The Sabres will always be disadvantaged due to the attractiveness of the city to 20-something millionaires and tax situation. (however, we have the proximity to Ontario and the East time zone thing).

Nothing is stopping this organization from becoming a gold standard organization in the NHL other than terrible ownership (and by extension management). They have been plagued by it to some degree since the late 90s, so it is engrained in everyone involved with the sport. Under Pegula it has gotten worse, and under "economic, efficient, and effective" with Adams, it has cratered. Players come here and their production, numbers (and earning potential) wither. The team is reluctant to replace ineffective coaching staffs the same as other teams do routinely.
The treatment of people like LaFontaine and Eichel also are a factor, as well as the culling of the front office staff at the pandemic.
Then we have a GM who was previously picking families for the Jr Sabres as the GM, and a head coach with no business coaching in the NHL. Neither would be hired elsewhere laterally if they were let go today.

I have said it a lot, but they need a large "under new management" signal to the rest of the hockey world. Pegula would have to change drastically and hire someone who has a ton of credibility and is well-liked and respected as the Team President, and signal that the President has full autonomy and plentiful resources to build a top professional hockey program.

This is not going to happen anytime soon. We are going to be stuck under Adams for at least 2-3 more seasons, and probably stuck with Granato for at least another half season before they slide Appert in there.

Adams should be fired today for missteps as a GM. He's hasn't done enough to make this a winning team. But, for him to make it past next season, the team is going to have to have some level of success. And that means playoffs. There is no reasonable way any owner can justify 5 years of no playoff under a GM with no track record especially after the team showed its talent level in last season. I almost guarantee at the end of the season presser Adams is going to play the injury card as the reason they didn't make the playoffs.

Adams was handed a .500 team with a young franchise center, top line winger, and 1st overall pick d-man. This wasn't starting at ground zero. To not be able to turn that into a playoff team in 4 years is a big enough failure, for 5 would be just asking for the fans to revolt.

In an ideal world he gets fired this summer and we start anew with a good front office and renewed commitment from the ownership. From what I can tell, that isn't going to happen. I don't imagine a world with 5 years of no playoffs gets kept on.

 

[TageGod]

Adams should be fired today for missteps as a GM. He's hasn't done enough to make this a winning team. But, for him to make it past next season, the team is going to have to have some level of success. And that means playoffs. There is no reasonable way any owner can justify 5 years of no playoff under a GM with no track record especially after the team showed its talent level in last season. I almost guarantee at the end of the season presser Adams is going to play the injury card as the reason they didn't make the playoffs.

Adams was handed a .500 team with a young franchise center, top line winger, and 1st overall pick d-man. This wasn't starting at ground zero. To not be able to turn that into a playoff team in 4 years is a big enough failure, for 5 would be just asking for the fans to revolt.

In an ideal world he gets fired this summer and we start anew with a good front office and renewed commitment from the ownership. From what I can tell, that isn't going to happen. I don't imagine a world with 5 years of no playoffs gets kept on.

Worst team in the league. Overperformed for one calendar year on a coach bump and complete reckless abandon for defense. This is finishing 3 years of rebuild.

 

[EichHart]

Yes to this.
The Sabres will always be disadvantaged due to the attractiveness of the city to 20-something millionaires and tax situation. (however, we have the proximity to Ontario and the East time zone thing).

Nothing is stopping this organization from becoming a gold standard organization in the NHL other than terrible ownership (and by extension management). They have been plagued by it to some degree since the late 90s, so it is engrained in everyone involved with the sport. Under Pegula it has gotten worse, and under "economic, efficient, and effective" with Adams, it has cratered. Players come here and their production, numbers (and earning potential) wither. The team is reluctant to replace ineffective coaching staffs the same as other teams do routinely.
The treatment of people like LaFontaine and Eichel also are a factor, as well as the culling of the front office staff at the pandemic.
Then we have a GM who was previously picking families for the Jr Sabres as the GM, and a head coach with no business coaching in the NHL. Neither would be hired elsewhere laterally if they were let go today.

I have said it a lot, but they need a large "under new management" signal to the rest of the hockey world. Pegula would have to change drastically and hire someone who has a ton of credibility and is well-liked and respected as the Team President, and signal that the President has full autonomy and plentiful resources to build a top professional hockey program.

This is not going to happen anytime soon. We are going to be stuck under Adams for at least 2-3 more seasons, and probably stuck with Granato for at least another half season before they slide Appert in there.

Doesn't seem to be a problem for the Bills. Win and players will want to be here. Especially as so many hockey players are from canada/northern us compared to football players who are predominately from southern part of the country.

 

[May Day 10]

Adams should be fired today for missteps as a GM. He's hasn't done enough to make this a winning team. But, for him to make it past next season, the team is going to have to have some level of success. And that means playoffs. There is no reasonable way any owner can justify 5 years of no playoff under a GM with no track record especially after the team showed its talent level in last season. I almost guarantee at the end of the season presser Adams is going to play the injury card as the reason they didn't make the playoffs.

Adams was handed a .500 team with a young franchise center, top line winger, and 1st overall pick d-man. This wasn't starting at ground zero. To not be able to turn that into a playoff team in 4 years is a big enough failure, for 5 would be just asking for the fans to revolt.

In an ideal world he gets fired this summer and we start anew with a good front office and renewed commitment from the ownership. From what I can tell, that isn't going to happen. I don't imagine a world with 5 years of no playoffs gets kept on.

Zero chance for this Summer (just look at that recent letter to STH signed by "Terry and Kevyn).

I do not think he will be fired next year either. Terry absolutely loves the guy and takes pride in Adams is his personal discovery/protege.
This team isn't bad enough to just bottom-out. They can still play the fire-Granato card next season to outsource some of the blame.

Terry will play games instead of fire Adams, and also continue with excuses (injuries, NTCs, etc). We will get that "Adams will finally get to hire his own coach", or one of those classic Bills/Russ brandon maneuvers to buy time like "Adams will assume the role of team executive president of hockey operations, Karmanos is now the Associate general Manager, and Jeremiah Crowe gets a promotion". Unfortunately optimistic fans always eat this stuff up as some kind of improvement.


It is going to take Terry waking up one day and deciding that he is sick of the team failing, and he is willing to step back from this nonsensical fantasy that he can be a hockey executive, and build a management structure in good-faith (without 'communication' being the #1 priority of the organization) before Adams is fired. It is my feeling that day is likely multiple more seasons away.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

Adams should be fired today for missteps as a GM. He's hasn't done enough to make this a winning team. But, for him to make it past next season, the team is going to have to have some level of success. And that means playoffs. There is no reasonable way any owner can justify 5 years of no playoff under a GM with no track record especially after the team showed its talent level in last season. I almost guarantee at the end of the season presser Adams is going to play the injury card as the reason they didn't make the playoffs.

Adams was handed a .500 team with a young franchise center, top line winger, and 1st overall pick d-man. This wasn't starting at ground zero. To not be able to turn that into a playoff team in 4 years is a big enough failure, for 5 would be just asking for the fans to revolt.

In an ideal world he gets fired this summer and we start anew with a good front office and renewed commitment from the ownership. From what I can tell, that isn't going to happen. I don't imagine a world with 5 years of no playoffs gets kept on.

The GM getting fired?? I don't even think any of us expect that they'll fire the assistant coach who ran the worst PP any of us have every witnessed, much less the coach, mech less the GM.

I think the GM gets several more years regardless of results. That's what happens when the owner puts what is basically his son in charge. Nepotism hires tend to last as long as the owner does.

 

[Jim Bob]

The GM getting fired?? I don't even think any of us expect that they'll fire the assistant coach who ran the worst PP any of us have every witnessed, much less the coach, mech less the GM.

I think the GM gets several more years regardless of results. That's what happens when the owner puts what is basically his son in charge. Nepotism hires tend to last as long as the owner does.

I view Adams as much more of a Yes Man than a nepobaby.

And given the way Pegula talked when he let Botterill go and hired Adams, it seems to be that Pegula is not using wins and losses to evaluate GMs. It is about keeping ownership in the conversation with roster moves and the GM doing the things that the owners want, like the firings that Adams had to do on his first day as GM.

As long as Adams keeps Pegula involved in what is going on and he does the things that Pegula asks him to do, then I doubt Adams is getting fired just because of the drought continuing on.

And on the drought front, I think it was Matthew Fairburn that pointed out that if you just started the drought clock on the day Adams was hired, the Sabres would have the 5th longest playoff drought in the NHL.

 

[Ace]

Mittelstadt was their best forward many many nights the last year. He creates a big hole that needs to be filled with a player capable of being that going forward.

How is Kev looking at it?



..

Ok. Well..at least a new coach with a new system will…



…

Ok. At least they’ll overhaul the power…



…

Ok. So. f***.

They really believe they’re doing things right. We are so f***ed.

 

[HaNotsri]

The GM getting fired?? I don't even think any of us expect that they'll fire the assistant coach who ran the worst PP any of us have every witnessed, much less the coach, mech less the GM.

I think the GM gets several more years regardless of results. That's what happens when the owner puts what is basically his son in charge. Nepotism hires tend to last as long as the owner does.

Why would you ever adopt an accountant?

 

[BFLO]

Mittelstadt was their best forward many many nights the last year. He creates a big hole that needs to be filled with a player capable of being that going forward.

How is Kev looking at it?



..

Ok. Well..at least a new coach with a new system will…



…

Ok. At least they’ll overhaul the power…



…

Ok. So. f***.

They really believe they’re doing things right. We are so f***ed.

"There weren't a lot of system changes this season" -Donny Granato

That's an astonishing thing to admit, that your system or lack there of has no affect on the outcomes or performance of the team.

Donny basically saying that he hasn't coached them any different this year versus last, and that being 3rd in gf/60 last season was a fluke and it's equally a fluke that we're 23rd this season.

 

[Ace]

"There weren't a lot of system changes this season" -Donny Granato

That's an astonishing thing to admit, that your system or lack there of has no affect on the outcomes or performance of the team.

Donny basically saying that he hasn't coached them any different this year versus last, and that being 3rd in gf/60 last season was a fluke and it's equally a fluke that we're 23rd this season.

Wait until he finds out about goalie regression and we finish dead last in the Atlantic next year.

 

[TageGod]

"There weren't a lot of system changes this season" -Donny Granato

That's an astonishing thing to admit, that your system or lack there of has no affect on the outcomes or performance of the team.

Donny basically saying that he hasn't coached them any different this year versus last, and that being 3rd in gf/60 last season was a fluke and it's equally a fluke that we're 23rd this season.

They shirked the defense system last year, then adopted it this year and failed to do two things at once. Chances are the Sabre's exist between 3 and 23, probably 10-15 with this team next year assuming a similar competent player replaces Mitts.

 

[BFLO]

They shirked the defense system last year, then adopted it this year and failed to do two things at once. Chances are the Sabre's exist between 3 and 23, probably 10-15 with this team next year assuming a similar competent player replaces Mitts.

"There weren't a lot of system changes this season" -Donny Granato

Going from not playing a defensive system to playing a defensive system is a big system change. Granato says that didn't happen.

 

[TehDoak]

Mittelstadt was their best forward many many nights the last year. He creates a big hole that needs to be filled with a player capable of being that going forward.

How is Kev looking at it?



..

Ok. Well..at least a new coach with a new system will…



…

Ok. At least they’ll overhaul the power…



…

Ok. So. f***.

They really believe they’re doing things right. We are so f***ed.

Is there audio/video of this interview somewhere?

Overall though, from those snippets, simply seems like more of the same.

The big defense upgrade was adding a 22 year old. Going to either fill in for Mittelstadt internally OR maybe go out and get someone, maybe. Coaching changes? Naaaaah. It's not that we are trying to run the same play every time on the Power Play, it's the injuries thats the problem. Just keep trying the same shit and hoping for different results.

 

[Jim Bob]

Is there audio/video of this interview somewhere?

Overall though, from those snippets, simply seems like more of the same.

The big defense upgrade was adding a 22 year old. Going to either fill in for Mittelstadt internally OR maybe go out and get someone, maybe. Coaching changes? Naaaaah. It's not that we are trying to run the same play every time on the Power Play, it's the injuries thats the problem. Just keep trying the same shit and hoping for different results.

Since it was a STH event, I doubt there is a recording of it.

 

[May Day 10]

I got the invite for that and couldnt think of anything I wanted to do less than go see Kevyn Adams talk and answer questions. My eyes would roll right out of my head hearing all the fluff.
It looks like most people had the same thought.


I went to one last year that was Quinn and Peterka. It was really cool to bring my son there.

 

[TageGod]

"There weren't a lot of system changes this season" -Donny Granato

Going from not playing a defensive system to playing a defensive system is a big system change. Granato says that didn't happen.

You are misconstruing his words. the system in place, versus how they performed in the system changes drastically. They had the same D zone coverage, same offensive identity, they just cheated and took chances and pushed the pace to make every game a shootout because their goalie sucked. Now relying more on the system, they sucked.

 

[BFLO]

You are misconstruing his words. the system in place, versus how they performed in the system changes drastically. They had the same D zone coverage, same offensive identity, they just cheated and took chances and pushed the pace to make every game a shootout because their goalie sucked. Now relying more on the system, they sucked.

Are you really buying the BS Donnie is feeding you? That the system was in place last year, it just wasn't in use?

Can you explain the difference in outcomes between a system that is not in use and a system that doesn't exist?

 

[TageGod]

View attachment 834597

Are you really buying the BS Donnie is feeding you? That the system was in place last year, it just wasn't in use?

Can you explain the difference in outcomes between a system that is not in use and a system that doesn't exist?

Are you actually naive enough to think Donny is telling his players to do nothing? Did you see their VGK game? That is their system. When this team is ON they can beat anyone except FLA and SEA. The defensive system was always there, which does not include cheating in the defensive zone and being too aggressive at bad times. Oh and clearing the crease actually exists too. The players just don't execute it well or aren't good enough to execute it. The difference between the two years is the team has pulled back to focus more on details without the puck and defensive zone. This is NOT A SYSTEM CHANGE. The team was simply way too poor and goaltending was too bad in the defensive zone to play that way. So they took advantage of crazy hot players and just attacked all game.

 

[Ehran]

Can you explain the difference in outcomes between a system that is not in use and a system that doesn't exist?

Not sober I can't.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

When Donny says "system," he just means "man-on-man" vs "zone."

That's all he means. Just because he keeps the same system for defensive coverage, doesn't mean he isn't changing tactics. I don't think he will every play man-on-man since he seems to think it wastes energy.

I barely know anything about coaching but this isn't that hard to grasp. I honestly don't think one is naturally better than the other, but zone is probably better for younger/lower-IQ players since it's easier to execute and less prone to mistakes.

 

[Beerz]

When Donny says "system," he just means "man-on-man" vs "zone."

That's all he means. Just because he keeps the same system for defensive coverage, doesn't mean he isn't changing tactics. I don't think he will every play man-on-man since he seems to think it wastes energy.

I barely know anything about coaching but this isn't that hard to grasp. I honestly don't think one is naturally better than the other, but zone is probably better for younger/lower-IQ players since it's easier to execute and less prone to mistakes.

Jim Boeheim of hockey

 

[Dingo44]

Why did I come in here?

 

[Ehran]

Bad Bryson appears to have returned.

 

[Deep Blue Metallic]

Credit where due.

I was hoping for a more experienced top-4 add - Hanifin, Pesce, Andersson, Roy, etc.

Instead Adams acquires a 22 year-old with 140+ games experience and a Stanley Cup under his belt. A guy who is apparently besties with Cozens, good friends with Krebs, knows Bryson personally, and has played WJC with Levi. The pairing with Dahlin looks made in heaven, and they're just getting started. His addition has revitalized a moribund power play. Not only is he putting up goals and points, but he's a fine defender. Watch his head-on-a-swivel d-zone play, and hope it rubs off on the rest of our guys.

Adams realized an opportunity to sell high on Casey, to a team desperate for a capable 2C, knowing that Byram would never have a shot at a top-pairing spot with the Avs. That's excellent situational awareness in my books.

One seemingly great move (possibly for both teams) does not a quality GM make, but more of the same, please.

 

[ValJamesDuex]

Kevyn Adams on the trade deadline

https://www.audacy.com/wgr550/sports/sabres/kevyn-adams-speaks-highly-on-bowen-byram