The Sabres GM and Front Office Thread

[ValJamesDuex]

...

 

[ValJamesDuex]

What other front office changes could you see coming or would you like to see ?

 

[ValJamesDuex]

Paul Hamilton mentioned this morning on wgr The Pegula's love Jerry Forton...

 

[Jim Bob]

I will be stunned if they hire an experienced outside GM like Jarmo.

I fully expect a complete nothingburger on this topic like making Adams the POHO and Karmanos the GM as the "shake up."

I fully expect nothing of note to change (Adams continues as GM with maybe some of the hockey ops department changing).

And if they just make an internal promotion of another rookie GM, I will have zero expectations that things get better in 2025-26 as another rookie GM will take a while to learn how to be an NHL GM.

 

[Willgamesh]

Paul Hamilton mentioned this morning on wgr The Pegula's love Jerry Forton...

Because he also worships KA?

 

[Jim Bob]

Because he also worships KA?

My guess is that Forton makes Terry "feel heard" during the scouting meetings.

 

[Willgamesh]

My guess is that Forton makes Terry "feel heard" during the scouting meetings.

One tear drop at a time.

 

[Jim Bob]

One tear drop at a time.

I like Forton and think he's a good amateur scout. He also is open to working with the analytics team. I think that is a positive, as well.

I just have no stomach for either a rookie GM or another internal hire.

 

[CowbellConray]

I have no interest in Jarmo. His transaction history is not solid at all, and his drafting has always been OK, but overrated.

I'm fine with a rookie GM if it means coming from a solid organization. Mathieu Darche from Tampa would be someone I'd want to interview. Directory of Hockey Ops and Assistant GM over the past 5 years. Has been with a winning organization.

 

[May Day 10]

I will be stunned if they hire an experienced outside GM like Jarmo.

I fully expect a complete nothingburger on this topic like making Adams the POHO and Karmanos the GM as the "shake up."

I fully expect nothing of note to change (Adams continues as GM with maybe some of the hockey ops department changing).

And if they just make an internal promotion of another rookie GM, I will have zero expectations that things get better in 2025-26 as another rookie GM will take a while to learn how to be an NHL GM.

Pretty much all this. Kim and Terry circled the wagons and Terry has doubled down on that in the years since. There is no way they are open to outside opinions.

IF anything happens (I still doubt it), it will be the waste of time moves like promoting Adams, Karmanos, Forton, Jakubowski, Crowe, Nightingale, Appert, etc. Nothing will really change. Everyone just takes a step to their left. This is the exact way the Bills operated during the drought years.

There would probably 1 or 2 sacrifices made at the lower-mid level. Possibly a Wilford or the team Dentist and team chef.

 

[MOGlLNY]

I actually think Adams would be much more useful as a POHO running interception on Terry than he is a GM.

Get a decent GM in his role and I think we are in a better place than we are currently. That’s the issue, I like Karmanos but him and Adams feels like not much of a change. Unless they’re letting him run the show which I doubt.

This is assuming we don’t just gut it - which I think most would prefer.

 

[MOGlLNY]

If I’m guessing what happens

Adams “moves up”
Karmanos as GM
Ventura AGM
Crowe gets the axe
All assistants except Appert get the axe
Buff pro scouting a bit.
Some deck shuffling in other places

 

[TehDoak]

The idea of promoting Forton or Karmanos to GM is silly. Adams pride is having a high collaborative environment. Their ideas have been key parts of this organizational failure.

Get an adult in the room to rebuild the front office. They don't need a full nuke and pave, but they need a traditional structure and more voices from places that have won.

The fix isn't "in the room", the fix is finding someone to come in and replicate a winning formula, not 'fake it till you make' Management and Ownership, which is what we have now.

 

[Dahlicious]

If I’m guessing what happens

Adams “moves up”
Karmanos as GM
Ventura AGM
Crowe gets the axe
All assistants except Appert get the axe
Buff pro scouting a bit.
Some deck shuffling in other places

This is better than nothing. The coaching staff changes are the most crucial.

 

[May Day 10]

I actually think Adams would be much more useful as a POHO running interception on Terry than he is a GM.

Get a decent GM in his role and I think we are in a better place than we are currently. That’s the issue, I like Karmanos but him and Adams feels like not much of a change. Unless they’re letting him run the show which I doubt.

This is assuming we don’t just gut it - which I think most would prefer.

I would think, normal human nature and egos... that even if Adams "moved" to POHO, he would still be just as intimately involved with everything in the hockey department. Especially if they promote from within to fill the "GM" role.

If they went outside to get a "good" GM, then I would think there would be parameters set up in advance and the new GM would have himself a bit of autonomy from Adams and Pegula. But that is an unlikely scenario, unfortunately.

So we can't have a "good" GM. Just what we have.

 

[LalalaFontaine]

The Rangers will fire Chris Drury our next GM

 

[truthbluth]

This is better than nothing. The coaching staff changes are the most crucial.

That wouldn’t be better than nothing. It would almost exactly nothing. I don’t mind Kevyn moving up, but NHL GM experience in this FO is an absolute must.

 

[Jim Bob]

The idea of promoting Forton or Karmanos to GM is silly. Adams pride is having a high collaborative environment. Their ideas have been key parts of this organizational failure.

Get an adult in the room to rebuild the front office. They don't need a full nuke and pave, but they need a traditional structure and more voices from places that have won.

The fix isn't "in the room", the fix is finding someone to come in and replicate a winning formula, not 'fake it till you make' Management and Ownership, which is what we have now.

I agree. But, I also would be pleasantly surprised if Terry went in this direction.

 

[Dahlicious]

That wouldn’t be better than nothing. It would almost exactly nothing. I don’t mind Kevyn moving up, but NHL GM experience in this FO is an absolute must.

You’re right, let’s keep everyone together exactly the same as this year.

I didn’t say it was good. I didn’t say it was sufficient. I said it was better than nothing. And getting Marty Wilford and Matt Ellis off the staff is progress. Getting more pro scouts is progress.

 

[Jim Bob]

That wouldn’t be better than nothing. It would almost exactly nothing. I don’t mind Kevyn moving up, but NHL GM experience in this FO is an absolute must.

If they allow Lindy to hire competent NHL assistant coaches, especially someone that can fix the PP, that will be impactful.

And if Karmanos is more proactive than Adams, that would be impactful as well.

I don't want Karmanos as GM. But, if the choices are status quo with no POHO, Adams as GM, and Karmanos as AGM or Adams as POHO, Karmanos as GM, and Ventura (or Forton or whomever else on staff today) as AGM, I will take Karmanos getting the bump if he is empowered with the same ability to shape the roster as he's had in Rochester.

 

[Chainshot]

Removing assistants seems like a necessary thing and a year too late. However, until we see who the replacements might be, we won't know if this is a good or bad move. Their local nepo hires could mean it's some ex-players who still happen to be in the area.

The other shuffling in the front office looks like placating some fans who might fall for changing titles but not bodies - which at this point doesn't seem like many of us who are left would buy it.

 

[TehDoak]

I agree. But, I also would be pleasantly surprised if Terry went in this direction.

 

[May Day 10]

I dont get why we need such a protective halo around Seth Appert to assume the HC role.

If he were put on the streets today, I'm not sure he even gets an assistant coach spot on another team.

 

[CaliSabresfan24]

I agree with most that KA will become POHO's but if Karmanos becomes GM, he better be working out of Buffalo....

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

Removing assistants seems like a necessary thing and a year too late. However, until we see who the replacements might be, we won't know if this is a good or bad move. Their local nepo hires could mean it's some ex-players who still happen to be in the area.

The other shuffling in the front office looks like placating some fans who might fall for changing titles but not bodies - which at this point doesn't seem like many of us who are left would buy it.

Promoting Prospal is the path to profits