Kevyn Adams GM thread

ValJamesDuex

Registered User
Nov 4, 2021
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This guy as a gm is dead on his feet.

The question is, when does Terry figure it out. Soon? Or does he wait a few more years and allow the drought to grow?
He's a cover up artist for the owner, so not likely anytime soon until the stands are empty.
 

Sabresbyswords104

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Dec 7, 2019
704
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Problem is that we all can see the same problem exist now as it did at the start of the season. This is nothing that Will change drastically during the season if its not happening soon. Adams need to fill the holes . If we wait and wait for a breakthrough it need to start soon or we Will miss the playoffs again. And these contracts to cozens etc they need to start perform showing they worth it now. Adams cant continue handing out Long term if they havent perform multiple season in a row or we Will be stuck with a team with no Centers
 

dire wolf

immaculate vibes
May 9, 2006
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Out in LA
I didn't watch the presser - and based on the comments here, I'm not going to because my life has enough frustration in it already. The thing that kills me is that, IMO, Adams has actually done some good things. He rebuilt the amateur scouting and analytics department, and he has made some good moves and signed some pretty good deals. The drafting has been a big improvement over previous regimes. There are definitely some swings and misses, but I rate him way above the previous 2 GMs. The tough part is that this team has been so close to breaking through, but it's missing 1 or 2 high quality established pieces, and he just can't get that done.

In the summer of 2023, basically sat on his hands. That was a huge miss. This past summer, he tried to swing big for Necas but didn't have a backup plan. He's had years to get that missing top-line winger or 2C or #4 RD. He actually did a good job this year with the 4th line and Zucker and McLeod - but he just can't fill the bigger holes. Some of the previous deals he's made seemed ok at the time to most people but just didn't work out - like Hall and Staal. He's not wrong that BUF is a tough sell to a lot of players right now, but that's the hand you have to play.

I have a hard time judging the Eichel and Reinhart situations because I think his hands were tied to a large extent by the medical staff (Eichel) and to some extent by Botts bridging Reinhart for 2 years instead of locking him up.

I've been patient with Adams and have a higher opinion of him than probably almost all of you, but it's time for them to bring in a heavy hitter who can get the big deals done.
 
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Fjordy

It's a disaster
Jun 20, 2018
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I will say this, and this alone, when it comes to Adams/Pegula...

The Sabres have spent money. They are not misers. To suggest that they are is stupid.

They have also made draft picks that we generally liked at the time.

Where they have failed, time and again, is in properly developing these guys. It's an absurd contrast to the Reiger years, where he would stash players away for years until they were ready.

I think Adams should be fired because he has no understanding of how to run an organization, not because he wasn't aggressive towards big fish. He can bring all the big fish in that he wants, but this is a cultural issue that needs to be built from the ground up and he cannot do it. He simply cannot.
What does big fish have to do with it, nobody is asking him to overpay UFA like Stamkos or Marchessault, just find the right players, but he doesn't even try, because other GMs find it for pennies or a little more, and Adams is just fine with Jokiharju, Bryson in the top 4, he is fine with having many kids in the top 6. That's what's terrible.

Look at Ruff and his previous team. GM Devils added Ruff Meier, Palat (although not very successfully), and they already had guys like Hughes, Hischier, Bratt in the top 6.

Even this season, just compare RD Devils and RD Sabres.

Hamilton, Pesce, Kovacevic, plus Nemec and Casey as young RDs.

We have Jokiharju, Clifton, Metsa (NO NHL CONTRACT), young Komarov and Prow? Yes, one of Byram and Dahlin can play RD, but Ruff has already said that he would prefer the guys to play on their side.

What did Fitzgerald do for young Luke Hughes? That's right, sign an experienced veteran in Pesce to play with him. What did Adams do for young Dahlin and Power? NO f***ING THING.

Fitzgerald went and signed Stefan Noesen and it pisses me off because I really wanted that player in Buffalo, couldn't they have offered him more money, that's a ridiculous contract for a guy like that. Because he would have been a perfect player for us, he's good in all situations and great front of the net and that was already known from his play in Canes. Well, if Adams paid him 3-3.5 million a year, is that a big fish or are there palm trees in New Jersey?

Need to be able to work conscientiously, and not whine about palm trees, taxes and other nonsense. This is a disgrace, not a general manager.
 
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TehDoak

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I will say this, and this alone, when it comes to Adams/Pegula...

The Sabres have spent money. They are not misers. To suggest that they are is stupid.

They’ve been in the bottom 5 or worse in terms of spending the last four years. Two of those below the cap using ltir to stay above it.

They have also made draft picks that we generally liked at the time.

It’s far too early to judge their drafts.

Where they have failed, time and again, is in properly developing these guys. It's an absurd contrast to the Reiger years, where he would stash players away for years until they were ready.

I think Adams should be fired because he has no understanding of how to run an organization, not because he wasn't aggressive towards big fish. He can bring all the big fish in that he wants, but this is a cultural issue that needs to be built from the ground up and he cannot do it. He simply cannot.

The problem ties together. Don’t block the kids as an organizational philosophy was simply a cover for not wanting to pay vets. But yes, this has been a prime example of not how to rebuild and develop
This is why you don’t hire someone with no experience at any level of hockey in management to do a rebuild.
 

debaser66

Registered User
Mar 10, 2012
5,224
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Players not wanting to be traded to Buffalo has absolutely nothing to do with missing the playoffs every year.
Or anybody checking our GMs pressers.
Probably players don't care when a team is winning but if your losing for 14 seasons and 5 under recent and he is making excuses like he just took over the job.
I hope Terry was watching and that was the last straw ahh 🌴 log
 

debaser66

Registered User
Mar 10, 2012
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I didn't watch the presser - and based on the comments here, I'm not going to because my life has enough frustration in it already. The thing that kills me is that, IMO, Adams has actually done some good things. He rebuilt the amateur scouting and analytics department, and he has made some good moves and signed some pretty good deals. The drafting has been a big improvement over previous regimes. There are definitely some swings and misses, but I rate him way above the previous 2 GMs. The tough part is that this team has been so close to breaking through, but it's missing 1 or 2 high quality established pieces, and he just can't get that done.

In the summer of 2023, basically sat on his hands. That was a huge miss. This past summer, he tried to swing big for Necas but didn't have a backup plan. He's had years to get that missing top-line winger or 2C or #4 RD. He actually did a good job this year with the 4th line and Zucker and McLeod - but he just can't fill the bigger holes. Some of the previous deals he's made seemed ok at the time to most people but just didn't work out - like Hall and Staal. He's not wrong that BUF is a tough sell to a lot of players right now, but that's the hand you have to play.

I have a hard time judging the Eichel and Reinhart situations because I think his hands were tied to a large extent by the medical staff (Eichel) and to some extent by Botts bridging Reinhart for 2 years instead of locking him up.

I've been patient with Adams and have a higher opinion of him than probably almost all of you, but it's time for them to bring in a heavy hitter who can get the big deals done.
You are missing the Mitts deal which was 100 percent his doing.
He made the forward C spine worse which was already not good enough.
He bet on Cozens because he can't revert from plans he laid out (and also because he paid him 7 mil).
He failed big time 2 seasons in a row.
He neither managed to fill the 2C position nor get the much needed top4 savvy steady vet RD (just another inexperienced puck moving LD)
He continually forced inexperienced players to fill important roles and failed multiple times.
 

TehDoak

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In having a few hours to digest this and looking at the overall reaction....If Adams doesn't make the playoffs he is 100% toast as a GM. There was an insider (I believe it was on 32 thoughts) who specifically said "The Pegulas can deal with a lot but they don't like to be embarrassed"

The Press conference and excuses by Adams was embarrassing. Are the tax rate and weather a a factor in the teams inability to add talent? Sure. Are they the reason we can't add talent? No. Its the 13 year playoff drought. 5 of which Adams was personally the GM for.

I really don't understand why he came out and spoke at all. I am curious if the Pegulas made him do it. If he went out and did this of his own weird sense of 'accountability' he is dumber than I thought. The fan base was already mad and nothing he could say was going to fix it. He certainly isn't deflecting any blame away from the team on the ice.
 

ValJamesDuex

Registered User
Nov 4, 2021
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Why wasn't this idiot asked about the situation with Levi and Reimer?
Harrington brought up Levi's (and JJ) contract in regard to the cap space available and said that (extensions) are not happening now and Adams answered back and said you should try telling that to their agents.

In having a few hours to digest this and looking at the overall reaction....If Adams doesn't make the playoffs he is 100% toast as a GM. There was an insider (I believe it was on 32 thoughts) who specifically said "The Pegulas can deal with a lot but they don't like to be embarrassed"

The Press conference and excuses by Adams was embarrassing. Are the tax rate and weather a a factor in the teams inability to add talent? Sure. Are they the reason we can't add talent? No. Its the 13 year playoff drought. 5 of which Adams was personally the GM for.

I really don't understand why he came out and spoke at all. I am curious if the Pegulas made him do it. If he went out and did this of his own weird sense of 'accountability' he is dumber than I thought. The fan base was already mad and nothing he could say was going to fix it. He certainly isn't deflecting any blame away from the team on the ice.
The Buffalo press corp requested it after the worst defeat in Sabres history this week. I would say that was pretty embarrassing.
 
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Tijuana Donkey Show

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Mar 14, 2023
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You are missing the Mitts deal which was 100 percent his doing.
He made the forward C spine worse which was already not good enough.
He bet on Cozens because he can't revert from plans he laid out (and also because he paid him 7 mil).
He failed big time 2 seasons in a row.
He neither managed to fill the 2C position nor get the much needed top4 savvy steady vet RD (just another inexperienced puck moving LD)
He continually forced inexperienced players to fill important roles and failed multiple times.

The worst part of the Mitts trade was that Adams didn’t even try and get an extension done. He didn’t even reach out to Mitts or his agent about it.

It’s insane.
In having a few hours to digest this and looking at the overall reaction....If Adams doesn't make the playoffs he is 100% toast as a GM. There was an insider (I believe it was on 32 thoughts) who specifically said "The Pegulas can deal with a lot but they don't like to be embarrassed"

The Press conference and excuses by Adams was embarrassing. Are the tax rate and weather a a factor in the teams inability to add talent? Sure. Are they the reason we can't add talent? No. Its the 13 year playoff drought. 5 of which Adams was personally the GM for.

I really don't understand why he came out and spoke at all. I am curious if the Pegulas made him do it. If he went out and did this of his own weird sense of 'accountability' he is dumber than I thought. The fan base was already mad and nothing he could say was going to fix it. He certainly isn't deflecting any blame away from the team on the ice.
it is mind boggling that the guy who is in charge of recruiting and adding talent to the team constantly stands up in public and says how undesirable it is to come here.

Sure, these can be closed door conversations that he has with scouts, Terry, Lindy, etc in regards to how they can overcome these hurdles?

But to publicly say this, I don’t know, half a dozen times? Imagine being an agent or an UFA and this guy reaches out to come to Buffalo? He cost himself all the leverage.

As a fan and a Buffalonian it’s infuriating. As somebody who worked in college athletics for a bit it’s cause for immediate termination.
 

petteri

Registered User
Apr 22, 2006
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Miami, FL USA
I'm watching this now, and despite having read through most of the reactions here, I'm still shocked at his cavalier attitude throughout this whole thing.

Nothing much to add, but what I'd like to see now is Pegula to fire him, and announce, publicly at a press conference *today* that he cleaning house starting now. That and apologize for his initial claims back when he purchased the team and his utter failure at achieving those goals. It's his team, own it.

Now back to reality, none of that is going to happen.
 

May Day 10

Registered User
Apr 19, 2006
792
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St Catharines, ON
I'm watching this now, and despite having read through most of the reactions here, I'm still shocked at his cavalier attitude throughout this whole thing.

Nothing much to add, but what I'd like to see now is Pegula to fire him, and announce, publicly at a press conference *today* that he cleaning house starting now. That and apologize for his initial claims back when he purchased the team and his utter failure at achieving those goals. It's his team, own it.

Now back to reality, none of that is going to happen.


Not in a million years.

Pegula probably thinks they are on the right track. He has contempt for media and fans.

If they just stick with their plan with "authentic" people in place, and openly "collaborate", then success is inevitable.
 

OkimLom

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May 3, 2010
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The press conference was a self-inflicted wound on top of countless amount of other self-inflicted wounds with their team building decisions.

The organization isn’t even a scrappy enough team that one could see cheering for as it goes through a mentality of us vs the world which Adams I’m sure feels like it is.

Adams has built an unlikable team, from a collection of talent that have attributes about them that should make it easy to like them. He was given the benefit of the doubt by this fanbase for a lot longer than he truly deserved, and I feel like that was because he tried to build the team from within. He continued to make poor decision after poor decision refusing to address the smaller issues at hand with a smirk on his face and a smugness so thick.

The man doesn’t know what he’s doing and he’s been coasting by pretending to have a plan or knows what needs to be fixed. We are exactly where we were when Terry bought the team in terms of perception of the organization.
 

jc17

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Jun 14, 2013
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In having a few hours to digest this and looking at the overall reaction....If Adams doesn't make the playoffs he is 100% toast as a GM.
Usually in that spot a gm will be throwing risky moves to save their job


People are acting like kevyn is destroying the team for personal gain when the reality is he's sticking himself in the crosshairs


Like even if there is a pegula financial restriction, if he was desperate he could trade cozens in a shakeup move, or power where there'd be a lot of salary leaving and he wouldn't really have to worry about the future
 

BFLO

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Deep revisionist history here.

The depths of the drought were the 12k attendance worst teams of the decade years, of course. Not a grouchy fanbase pissed off that we lost some close games to very good teams in Dec 2024.

And Adams "running" those guys out of town is a new level of cope. They were long gone mentally.
No! You're grossly uninformed of basic facts that can be easily googled. Educate yourself.

Attendance has been worse the last 4 years than in the tank years.

2013-2014 the Reinhart Tank season we averaged 18,579 or 97.4% attendance
2014-2015 the McEichel tank season we averaged 18,580 or 97.4% attendance.

2021-2022: 9,997 53.7% (first season that could be attended after losing Eichel, Reinhart and Ullmark)

This year we are at 15,586 or 81.9% attendance


Still defending Adams in 2024-25? There's no cope greater than that.
 

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