LTS

Thank you.

I feel like the "why" of Buffalo not getting "legit" players has been covered many times over. Most of the discussion starts with, they've sucked for 13 years and have looked like a complete mess the entire time, why would any "legit" player sign here?" But, who's the legit backup you are looking for them to get? Do you want them to overpay for a backup? Should they make a lopsided trade for one? We'll have to hope Reimer is it, but frankly, given the defensive zone coverage issues of the Buffalo Sabres I don't think it will be a paradise for any goaltender.

Good lord that was some ugly hockey last night. UPL bailed the Sabres who once again looked inept in their own zone and in most zones frankly. The Kings didn't look much better but had better chances. They missed a few that UPL didn't stop such as the Byfield cross-crease that just misses his stick. A win is a win but they shouldn't look at any video of that game and think that's how they need to play. Woof.

I've been here for quite some time and well aware of how many people on this board communicate. I would say there is a stretch going from seeing Trump fail than the country succeed to suggesting someone wants to have the country burn is a stretch too far. Just work to clarify or don't engage. Let's keep it at a better level. As I said above, I am aware of how he communicates. Each individual chooses how they respond to that however. if one cannot control how they respond, that's on them. Personal attacks, especially one's that suggest someone wants to watch the USA burn, are not going to be allowed here.

Love this response, thank you. Would you feel less concerned about the Sabres if the Bills were to win the championship? Do you like hockey more than football or is your fandom and support based on the teams themselves representing the city and through that you're a fan of the sport? Curious as you mention you'd root for the NHL to fold if the Sabres left town which sounds like you care more about the team than the league itself. I really feel like I shouldn't have to say it, but because this is the Internet I will. Nothing above is me arguing with you, I am genuinely looking for your response to gain a better understanding. As I said, everyone has a right to their opinion and I want to understand yours. Thanks!

One Bourbon One Scotch One Beer As much as I dislike that song, the advice is sound.

I agree with this. @Hank - you can hold a conversation at a much higher level than this. Let's not wade into personal attacks of this nature.

A and B are not mutually exclusive although I would consider A to be a false statement. Clearly players are willing to play here or else free agents would not sign here. I'm going to avoid trying to define "want". They clearly wanted to enough to sign a contract and commit to playing. So, players are willing to play here. Adams is willing to spend money on those players. People did not like Zucker's $5M contract. There was much discussion on how it was over payment and also discussion saying that is exactly what was needed to get a player to come here, because the team is not successful. So, by that discussion alone, Adams was spending money on players and Zucker wanted to be here. I don't think the narratives about Buffalo are true for players. If it were then the Bills would not have people falling over themselves to sign here in free agency. Those athletes live in the same city and by most accounts have a more party life style (on average) than hockey players and they seem more than content to be in Buffalo. Free agents will most often sign with a club where they believe they have a chance at the playoffs and a Stanley Cup, taxation is a secondary factor to that. If you reversed the past decade of the Predators and the Sabres do you think Stamkos, Skjei, or Marchessault sign with the Predators? Not a chance. Would they sign with Buffalo? Hard to say because of the taxation issue. But no chance they are going to Nashville because no tax beats not winning.

I think this is what I was saying but perhaps failed to nail the point. They wanted McDavid, but the fact that Eichel was the consolation prize justified the strategy. However, the primary objective was to get McDavid and then they had to "settle" for Eichel. The continued point I had was that they didn't get first prize and while they settled for second, the decision to get him was taken out of their hands so they felt less ownership over it. Yes, they could have NOT selected Eichel and went with the #3 pick in Strome, but that would have been an absolute career killing error. I'm really trying to figure out how they guy who owns the organization and makes the top level hiring which enables the lower level hiring is not responsible for the team's performance. If Terry hires Joe to be in charge of marketing and attendance and then Joe hires Curly, Larry, and Moe to run the program and they are not qualified, who is to blame? You might say Joe, but clearly Joe is not a good candidate to run marketing and attendance, so who hired that person? Terry. If Terry hires Larry to be the GM and Larry goes out an obtains players who cannot succeed, and hires a coach who cannot get the to succeed then who to blame? Again, ultimately it all goes back to the person who put the unqualified person in charge. That's the owner. This is bad logic. The ability to operate a business in one vertical is not the same as another. A person might be great at running a financial tech company but would suck at running a social media tech company. Moreover, to be successful in your job means more than getting it right once. Let's assume the Bills are considered successful. I guess making the playoffs is successful, but they have not won the Superb Owl yet. That said, Pegula failed at his first hire. He gets credit for listening to the person who suggested McDermott and he gets credit for listening to McDermott for Beane. That said, it's only happened once. It doesn't mean he's a good judge of talent, it just means he got it right once. With the Sabres however, he's made the wrong decision, many times over. He's established a pattern of always doing the wrong thing and the results speak for themselves. Other than a now defunct franchise, the Sabres are the worst team in the NHL over the past 10 years. The original topic was rating NHL owners and by all measurements, as an NHL owner Terry Pegula sucks. He might be a good owner now in football, but will he continue to be? Jerry Jones is usually not considered a great owner and yet he has three Super Bowl wins. Hell his first 10 years as owner of the Cowboys were by all accounts one of the most successful decades of football ownership ever. But is he a good owner now?

Having an opinion is everyone's right. Having an opinion is everyone's right. ----- Exploring this concept. I understand the desire to have a team in your hometown, but is that the sole reason anyone roots for them? Is that the reason anyone roots for any team? I will admit that people being fans of a team that is in their hometown is likely more prevalent but there are plenty of people who do not live in the city and have never lived in the city in which a sports team they root for resides. Does this make them unable to be fans? Of course not. What does it mean if the Sabres leave Buffalo? Would you stop being a fan? I think those who are fans of the team because of the shared connection to Buffalo might. But those who are no longer in Buffalo might not. If you stopped being a fan of the Sabres would you become a fan of another team? If you did, would the fact that you don't live in that city make you a lesser fan? I think people have beliefs on how they would respond but I don't know that we are all confident that we'd hold to those if faced with the situation. I did say in another thread that given the absolute joke the Sabres have become in the NHL under Pegula's ownership that the fact that they reside in Buffalo does not improve the image of the city at all. People who tune into games and see half-empty arenas mock the fans, the club, and the city. How do I know? I only need to look at some of the threads here where people were mocking the Florida Panthers not too long ago for their pathetic attendance. Buffalo is a city known for not winning. Until some franchise wins something it's a moniker that is going to stick. So, a team like the Sabres who move away from Buffalo will no longer be contributing to that image. Still much better if they would just get good and end this ridiculous and unprecedented level of losing.

Absolutely going to be pedantic here and let you know that while these are the dark ages of Sabres history, the games in the afternoon I would consider before dark. 🙂 I'm also surprised that it bothers you, I would have figured you for the connoisseur of "After Dark" programming potentially beginning with Cinemax After Dark on Friday Nights.. 😉

Agreed.. that is incredible. I love when technology is used for awesome stuff like this.

But the Bruins didn't fire the GM, they fired the coach. Do you think the problems in Boston are the coach or the GM? I firmly believe it ain't the coach. I dunno. The Sabres have fired more head coaches since Terry took over. It's hard to use the word "keep" in relation to coaching. The GM position has been slightly less volatile, but only a little. Boston is more serious about winning, but that's because of the owner.

Yep.. and each player is different. The key is developing the player into the role they will serve based on their skill set. You wouldn't bring in a top 6 forward to the 4th line and tell them to go play a hard checking game. This doesn't develop their skill set for where they need to go. Some players need more time to develop and the best place is in the AHL. Some players won't benefit from time in the AHL and need to be in the NHL. The only right answer is the one you learn when the player hits 26-28 and they've either become the player you thought they'd be or they did not. It's not always the plan, many times its the player.

They don't, but it's because of continued mismanagement. The team has had a revolving door at head coach and at GM. They've failed to build anything successful through any of their efforts. Why would any free agent who had an option to sign with a more successful franchise choose Buffalo? If the Sabres build a winning team they will draw players, it's that simple. Certainly there will still be other factors at play but all things being equal, the Sabres have to first be a successful team to draw in talent, until then none of the other factors matter.