The Sabres GM and Front Office Thread, Eric Staal hired as Special Asst. to the GM; Jarmo Kekäläinen hired as Senior Advisor

[SundherDome]

So a senior advisor, who has been there and done that, has to report to Adams, who isn’t qualified to do anything and has zero track record of success. Who in their right mind would sign up for that?

Has it been reported the Senior Advisor would report directly to Adams?

 

[OkimLom]

Has it been reported the Senior Advisor would report directly to Adams?

Only at the level of the details of the rumors of Sabres looking for one. In short, it’s a wait and see situation to see how Terry wants it.

 

[Beerz]

Has it been reported the Senior Advisor would report directly to Adams?

It was Friedman I believe.

 

[Ace]

That Karmanos is leaving remains a kick in the ass for the organization. He did very good work building out the minor league teams the last few years. I've liked a bunch of his depth adds - Metsa is top of that list, but Warren, Fiddler-Schultz, and Slaggert for sure have been strong contributors.

It's also the loss of one of the few people who have worked outside of this organization that bothers me.

Have to admit though…people whining that promoting Karmanos to GM wouldn’t be good getting Karmanos leaving and Adams remaining GM instead is a good bit.

 

[Der Jaeger]

Is Blake still out there and available?

I did like where he took the Kings after their championship runs. They weren’t down for long.

 

[BFLO]

I hate that Appert is sitting right next to Terry. He’s the obvious heir apparent. And is completely undeserving.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

I hate that Appert is sitting right next to Terry. He’s the obvious heir apparent. And is completely undeserving.
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He’s actually perfectly deserving. A group of mediocre performers in their roles, happy to pretend they’re trying to be competitive at hockey as long as the money keeps flowing to them personally

 

[jc17]

I hate that Appert is sitting right next to Terry. He’s the obvious heir apparent. And is completely undeserving.
View attachment 1036192

I know people feel different ways about analytics, but Ventura looking sad in every pic/video since he was hired reinforces the idea that he might be the brightest of the bunch

 

[TehDoak]

I hate that Appert is sitting right next to Terry. He’s the obvious heir apparent. And is completely undeserving.
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This entourage reboot is terrible.

 

[May Day 10]

How intense is the stampede when Terry drops something on the ground and everyone wants to be the first to pick it up for him?

Do you think Appert wipes Pegula's seat down when Pegula arrives?

 

[SnuggaRUDE]

I'm a little OOTL; weren't people generally content with Appert in Rochester?

 

[Dubi Doo]

I'm a little OOTL; weren't people generally content with Appert in Rochester?

He did pretty well, but I believe he was supposed to run the PP this year, and it was pretty dreadful. The team not progressing at all, and doing their usual 'no realistic shot at the playoffs by Jan' routine has probably soured the fans on the entire coachinf staff.

People are also tired of them consistently promoting from within. If they were a well run organization it would make sense, but they've been a tired fire for a decade, so it's a bit tiresome seeing guys getting promoted when the franchise has been sputtering for so long. The rot runs deep.

 

[Beerz]

I'm a little OOTL; weren't people generally content with Appert in Rochester?

Yeah...content doesn't mean worthy of fast tracked to the NHL

 

[May Day 10]

He did pretty well, but I believe he was supposed to run the PP this year, and it was pretty dreadful. The team not progressing at all, and doing their usual 'no realistic shot at the playoffs by Jan' routine has probably soured the fans on the entire coachinf staff.

People are also tired of them consistently promoting from within. If they were a well run organization it would make sense, but they've been a tired fire for a decade, so it's a bit tiresome seeing guys getting promoted when the franchise has been sputtering for so long. The rot runs deep.

He was very average in the AHL I think and came from a pretty miscellaneous nothing college resume. The Sabres would build him up and I remember Hamilton and Harrington last year hinting that he was going to actually get NHL HC looks which perked my ears as Sabres-planted propaganda. Sure enough, shortly after, they promoted him to 'associate coach' or whatever. He was going to be Sabres' HC if Ruff fell through.

Special teams were dreadful under his guidance. They seem to be grooming him for HC for some reason. Forced Ruff to take him on his staff. Now word is he is getting up to his elbows in personnel decisions and more. I don't like that and it is another no-experience person from NCAA or USDP who could only be employed with the Sabres.

And I hate his stupid head

 

[jc17]

Obviously record isnt the most important thing at the AHL level but points percentage by coach

Taylor: .619
Appert: .558
Leone: .639

Team got worse when he got there and better when he left...

Also everything I've read here from people that watch them consistently point out that Rochester's defensive play and structure has been just as bad as the big club's, and aside from 1 good year of PP, that was mediocre too. There's just little indication he was doing anything that well. A couple nice playoff runs, but not ready to value that over everything else

 

[BFLO]

He was very average in the AHL I think and came from a pretty miscellaneous nothing college resume. The Sabres would build him up and I remember Hamilton and Harrington last year hinting that he was going to actually get NHL HC looks which perked my ears as Sabres-planted propaganda. Sure enough, shortly after, they promoted him to 'associate coach' or whatever. He was going to be Sabres' HC if Ruff fell through.

Special teams were dreadful under his guidance. They seem to be grooming him for HC for some reason. Forced Ruff to take him on his staff. Now word is he is getting up to his elbows in personnel decisions and more. I don't like that and it is another no-experience person from NCAA or USDP who could only be employed with the Sabres.

And I hate his stupid head

What a head of hair though !

 

[Tatanka]

What a head of hair though !

He gives pressers after prospect camp, so he has that going for him, which is nice. Gunga gulunga

 

[TageGod]

In other news, future Sabre Coach Seth Apperts future replacement Leone looks promising.

 

[Ace]

How intense is the stampede when Terry drops something on the ground and everyone wants to be the first to pick it up for him?

Kevyn is usually already down there

 

[Fezzy126]

3. The Sabres haven’t made any other changes to their coaching staff at this point, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the coaching staff is set in stone. With eight teams still playing and six teams still searching for head coaches, the coaching market is still in a holding pattern. The Sabres could still upgrade their coaching staff if the right assistant becomes available. On the topic of assistant coaches, Seth Appert hasn’t taken on a bigger or unofficial role in scouting, according to a team source. Throughout his time as general manager, Adams has leaned on his coaching staff to provide input on players they have familiarity with, and that’s the extent of Appert’s involvement in that area. Appert is someone Adams thinks highly of, and he did provide some input on Josh Norris during those trade negotiations because he had experience coaching him.

 

[May Day 10]

Great, so we can blame Appert for Norris now

 

[THUNDERBURST]

Adams f***ing idiot.

 

[Chainshot]

I hate that Appert is sitting right next to Terry. He’s the obvious heir apparent. And is completely undeserving.
View attachment 1036192

Also of note, Karmanos is not in that picture.

Sam Ventura is in the middle of the "front" row. I think it's Nightingale on the right.
At first I thought is was Crowe on the Pegula's right but it's more likely Peter Guelli. I don't have any idea who the dude in the front left is - maybe Gallamini from their data department. The woman in the middle row right seems like Terri O'Brien, Pegs executive assistant.

Consider the team hasn't put out a media guide for this past season that is easily found online, that the website is just a list of people and no links, no bios, and no headshots unlike every other team out there... Hell, even the Amerks have a better one.

 

[May Day 10]

That is guelli next to pegula.

 

[OkimLom]

Also of note, Karmanos is not in that picture.

Sam Ventura is in the middle of the "front" row. I think it's Nightingale on the right.
At first I thought is was Crowe on the Pegula's right but it's more likely Peter Guelli. I don't have any idea who the dude in the front left is - maybe Gallamini from their data department. The woman in the middle row right seems like Terri O'Brien, Pegs executive assistant.

Consider the team hasn't put out a media guide for this past season that is easily found online, that the website is just a list of people and no links, no bios, and no headshots unlike every other team out there... Hell, even the Amerks have a better one.

Now why would the GM of the Amerks...be at an Amerks game...!?