Pimlach

I truly believe a big part of this situation is the differences in the leagues. The NFL does not want any dog franchises. They do everything they can to allow top execs, top GMs, and top coaches to be known, free to move, and free to get opportunities. This has been the NFL way for a long time. Kim was embraced as an owner in the NFL. Not sure how well she did with the NHL but I don't think it went well. McDermott was on the NFL's list of top coaching candidates and he impressed the Bills (including Pegula) and got a second interview which he won fter Rex Ryan was canned. McDermott brought in Beane after he conducted the first draft with Whaley (who was a sitting Duck right up to that draft). Beane's contract with the Panthers ended after that draft. The NHL? I don't know what they do. They certainly make it easier for expansion teams to get a good start. It sure seems that the NHL is much more of a good old boys club that Terry (and Kim) cannot get in. In the early days Pegula took inputs from his Penn State friends, and his Pittsburgh friends, although many were no longer tied into the NHL. The LaFontaine hire was a poor one, Pat was not a reliable and proven NHL Team Exec. He never will be either. He got Boterill, by all accounts a bright young guy, from a recommendation from his Pittsburgh connections. He hired Adams (who had no Hockey Operations FO experience) from his own experiences with the Sabres. Does the NHL even offer the services the NFL does? Terry has a lot on his plate, including a sick wife. He needs to find a Hockey version of Brandon Beane and let him run it all. He is giving Adams every opportunity to be that guy. Some people here think that this year is a do or die year for Adams, but I don't think it is. I think Terry will give him the 2 years that cover Ruff's contract.

Totally fake. The responses had no emotion. The robot had one basic output message for all inputs.

I still love the Sabres and that won't change. If I can withstand the Pegula era I must be hopeless, or crazy, or both. Yes, for me it is an ingrained habit to follow this team no matter how crappy they are. The bolded seems to be in opposition to the rest of your statement? I can't follow it. I would go in a heartbeat. Most of the games that I attend are losses though, but I think we can all say that. I miss the AHL Bisons too. I might even miss them more to be honest.

The Bills were well prepared for anything last night. They are just taking care of business. The team is getting better each week. They seem to have a lot of hungry and well prepared back ups because anytime they put one in a game that guy performs. McD said he was told when he took the job that no one wanted to come here. 17 year playoff drought. He sure changed that, and quickly. The Sabres model for what to do and how to do it has been right in front of them for quite awhile. Own the drought and make it their biggest goal to end it.

Is he really 5'10" and 170 lbs per Hockey dB? He looks 180 lbs this year and he could carry 190 once he becomes a man. He will be strong someday and he will play smart too. He gets the game. The score sheet is another story, he does not have a big shot and he is still 19. He gets his few goals driving to the net and hanging out in the slot area, something we need more of. He creates more plays than what is getting converted to goals so far this year. Some day I think he will get his share of goals/points, he has long way to go yet. I hope they don't screw this kid up. He made the team at 18 because Adams took that summer off and did not bring in any help. He has had two coaches in two years, and has not been part of a steady line either, but he soldiers on and gives a lot of effort.

We are missing him for sure. With Greenway we have a big forward that plays a strong defensives game, a strong PK, can chip in offensively, and has a physical presence.

We need him back for better balance.

They are better than last year. They have warts just like all of the other teams competing for a wild card.

Kim also reaffirmed the great job Boterill was doing, citing that fans don’t know the inner details of running a team. Take her with a grain of salt. Actually 1 thru 4 are all related. It’s all about a lack of trust and the need for control. 3 is about not having a network of proven NHL people to help him, even after many years in the league. So hire the wife, save money, and keep all of the control within the family. Was Kim really running the business side, or was Adams? Who got promoted from Business operations to hockey operations? Is that a normal path for NHL GMs?

Hiring Adams was about these things, and none of them have anything to do with Hockey Operations 1. Trust - Terry likes Adams and trusts him to do what says 2. Control - Terry feels he had to have a lot of it 3. Lack of a network in the NHL. Terry lacks this. He put his wife in charge of the team. 4. Money - Terry was very concerned about the family fortune in 2020 with Covid uncertainty and so many pieces of his business hurting. As I mentioned, Zito was out there.

Yes. There is a log jam of middling teams and the Sabres are in the mix. They have the goaltending finally - but pucks are not going in. Lindy is suddenly giving lots of minutes to the kids and sitting the vets and the result is bad. For a short while Thompson and Dahlin were carrying the load and leading. That has stopped.

And Florida’s GM Bill Zito could have been hired by Buffalo too. But Terry would have to known him and trust him, which limits the pool of candidates to Howdy Doody and anyone his friends from Pittsburgh talk to him about.

He is not even mediocre. His record is one of failure.

Metsa does not project to the NHL. Not even on the worst franchise in NHL history.

I disagree. This team just got shutout again, that’s 2 in 3 games. The top 6 is the biggest problem. They are weak at center and the top 6 is young, soft, and flawed. I’ve been saying this all off season. If Thompson is your 1C then they don’t have a 2C. Cozens and Quinn are not top 6 forwards - they might have 2nd line “ceilings” but they are not there yet. Quinn does not deserve any ice time right now, he simply does not contribute. I don’t get why Tuch gets so much grief either. Tuch is a great 3rd line player on a very strong team, a 2nd line player on a good team. He does more than most. I want more minutes for guys like Tuch, McLeod, Zucker, Greenway, and Benson. I’m tired of seeing Quinn and Cozens get tossed around like children.

Fine. One week ago McLeod was helping fill the void with Thompson out, Zucker was contributing in multiple ways, Malenstyn was hitting everything in sight. We win 3 on the road, come home and get Thompson back and poof. Everything changed. The shots stopped going in and they are folding.

These Sabres forwards are losing minutes lately - Malenstyn, McLeod, and Zucker. Does this seem odd to anyone else? They brought them in for Lindy to add toughness, speed, and NHL experience. I don’t get what’s going on with the constant line changes either.

They looked like 6th graders playing 8th graders.

Very poor performance. A team below us just advanced.

Very telling. Benson playing to the end. No one else though. Terrible.

Dunleavy sucks. Add that to the list of grievances.

I heard Imlach is tired of Mahovlich, give him a call.

Nice PK by McLeod who is somehow the 4C in minutes

Who says Adam's is even in trouble? Just us. Who will Terry get? Another disaster? We really need Adams to succeed so Terry does less.