The Sabres GM and Front Office Thread

[SundherDome]

The rumored ideas being floated -- if true -- are indicative of a franchise that's all out of ideas.

And it's when you are the most desperate, you make your best moves

 

[toddkaz]

It’s almost as if he wasn’t qualified for the job and everything that’s happened since has been completely predictable

Its mindboggling that a GM is asking the players what he should do.

Then you wonder why the players look confused on the ice.

If my boss kept asking me how to do his job I would feel confused and question the leadership too.

 

[SundherDome]

Its mindboggling that a GM is asking the players what he should do.

Then you wonder why the players look confused on the ice.

If my boss kept asking me how to do his job I would feel confused and question the leadership too.

This is usually how most of my employers have been tbh. What I have noticed is it is more of a "does this person think I am doing my job properly". Usually led by companies that do not document or properly map job codes.

Here it should be pretty clear, GM and coach align in style of play, discuss players and the GM gets em. Coach plays em/benches em. High value players are consulted to make sure their "voice is heard". The structure is pretty simple

 

[ValJamesDuex]

Making Lindy the GM is as sensible as making Alex Tuch our goalie. Lindy is a coach with no experience as an executive. Being a coach and being a GM are two separate things and being competent at one does not suggest being competent at the other (Trotz being a perfect example).

Who said that Mike? I think your mis-interpreting comments that he is controlling the roster now and speculation he could become POH if he hasn't already (pseudo).

 

[toddkaz]

This is usually how most of my employers have been tbh. What I have noticed is it is more of a "does this person think I am doing my job properly". Usually led by companies that do not document or properly map job codes.

Here it should be pretty clear, GM and coach align in style of play, discuss players and the GM gets em. Coach plays em/benches em. High value players are consulted to make sure their "voice is heard". The structure is pretty simple

My boss asks me for input. My boss doesn't ask me if he should fire person X. Like Adams asking if a goalie should be demoted.

When we had 3 goalies asking the team if one of them should be fired/demoted is amateur at best.
I wonder if Adams had everyone in the room together including the goalies when he asked.


There is a difference between asking for input and the boss asking what he should do.

 

[Ace]

My boss asks me for input. My boss doesn't ask me if he should fire person X. Like Adams asking if a goalie should be demoted.

When we had 3 goalies asking the team if one of them should be fired/demoted is amateur at best.
I wonder if Adams had everyone in the room together including the goalies when he asked.


There is a difference between asking for input and the boss asking what he should do.

I wish he’d ask me what he should do. I have a list of things he should do before we even get to the hockey team or anything hockey related really.

 

[Ace]

The funniest thing about asking Okposo is that, by Okposo’s own admission, he already knew by that point in the season they weren’t going anywhere. Man, wearing the C mind you, was daydreaming of Florida by the end of September because he knew the clueless jackass coming to him for job advice had f***ed it up again.

And he regressed the next year too.

And he’s still here.

 

[toddkaz]

 

[5 Minute Major]

I remember when McDermott and then Beane were hired. The NFL had advisors for owners in head coach/ GM searches if they desired input and I believe Pegula took advantage of that.

I wish the NHL had the same thing….or maybe they do? Pegula fancies himself as Punch Imlach though he really resembles Howard Ballard.

 

[Chainshot]

I remember when McDermott and then Beane were hired. The NFL had advisors for owners in head coach/ GM searches if they desired input and I believe Pegula took advantage of that.

I wish the NHL had the same thing….or maybe they do? Pegula fancies himself as Punch Imlach though he really resembles Howard Ballard.

People in the league offices recommended both Murray and Botterill in their process.

 

[5 Minute Major]

People in the league offices recommended both Murray and Botterill in their process.

Ahhhh, OK.

Well, f*** Gary Bettman then.

 

[Chainshot]

Ahhhh, OK.

Well, f*** Gary Bettman then.

Not sure it was specifically Gary, more likely Campbell and Daly honestly.

 

[Ace]

People in the league offices recommended both Murray and Botterill in their process.

Yeah this has been long accepted as to why Pegula doesn’t want to use anyone’s advice…but I never hear anyone discuss the elephant in the room on it.

Both had never held the GM job before.

I am 100 percent sure one of two things happened.

1. He was also recommended several people with experience in the position and didn’t want them

Or

2. He requested a list of people who had never been a GM before.

Because regardless of who was recommending who…he didn’t and hasn’t wanted anyone to run the team who has experience doing it. Because they won’t listen to his nonsense. Shit…he said he fired Botterill because they didn’t feel listened to. Retained him in the face of criticism because “they had more information than fans do” and then fired him when he wouldn’t gut the hockey department to save him money. And then found the least qualified person he could who would do whatever he was told…and that person gutted hockey ops day 1…has failed spectacularly for five years…and is still here.

My point is…it’s less about being burned by the NHL recommending executives…and more about this owner being a f***ing loser.

f*** I’m willing to bet the only thing he’s learned from owning the Bills is that you can’t fire Brandon Beane for not giving a shit what you want him to do because you’d be the laughingstock of two leagues, he’d find work in two seconds, and you’d risk destroying yet another franchise with your name on it. Which makes him afraid a GM will eventually succeed here and put him back out of the loop where he belongs. Kevyn never will. Thats why he needs this to work. That’s why he’s still here.

 

[sabremike]

Context: The Dragons announced the Palm Tree guy as a new sponsor, I made a KA joke but the guy thought I wasn't joking. Sent him a pm reply explaining it but am kicking myself for not playing it straight and giving him the # of the team's office and postal address.

 

[Chainshot]

Yeah this has been long accepted as to why Pegula doesn’t want to use anyone’s advice…but I never hear anyone discuss the elephant in the room on it.

Both had never held the GM job before.

I am 100 percent sure one of two things happened.

1. He was also recommended several people with experience in the position and didn’t want them

Or

2. He requested a list of people who had never been a GM before.

Because regardless of who was recommending who…he didn’t and hasn’t wanted anyone to run the team who has experience doing it. Because they won’t listen to his nonsense. Shit…he said he fired Botterill because they didn’t feel listened to. Retained him in the face of criticism because “they had more information than fans do” and then fired him when he wouldn’t gut the hockey department to save him money. And then found the least qualified person he could who would do whatever he was told…and that person gutted hockey ops day 1…has failed spectacularly for five years…and is still here.

My point is…it’s less about being burned by the NHL recommending executives…and more about this owner being a f***ing loser.

f*** I’m willing to bet the only thing he’s learned from owning the Bills is that you can’t fire Brandon Beane for not giving a shit what you want him to do because you’d be the laughingstock of two leagues, he’d find work in two seconds, and you’d risk destroying yet another franchise with your name on it. Which makes him afraid a GM will eventually succeed here and put him back out of the loop where he belongs. Kevyn never will. Thats why he needs this to work. That’s why he’s still here.

With the process that lead to Botterill, there were a lot of up-and-comers including current NJ GM Fitzgerald and Florida GM Zito. They interviewed who were supposed to be the rising minds. They got Botterill instead.

 

[Beerz]

Expecting the guy wearing Sabretooth to be replaced any day now

 

[Ace]

Expecting the guy wearing Sabretooth to be replaced any day now

Because he’s the new GM?

 

[Willgamesh]

View attachment 1026701

Context: The Dragons announced the Palm Tree guy as a new sponsor, I made a KA joke but the guy thought I wasn't joking. Sent him a pm reply explaining it but am kicking myself for not playing it straight and giving him the # of the team's office and postal address.

Would it be worth the meme to just leave a bunch of palm trees outside KBC? I'll do it for a case of Labatt heavy.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

With the process that lead to Botterill, there were a lot of up-and-comers including current NJ GM Fitzgerald and Florida GM Zito. They interviewed who were supposed to be the rising minds. They got Botterill instead.

Isn’t Botts just as much a GM as the other two? We did pick the wrong guy but him and Zito were both seen as solid candidates, from what I recall, at least by the national media.

 

[Chainshot]

Isn’t Botts just as much a GM as the other two? We did pick the wrong guy but him and Zito were both seen as solid candidates, from what I recall, at least by the national media.

The results.

 

[toddkaz]

Isn’t Botts just as much a GM as the other two? We did pick the wrong guy but him and Zito were both seen as solid candidates, from what I recall, at least by the national media.

Botts was high on the radar for a GM position at the time. I believe wasn't he suppose to be some cap genius for Pittsburgh at the time? That was suppose to be his shtick.

He got a second kick at the can so he either fooled people again or got buffaloed here.

 

[THUNDERBURST]

I remember when McDermott and then Beane were hired. The NFL had advisors for owners in head coach/ GM searches if they desired input and I believe Pegula took advantage of that.

I wish the NHL had the same thing….or maybe they do? Pegula fancies himself as Punch Imlach though he really resembles Howard Ballard.

People in the league offices recommended both Murray and Botterill in their process.

I thought Terry hired a special firm that recommended McDermott in the end. I don't think that's the same as asking Gary Bettman for advice.

 

[truthbluth]

I thought Terry hired a special firm that recommended McDermott in the end. I don't think that's the same as asking Gary Bettman for advice.

I believe NHL leadership, whether that’s league execs like Bettman, or long tenured and respected GMs or POhOs around the league had an undue influence on Terrys first two GM hires. And Terry felt that both of those guys acted entitled to their jobs, which is why Terry brought in Kevyn. This is the rational explanation for Kevyn, rather that the standard bullshit about Kevyn being an ass kissing yes man. He’s grateful, but his problem isn’t that he is a suck up, it’s that he sucks. Terry only wants to hire a GM he already knows.

 

[TehDoak]

I believe NHL leadership, whether that’s league execs like Bettman, or long tenured and respected GMs or POhOs around the league had an undue influence on Terrys first two GM hires. And Terry felt that both of those guys acted entitled to their jobs, which is why Terry brought in Kevyn. This is the rational explanation for Kevyn, rather that the standard bullshit about Kevyn being an ass kissing yes man. He’s grateful, but his problem isn’t that he is a suck up, it’s that he sucks. Terry only wants to hire a GM he already knows.

He's better about it now, but in Adams first year he couldn't go an entire press availability without talking about how great the Pegulas were. When they won the draft lottery in 2021 he said he was most excited for the Pegulas.

Not to re-litigate his hiring because its been done ad nauseam, but Adams was hired because Botterill wasn't willing to fire half his staff during a pandemic, something Adams was willing to do.

Adams was willing to run the team at a below salary floor level for 2 years.

Adams made up excuses and lies for why they weren't spending.

An experienced GM would not have done any of those things.

Adams was hired because he would do the what the owners wanted. That's a yes man.

Adams effusively praises ownership when given the opportunity.....that's an ass kisser.

Yes, there are other reasons they have kept Adams on as GM, but in the end....he's IS, in fact, an ass kissing yes man. And, the fact he's likely being kept after 5 seasons of missing the playoffs, the Pegulas evidently find that more important than fielding a winning hockey team.

 

[Fezzy126]

He's better about it now, but in Adams first year he couldn't go an entire press availability without talking about how great the Pegulas were. When they won the draft lottery in 2021 he said he was most excited for the Pegulas.

Not to re-litigate his hiring because its been done ad nauseam, but Adams was hired because Botterill wasn't willing to fire half his staff during a pandemic, something Adams was willing to do.

Adams was willing to run the team at a below salary floor level for 2 years.

Adams made up excuses and lies for why they weren't spending.

An experienced GM would not have done any of those things.

Adams was hired because he would do the what the owners wanted. That's a yes man.

Adams effusively praises ownership when given the opportunity.....that's an ass kisser.

Yes, there are other reasons they have kept Adams on as GM, but in the end....he's IS, in fact, an ass kissing yes man. And, the fact he's likely being kept after 5 seasons of missing the playoffs, the Pegulas evidently find that more important than fielding a winning hockey team.

The bolded is the popular talking point, but it's way more likely that the pegulas asked the following of Botterill and his bloated front office of cronies:

And when Botts responded with "Well, to be honest, it's a situation where..."

They were like, yeah, f*** this moron, time to undo our mistake