Kevyn Adams GM thread

[ValJamesDuex]

Adams must be fired, no options. I'd rather give Karmanos a chance if Terry doesn't want to hire anyone from outside than continue to watch Adams do nothing to fix the situation when he had plenty of opportunities to do so.

I feel Pegs is holding Adams back from doing anything to improve the team for whatever reasons, super ego, tax write off, relations in the organization advising him, etc.

Whenever other gm's in the league are said to find dealing with Adams difficult, or he over values his players and assets, I think some of that in the owners meddling as well.

Adams overpaid for bottom 6 assets this summer (who have 8 goals through half the the season btw). But would not do the same for a top 6 forward and continues his reluctance to add experienced D.

 

[Fjordy]

I feel Pegs is holding Adams back from doing anything to improve the team for whatever reasons, super ego, tax write off, relations in the organization advising him, etc.

I have no idea, it's some kind of worldwide pit of lies then, where the GM constantly lies to us all so as not to tarnish the owner. But it could also be Adams himself, who is simply not an active GM and is as convinced as Terry that the solution is in this room.

 

[ValJamesDuex]

I have no idea, it's some kind of worldwide pit of lies then, where the GM constantly lies to us all so as not to tarnish the owner. But it could also be Adams himself, who is simply not an active GM and is as convinced as Terry that the solution is in this room.

The best part was the Sabres PR that trickled out after the Wash game that they are still in the playoff race lol Talk about a franchise of delusion and trying to get people to go to games.

 

[Ace]

I have no idea, it's some kind of worldwide pit of lies then, where the GM constantly lies to us all so as not to tarnish the owner. But it could also be Adams himself, who is simply not an active GM and is as convinced as Terry that the solution is in this room.

I’m convinced he’s just lying whilst doing his primary job of keeping costs as low as he can. The only thing Kevyn Adams has the qualifications to know is what a winning hockey team looks like. Because he was on one. And he knows running kids out with giant holes in the lineup isn’t one. But he knows it’s cheap. And that is enough

 

[Chainshot]

Adams might need someone to send him this -

 

[Deep Blue Metallic]

Once the faint playoff light flickers out, even Terry will have to concede that his boy Adams has to go.

Hopefully it's well before the trade deadline. I really don't want any more of his fingerprints on the roster.

 

[Jim Bob]

Once the faint playoff light flickers out, even Terry will have to concede that his boy Adams has to go.

Hopefully it's well before the trade deadline. I really don't want any more of his fingerprints on the roster.

Terry doesn't have to do anything.

And if you look at why he's let the last two Sabres GMs go, it wasn't about wins and losses.

 

[Fjordy]

Terry doesn't have to do anything.

And if you look at why he's let the last two Sabres GMs go, it wasn't about wins and losses.

Imagine if Adams disagreed with some decision of Terry's.

 

[Deep Blue Metallic]

Terry doesn't have to do anything.

And if you look at why he's let the last two Sabres GMs go, it wasn't about wins and losses.

In the sense that Pegula can do as he pleases as owner, okay, but surely his patience for a playoff berth under Adams isn't limitless.

Do you think Adams will be GM on opening night 2025/26? I say not a chance.

 

[Dubi Doo]

The man ain't going anywhere now that they've 'turned it around'. Sad. There's just no way I can see him building a contender. He has no idea what he's doing with the defense, and the team is always going to lack that franchise #1 C with whom I have no doubts Adams will hope one of Tage or Cozens emerges into that role rather than doing everything in his power to obtain one if they ever become available.

This timeline sucks. I want off this ride. Oh well, thank the football gods they've been lenient on the Bills lately. I'll be at the game on Sunday, so not all is bad in Buffalo land!

 

[Fjordy]

The man ain't going anywhere now that they've 'turned it around'. Sad. There's just no way I can see him building a contender. He has no idea what he's doing with the defense, and the team is always going to lack that franchise #1 C with whom I have no doubts Adams will hope one of Tage or Cozens emerges into that role rather than doing everything in his power to obtain one if they ever become available.

This timeline sucks. I want off this ride. Oh well, thank the football gods they've been lenient on the Bills lately. I'll be at the game on Sunday, so not all is bad in Buffalo land!

I wouldn't rush with turned it around just yet, there are still a lot of difficult games ahead in January, especially the trip to the West.

 

[Dubi Doo]

I wouldn't rush with turned it around just yet, there are still a lot of difficult games ahead in January, especially the trip to the West.

True, but you know Pegula and co. are content now. They're seeing the young guys start to emerge more, so all is going as planned even though teams are now looking past us every game. Yuck.

 

[Fjordy]

True, but you know Pegula and co. are content now. They're seeing the young guys start to emerge more, so all is going as planned even though teams are now looking past us every game. Yuck.

 

[Jim Bob]

In the sense that Pegula can do as he pleases as owner, okay, but surely his patience for a playoff berth under Adams isn't limitless.

Do you think Adams will be GM on opening night 2025/26? I say not a chance.

As long as Kevyn Adams is in daily communication with Terry Pegula and continues to make decisions that Pegula is on board with, I think his job is safer than fans and media will hope for.

Pegula wants a GM that will be in constant communication with him and that makes him "feel heard." I think that is something that Adams is really good at.

 

[Fjordy]

As long as Kevyn Adams is in daily communication with Terry Pegula and continues to make decisions that Pegula is on board with, I think his job is safer than fans and media will hope for.

Pegula wants a GM that will be in constant communication with him and that makes him "feel heard." I think that is something that Adams is really good at.

Can we find such a GM, but competent. Isn't it similar in Carolina? It seems their owner constantly asks about everything regularly and communicates with GM. But they have no problem getting it right and consistently making playoff appearances.

 

[Jim Bob]

Can we find such a GM, but competent. Isn't it similar in Carolina? It seems their owner constantly asks about everything regularly and communicates with GM. But they have no problem getting it right and consistently making playoff appearances.

Carolina's owner is maybe the most hands on owner when it comes to player personnel decisions. He is also hyper-driven to optimize everything and he believes that being an NHL GM is easy and he is unwilling to pay a lot for a GM.

So, I don't know if that is a model that we want Pegula trying to follow...

 

[Fjordy]

Carolina's owner is maybe the most hands on owner when it comes to player personnel decisions. He is also hyper-driven to optimize everything and he believes that being an NHL GM is easy and he is unwilling to pay a lot for a GM.

So, I don't know if that is a model that we want Pegula trying to follow...

But at the same time they have competent GMs, coaches, they even have an advisor in the person of Michael Futa. Honestly, you don't have to be like that, but just hire the right people, even if you want to be efficient and economical.

 

[Jim Bob]

But at the same time they have competent GMs, coaches, they even have an advisor in the person of Michael Futa. Honestly, you don't have to be like that, but just hire the right people, even if you want to be efficient and economical.

When he hired Adams, Pegula did not prioritize proven competence as an NHL front office person.

Pegula wanted someone as the GM that had proven that Pegula could trust to listen to him and do what Pegula wanted.

Until that mindset changes...

 

[Fjordy]

When he hired Adams, Pegula did not prioritize proven competence as an NHL front office person.

Pegula wanted someone as the GM that had proven that Pegula could trust to listen to him and do what Pegula wanted.

Until that mindset changes...

Yeah, unfortunately Terry is a total idiot about this.

 

[DapperCam]

My pet theory is that the Bills date of exit from the playoffs + 2-4 weeks is when Adams will get the axe, unless the team has some crazy turnaround in that time.

Do we really think Pegula is paying attention to the Sabres while the Bills are in the playoffs and have a real shot at a Super Bowl? No chance.

 

[Jim Bob]

Yeah, unfortunately Terry is a total idiot about this.

Right now, Karmanos would seem like the most likely option if Pegula ever decides to move off of Adams. And that is only if Karmanos has proven to be on Pegula's good list. And who knows who within the building has proven to be what Pegula likes or not.

And that applies to Ventura, Forton, Jakubowski, or anyone else that is currently a part of the Sabres FO.

My pet theory is that the Bills date of exit from the playoffs + 2-4 weeks is when Adams will get the axe, unless the team has some crazy turnaround in that time.

Do we really think Pegula is paying attention to the Sabres while the Bills are in the playoffs and have a real shot at a Super Bowl? No chance.

He has been talking to Adams every day and made a big deal about going to see the team in Montreal.

Pegula is absolutely tuned in to what the Sabres are doing.

 

[DapperCam]

He has been talking to Adams every day and made a big deal about going to see the team in Montreal.

Pegula is absolutely tuned in to what the Sabres are doing.

That was during the period of time after the Bills locked up the division and were 90% already locked into their playoff seed. Even I tuned out for a few weeks there.

 

[joshjull]

When he hired Adams, Pegula did not prioritize proven competence as an NHL front office person.

Pegula wanted someone as the GM that had proven that Pegula could trust to listen to him and do what Pegula wanted.

Until that mindset changes...

Some of this is right. Some of it is an oversimplification that’s conflating things and has a pinch of conspiracy sprinkled in, just a pinch though.

There are two main factors that form the context of Adams hiring.

1) Off ice stuff/front office -> Botts wouldn’t gut the front office and it lead to his firing. Adams was willing to do so, it’s part** of why he got the job. That’s the “do what Pegula wanted” part.

2) On ice stuff/roster building -> This is when Krueger emerged. Pegula believed he found his McDermott for the Sabres in him. He was given similar power and answered directly to the owner not the GM. Adams was essentially his right hand man. It’s the exact same management structure the Pegula’s have had since they took over the Bills.

** Despite Adams having no qualifications to be a GM, he got the job in large part because Pegula knew/trusted him. He felt burned by the previous two GM situations and the advice he’d gotten. Although Pegula only has himself to blame for the LaFontaine/Murray situation.


Where the pinch of conspiracy comes in is you implying Pegula wants a yes man/puppet as GM. All based on one act, gutting the front office.

 

[Jim Bob]

Where the pinch of conspiracy comes in is you implying Pegula wants a yes man/puppet as GM. All based on one act, gutting the front office.

I am going off of what Pegula has publicly stated when Botterill was fired and Adams was hired, along with what Pegula said publicly when Murray was let go.

Communication and "feeling heard" has been a constant theme throughout the moves from Murray to Botterill and then Botterill to Adams.

Neither time was competence in the position stressed. And it is not about being a yes man or a puppet. It is keeping Pegula in the loop and having the owner's trust. Given that Pegula felt like he did not get a person he could trust as GM by hiring from the outside with the NHL's help, my guess is that when he moves on from Adams, it would be for a person that he can trust and has worked with. So, that leads me to expecting an internal hire who Pegula knows as opposed to an outside hire that he doesn't know.

I don't know why that is a conspiracy theory at all...

 

[Fjordy]

I am going off of what Pegula has publicly stated when Botterill was fired and Adams was hired, along with what Pegula said publicly when Murray was let go.

Communication and "feeling heard" has been a constant theme throughout the moves from Murray to Botterill and then Botterill to Adams.

Neither time was competence in the position stressed. And it is not about being a yes man or a puppet. It is keeping Pegula in the loop and having the owner's trust. Given that Pegula felt like he did not get a person he could trust as GM by hiring from the outside with the NHL's help, my guess is that when he moves on from Adams, it would be for a person that he can trust and has worked with. So, that leads me to expecting an internal hire who Pegula knows as opposed to an outside hire that he doesn't know.

I don't know why that is a conspiracy theory at all...

Well, Botterill kept him informed, it turns out, but he worked somehow. Of course, he did not agree with the dismissal of employees and for this he was fired.

If it will be only internal hiring, then probably let it be Karmanos + Ventura for me. I do not want Forton and his desire to draft and develop young players, it seems to me that this will be close to Adams. Internal hiring sometimes works well, you can look at other teams, the main thing is that the GM still has some freedom of action, even if he needs to constantly communicate with Terry.