Mango

Somebody, somewhere posted something like "Lindy isn't the problem. He never lost the locker room because he never had it". I felt that one in my bones. I am not sure we have bad players as much as we have a bad roster. We have done a terrible job at shepherding in this young group into the league. Part of that is Adams part is on Granato. Lindy is a good elder statesman of sorts to get young kids into the league and up to league average. He isn't a bad coach. He isn't an amazing coach. He is just a fine coach. Part of the problem is the way these kids were brought in, the entitlement they had to run the locker room at a young age. And I think (without having any actual knowledge) having Appert in the room is a detriment to the HC. Keeping a holdover from a soft staff when a real life NHL hockey coach subverts the HC. At some point the new guy will crack the whip and the kids will look to the other guy for some assurance. This roster needed to cut the umbilical chord.

Adams post deadline presser is still living rent free in my head. I cannot believe that the same person said both of these things, but also said them in the same day, same interview, same sentence..... Both these things can't be true. You can't say I need to be better at literally everything and then say well actually when I look at the work I did, it should be enough.

We had to. How else would we make sure we're still yhe youngest team jn the league for 25-26?

This is fair. I'm a bit snakebitten by Adams at this point that it's hard to "let things play out". This team needs a GM to do things that are definitively good sometimes. Where as Adams tenure has been definitively bad. Adams leash is unbelievably short for me. I'm surprised he's still allowed to make trades.

I have been a Cozens hater as of late. I don't know exactly what Cozens value is on the market but this feels like a move for the sake of a move. A move like this is exactly why I wanted Adams removed before we move any major pieces moved. We didn't really get any better AND we didn't save any money. So why bother?

Without exaggeration, Terry Pegula is the worst thing to ever happen to hockey in Buffalo....ever. He won't ever get credit for keeping the team in Buffalo, because if/when it leaves it will be 100% due to his incompetence as an owner. I will scream it from the roof tops, this city is a top 5 NHL market, more people in Buffalo often watch more Stanley Cup hockey than cities who are actually playing in it. This teams historical P% was 4th highest in the league on the day Terry bought the team. And under his "leadership" they have neve made the playoffs. He is the worst thing to ever happen to hockey in Buffalo history. I posted this on TBD, but the Buffalo Sabres are a gigantic reason I am hemming and hawing about PSL's in the new stadium. I don't trust Pegula in a post Allen/Pegula era. 30 years is a long time and I don't trust him not to ruin the Bills once he is given the opportunity to do so.

Meh, both metrics are in the middle third. If it’s 11th and 20th I’d start to point more fingers at the differential. But a huge part of the problem is we have invested a ton into a defensive corp that as a knack for hanging this defense out to dry.

I was at work and caught the post game locker room interviews. I saw the box score without the score and Benson looked so pissed. I’m just baffled at the box score on this…. We dominated shots, held Pittsburgh to 19? Won turnovers, competitive on face offs and PIM. Can somebody explain WTF happened?

They do have to trade one or let Byram walk. We are the most expensive blue line in the league. Byram is set to get a pay raise. We can’t justify spending more money on a defense that doesn’t play defense. So sure, to the OP’s specific point I don’t think we “have to trade one to improve the team”. But we do need to make a decision on which one to keep when the time comes because we can’t keep investing in this unit as is.

It will ruin what has been good enough drafting to get this team over the hump.

Catch me at the Wings lot and I got you! 3 different chili peppers, 2 cuts of meat, chocolate, coffee. It’s no joke.

I just finished prepping chili for the Bills tailgate Sunday. Sat down. Checked the box score. Laughed. I’ll put something else on. How bad is the arena

I worked in college sports for a while. There are teams that oust their HC's. I wouldn't take one of those jobs. I have friends who coach at the Olympic level, and similar to the NFL, college aften pays as much or more. Those coaches wouldn't take those jobs either. I know, change the GM and/or owner, not the coach. But programs where the team forces a firing are toxic to their core.

“You guys are the best. I know you’re good hockey players. Just keep doing what you’re doing, you have it in you” -Terry Pegula Easily the biggest indictment that accountability starts at the top.

No, he cannot be another voice in the room. Somebody had to be in charge. Enough with this stupid flat leadership structure where responsibilities are muddled and anybody can convince Terry something is a good idea. President of Hockey Ops, GM, or something similar, that is it.

He keeps the NJD money which is reported to be much more than Buffalo.

If Terry loves the kids in the building right now it will likely be Forton.

At the risk of derailing the thread, this is an insane indictment on the GM in year 5. This team is at .142 P% without a defensemen that was drafted 7 years ago/2 years before GMKA got here. The entire roster is dependent on a guy that the general manager had no part in bringing in. It is almost unbelievable.

FTFY

The argument here between you two has spiraled. But from a 1000 foot view as somebody who has tried to keep up to page 8, it’s odd to sort of try and explain away Adams. He’s just been flat out bad. There’s a million things to hold his feet to the flames for whether he’s in full control or no control. Without any shred of evidence I think a big part of this death spiral is that Adams and Terry are in lock step. He isn’t doing Terrys bidding, they have the same vision. I’m also a bit concerned that todays locker room meet up WITH ADAMS was a polite way of telling the team that Pegula stands behind Adams and will change coaches if needed. Firing an NHL lifer like Lindy mid season in year one with this roster and track record would be a rock bottom lower than I thought Terry would be capable of. And like I said above, I think Terry and Kevyn are in lock step. Which means firing Adams and clearing house is even more important than ever.

“I know Lindy was mean to you. But Daddy Pegula and The Gimp are here now. You’re safe. If that big bad coach yells again you go right to coach Sethy you hear me” - Terry Pegula, probably

Terry Pegula has really cucked this entire fan base. There’s no way around standing behind Adams after he disparaged the city and the franchise. I can never look at my wife…errr my hockey team the same again.

My biggest kick back to that would be the Cozens and Power contracts. Both are looking really bad. Sure, FO constraints by the owner. But now we have to go down the path that Terry also forced both those values. And once you go down that road I think you then have to go down the path that no actual quality GM would stay in that role very long if at all (see Botts). And now we’re right back at GMKA being really bad.

I think Terry finding success in the Bills has emboldened him to a certain extent.

I think that issue is that our isn’t talented enough. And when talent isn’t enough you lean into effort. Unfortunately our effort guys and our talent guys don’t have a ton of overlap. Which is part of the reason the talent is talented enough. and around and around we gooooo……