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

[Dubi Doo]

I think it is the opposite of desperation.... it is the path of least resistance.. it is easy and lazy.

Does Pegula just think he's the smartest man in hockey? Because every other knowledgeable hockey mind outside of Buffalo has to be wondering wth he is doing.

 

[enthusiast]

I’m taking a very purposeful stance on this. Simply…I was here before Terry Pegula and I will be here long after he’s gone. He’s f***ing his team over every year…mine is just waiting for his time to be done. I will always root for what’s best for MY team. And, at this point, it’s clear that what’s best for MY team is the complete and utter distraction of Terry’s. My hopes aren’t 87 points and extensions all around for a sixth year of failure with false signs of improvement. My hopes are a laughing stock so lost that the national media can’t talk about anything but. I want pressure the likes of which we’ve never seen put onto this regime until something changes. Because that’s what’s best for this franchise. And I will always root for what’s best for this franchise.

Now…I’ve been saying this for three years…and three years ago most people fought against it and called me too negative. Well…here we are. Three years later.

Sure but they genuinely have no pride or shame

 

[Uberpecker]

E. Staal of all people. At least he's gonna make sure no one will have to wear rainbow colored apparel if it contradicts their ideology. Will he make the team better, though.

 

[Beerz]

Baker and Fairburn on live currently on Youtube

 

[Dreakon13]

Eric Staal joining the organization in a management role is certainly something. Not anything I would've wanted or expected, but it's something.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

Indeed. Just like the Granato "search" and the Rolston "search". Ruff hire, keeping all the assistants for two straight coaches... just so lazy.

Lazy = cheap

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

Eric Staal joining the organization in a management role is certainly something. Not anything I would've wanted or expected, but it's something.

Assistant coach would’ve made a ton more sense. AG is just so confusing.

 

[Chainshot]

Assistant coach would’ve made a ton more sense. AG is just so confusing.

He's not AG, he's assistant to the GM which is more akin to how Kris Draper started in Detroit before becoming an actual AG or Spezza did in Toronto before moving to Pittsburgh as an actual AG. Similar but not the same.

 

[Dirty Dog]

There needs to be an adult in the room to explain to them that they need to abort their grand plan they are five years into on account it is failing.

 

[Chainshot]

Wait for Darcy Regier to arrive as the war time consigliere.

 

[sabremike]

Guys, have a crazy idea that just might work:

 

[K8fool]

eric steal his pal that stole paycheck from sabres brought in the make sure Adams idiotic trades for the three veterans that will give full effort and help and be a winning example for 82 games..

what is staal going to do recruit three real players and make sure Adams doesn't screw this up like last 2 full years


wow.. they must believe we are all complete tools ..

 

[ValJamesDuex]

Here is a current list of updates from today with sources.

UPDATES From 5-7

-Adams staying as GM originally reported by Peters/Rivet 5-6, confirmed by Friedman today
-Eric Staal hired as Special Assistant to Kevin Adams per Sabres
-Senior Advisor with front office/GM experience expected to be hired (Friedman)
-Karmanos leaving at end of AHL season (Lance)
-Appert staying on and given MORE responsibility in the hockey department (Seravalli)
-Strength and conditioning Coach Ed Gannon has been let go. A replacement is to follow (Lance)

Added Strength and Conditioning Coach firing

 

[beerme1]

Levi, it's all in your hands. Good luck buddy. You will need the force.

 

[LamaTabootTaboot]

Yeah, you can’t even call this a shuffling of deck chairs. They didn’t even do that.

Right, like the ship is sinking. The stern is lifting out of the water and Terry Pegula is like "ya know what this boat needs? More deck chairs!"

 

[BFLO]

Tuch’s name was in some rumors around the deadline. Tage made some cryptic comments after the season (in my opinion).

The only guy who has been 100% solid so far is Dahlin, and he’s a saint for it. But every competitive person has their limit I would think.

Dahlin is already having 1 on 1 meetings with Adams regarding his future with the team.

Dahlin spoke to the press about that meeting and told us he has not threatened to request a trade if things don't change, but that things do need to change, and that he won't be a loser his entire career.

He left unsaid what he'll do if things don't change. But I think we all know what his options are.

 

[LamaTabootTaboot]

I have $100 that says that Staal will work remotely, almost never come to Buffalo, and is getting paid to accept Adams phone calls to shoot the shit every a few times a month. All so they can say they added to the "brainrot" err "Braintrust"

This hire is a really good microcosm of why Kevyn blows.

I can almost guarantee that Lindys critique of the season is that the roster lacks finish, toughness, maturity, and leadership.

And instead of fixing the pieces in the locker room he hired his old teammate. A once decent leader who held the C/A on nearly every team he was on and was tough to play against.

Staal will likely only come in once in a blue moon, walk into the locker room and tell the guys they are a bunch of p-words. Then leave.

6 months from now when Adams is questioned about why this roster is bottoming out again, and why he didn't do anything about the teams toughness, finish, maturity, and leadership he'll get super indignant about it and list how the org for much tougher now that they brought in Staal.

 

[KiwiGriff]

This is what I felt like when I first read the news of Staal being hired. Only it was just on the inside cause the management of this team tends to suck the life out of you.

 

[LamaTabootTaboot]

It feels like if they do bottom out again, the owner will just look to get out by selling to outside interests at this point. Seems like the long, slow death of the entire franchise to me.

At this point I don't see any other reason for any of this.

Adams again? Staal? Appert working in the FO. Your best GM on staff is just sort of walking after the season?

Then you see they weaseled out of their Rochester lease.

Now the Erie County is backing out of KBC.

At this point I would be shocked if they didn't sell and sell soon (within 3-5 years). There is no other explanation for it.

 

[HOOats]

I can almost guarantee that Lindys critique of the season is that the roster lacks finish, toughness, maturity, and leadership.

We were 4th in the NHL in goals and 2nd in S%. Of all the problems this team has, finishing is near the very bottom of the list.

And instead of fixing the pieces in the locker room he hired his old teammate. A once decent leader who held the C/A on nearly every team he was on and was tough to play against.

Not to bash creative fan fiction, but the past tense is deployed a couple months prematurely here. It goes without saying, but Adams hasn't had the chance to "fix the pieces in the locker room" yet this summer (it's May 8th).

Pessimism certainly abounds (is there a word that means really abounds?), but this is Adams' last chance at making this work. And I imagine he enjoys making millions of dollars as an NHL GM, so there's some incentive in play.

Last summer, he showed some understanding that maturity and responsibility were needed with Zucker, McLeod, and Malenstyn/Lafferty/NAK. Two smashing successes, one meh, two busts.

Who knows what the offseason holds, but I can guarantee that giving Eric Staal a front office internship will not be our only move.

 

[debaser66]

Did something come out that Karmanos is leaving?

Every competent person is fleeing this org

 

[debaser66]

Right, as if this organization would put people into roles where they can flex their strengths.

Berglund is just a tad more competent

 

[debaser66]

It is like the entire franchise exists to build careers for Kevyn Adams and Seth Appert. No idea why Terry Pegula feels like he owes it to those two and purposely keeps the organization in the dark ages keeping their paths clear.

Its not about owing, its about building a nepotistic Yes man culture to serve the insecure ego of an oilygarch

 

[THUNDERBURST]

Baker and Fairburn on live currently on Youtube

So Fairburn named Dudley, Holland and Regier. Baker added Blake and Jarmo.

The important thing in this whole situation is that this man obeys not Adams, but Terry, and that Terry actually listens to him, otherwise little will change.

 

[May Day 10]

What is the point of the senior advisor if he will be expected to just go along with all this? Is it just an attempt to buy time?

Outside of looking at it like a paid retirement, who the heck would even want that job?