You Don't Understand How Bad Terry Pegula Has Been for the Buffalo Sabres

[Guyute]

Pegula is only a billionaire because he was one of the luckiest dudes in the history of the gas business. He happened to be in the right place, at the right time, then managed to sell out at the exact top.

 

[Ianturnedbull]

the problem was there were a bunch of UFAs who were going to walk
Buffalo had a bunch walk away in summer 2006 and 2007 foir notheing and couldnt see that happen again so they traded them for futures.

The problem actually goes back to Gallisono ownership when he gutted the scouting department and only using video to scout creating poor drafting in the 2005-2011 period.

the free agents who were going to walk wer4 from the pre 2005 period. they didnt have much in the system coming up. after selling the vets off they didnt have that group of U25 players in the system to build on. Thats the big difference between this time and then

look at what they drafted from 2006-2011 vs 2016-2021

starting in 2015-16 all the team had from the 2006-2011 drafts was Ennis, foligno, Pysyk. That hurt them when they did the Eichel/Reinhard rebuild

They are going to have much more depth even after making trades from the 2016-2021 drafts at 2025-26 start

I'm not sure what you're saying. Are you saying "at least we're not as bad as the 2006-2011 Era!"?

 

[Gjman2019]

Heard of him? I grew up watching him destroy the Leafs franchise in order to save a buck here and there and overwhelming greed. Most incompetent and hated owner in the history of the game. I know it sounds terrible but people cheered when news of his death came out. I'm sure Donald Trump and Harold Ballard are somehow related.

They actually got to game 7 of the second round twice in a row in those years, (86 and 87).

 

[Artorius Horus T]

Maybe John Spano should "buy" your team...

 

[jcs0218]

Shouldn't Kim Pegula's influence outweigh Terry's influence?

She is an expert sports team builder, as witnessed by the Buffalo Bills perennial contender status.

 

[BB79]

Shouldn't Kim Pegula's influence outweigh Terry's influence?

She is an expert sports team builder

 

[sabremike]

Maybe John Spano should "buy" your team...

John Rigas - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[Ratsreign]

he really isnt.

when he bought the team he brought in some people he knew out of Penguins system as advisors.

when he decides to make changes after first buying because the team seems to eb going nowhere he fires the coach and gm and bring in Lafontaine to be team president and then has a gm hired. Murray was a leading candidate at the time. Botterill was 2nd. when an issue outside of hocckey got Murray fired he hires Boterill. Then an issue came up and he fired Botterill.

Kevin Adaams after hockey worked in the Sabres organization in different departments all over things outside of team operations but still was around what was going on and had experience as an agent befor4e starting in management. When he hired Adams because he was someone he had developed trust in.

People complain he wasnt an AGM...but he was in other roles just not scouting. After the attempt with Kruger he fired him and said we need to do a rebuild and sell Reinhart, ristolainen, and Eichel in 2021. they are waiting for the prospects to devlop along with what they had from before.

this year is an off year after last year due to injuries and PP problems and slow starts by some players. They have been missing multiple top 6 players from the lineup over the season from about half their games.

the team is young. at the start of the 23/24 season they were the youngest in NHL. they have 15 25 or younger players. next season they could have more.

i expect them to make some player moves between drafts of 2024-2026. people on here want to blame this GM for the playoff drought.

he fires the coach and gm and bring in Lafontaine to be team president and then has a gm hired.

For how long was Lafontaine the team president? Did he hire Murray? I don’t remember him being part of Sabres front office. I’m assuming after him was when Mrs Pegula became the prevident?

 

[Artorius Horus T]

John Rigas - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

Who you think is worse of the two Johns?

at least Rigas WAS a legit businessman (once), Spano never was a businessman,
he never had money, much of own (real) money to begin with, he just BS'd everyone.
- even after he was caught, put to jail, he repeated the same shit over and over again,
every time he got released,... he always got caught.. been on and off in a prison
since 2000, last time he got convicted was in 2015 (due to be released in 2025)

 

[sabremike]

Who you think is worse of the two Johns?

at least Rigas WAS a legit businessman (once), Spano never was a businessman,
he never had money, much of own (real) money to begin with, he just BS'd everyone.
- even after he was caught, put to jail, he repeated the same shit over and over again,
every time he got released,... he always got caught.. been on and off in a prison
since 2000, last time he got convicted was in 2015 (due to be released in 2025)

Rigas literally bankrupted the Sabres and the team was hours from death's door until Gollisano stepped up and saved us at the very last minute. Spano was an amusing anecdote who had nowhere near the devastating effects as Rigas, in fact he negotiated the cable deal that essentially kept the Islanders afloat and probably prevented a relocation.

 

[Rubi]

They actually got to game 7 of the second round twice in a row in those years, (86 and 87).

Even a blind squirrel finds the occasional nut. Back then there were 3 divisions of 5 teams and one of 6 teams and the top 4 teams in each division made it into the playoffs. You could have a terrible losing reg season record and still be playing in post season... which describes the Leafs to a tee.

 

[Panthaz89]

As a Carolina Panthers fan yes I do understand how bad an owner can be for a team

2017 I think since of the two has made the playoffs and I only follow the NHL and NFL really the Panthers and Sabres are killing my love to watch both.

 

[MikeyMike01]

What a shame!

 

[Ace]

 

[Amorgus]

Kim Pegula is literally lucky to even be talking after her cardiac arrest yet it did do some brain damage and gave her aphasia, so she isn't going to be running anything anymore. I believe she was more football then hockey focused anyway.

 

[Gjman2019]

Even a blind squirrel finds the occasional nut. Back then there were 3 divisions of 5 teams and one of 6 teams and the top 4 teams in each division made it into the playoffs. You could have a terrible losing reg season record and still be playing in post season... which describes the Leafs to a tee.

Seemed as though they were on their way to having a good young team and then foolishly broke it up by trading Wregget, Iafrate, Richardson, Damphousse, Stumpy and Courtnall......Keep them together and still do the Gilmour trade and that's an awesome team......

Montreal was bad for that too back then, prematurely getting rid of Chelios , Desjardins, LeClair, Richer, Lemieux , Cassels ...

 

[Ace]

It’s not hard to identify the biggest issue. Pegula steadfastly refuses to put anyone with experience in charge of his team. He has hired three first time GMs in a row. The last one never held a job in hockey ops before. He’s not interested in handing the keys to anyone who might know what they’re doing. There should have been a qualified leader in charge of hockey a decade ago. This isn’t just another job…it’s a ruined franchise in need of qualified experienced leadership. He promoted a yes man from a different part of Pegula operations. They’re no better off in his fourth year than they were when he took over. How could they be?

 

[Artorius Horus T]

Sabres are surging back perhaps ?

6 wins in their last 9 games.

GD : 30-20 (+10)

21 wins atm (6th most regulation wins (19) in the East)

Luukkonen is 5 W 3 L in his last 8 games with 2 SO's
211/223 - .946 sv% - 1.50 gaa

Levi is 6 wins, 4 losses, 1 SOL in his last 11 games
322/352 - .914 sv% - 2.72 gaa

 

[Mattilaus]

Sabres are surging back perhaps ?

6 wins in their last 9 games.

GD : 30-20 (+10)

21 wins atm (6th most regulation wins (19) in the East)

Luukkonen is 5 W 3 L in his last 8 games with 2 SO's
211/223 - .946 sv% - 1.50 gaa

Levi is 6 wins, 4 losses, 1 SOL in his last 11 games
322/352 - .914 sv% - 2.72 gaa

no, if you watch them play, they are the same team and they aren't going anywhere. Thread didn't need a bump over winning 6 of 9. Even if they did that over the rest of the season they'd still miss the playoffs. Its too late.

 

[MOGlLNY]

Sabres are surging back perhaps ?

6 wins in their last 9 games.

GD : 30-20 (+10)

21 wins atm (6th most regulation wins (19) in the East)

Luukkonen is 5 W 3 L in his last 8 games with 2 SO's
211/223 - .946 sv% - 1.50 gaa

Levi is 6 wins, 4 losses, 1 SOL in his last 11 games
322/352 - .914 sv% - 2.72 gaa

I promise you they're not. Their schedule has been painfully easy and they're still scraping by. UPL has been saving their bacon most of the year.

 

[Slimmy]

It’s not hard to identify the biggest issue. Pegula steadfastly refuses to put anyone with experience in charge of his team. He has hired three first time GMs in a row. The last one never held a job in hockey ops before. He’s not interested in handing the keys to anyone who might know what they’re doing. There should have been a qualified leader in charge of hockey a decade ago. This isn’t just another job…it’s a ruined franchise in need of qualified experienced leadership. He promoted a yes man from a different part of Pegula operations. They’re no better off in his fourth year than they were when he took over. How could they be?

Absolutely spot on and what Ive been saying for years. Nothing has changed.

 

[winnipegger]

Fond memories of watching the dominator playing Ottawa in that epic series in the 90s. Perhaps the answer is to bring him in again. He can't be that old right.

 

[Rants Mulliniks]

I see your Pegula and raise you a Harold Ballard. LOL.

But yes, it stinks.

 

[Fire Sweeney]

As a bruins fan I've witnessed what an awful owner and human garbage like Jeremy Jacobs (who ironically is from Buffalo) is capable of.

The only way to force Pegula's hand is to boycott the product and force him to either sell the team or make drastic changes.

 

[TageGod]

I do not believe Pegula is as much hands on as he used to be. In terms of making decisions anyway.