Believer

Was an early critic of Granato and thought he lost all credibility when he was mum on the player rebellion and let it go on too long… Evidence for me he wasn’t strong enough for the leadership demands of the job… Despite excellent hockey IQ, analytical and verbal skills, players stopped listening to him… Wasn’t surprised… Most pro athletes are alpha males and don’t respond to weak leaders…They think they know better. Granato gave it his all… Walks away with some valuable experiences, great relationships and financial security… He will be fine whatever he ends up doing.

Without insight into the dynamic between Adams and Pegula, agree the firings were six months too late, but only if Adams had the ability to do it at any point sooner. Perhaps he didn’t. Expect any experienced NHL HC will want to partner with Adams on future changes to the roster he inherits. Unless the new HC is on board, offseason trades and FA pick ups will be all Adams and Pegula. Makes me think the new HC will be named soon.

Five months is a long time to be jonesing for a Sabres game… Let’s all enjoy tonight!

The end is nigh…

Pegula isn’t committed to the Sabres winning. It’s the investment appreciation and ownership status that keeps him an owner, imo.

UPL

Nice job, @PASabreFan…Solid list of Captains duties… Think you got them all… Dahlin could mature into a C in a few years… Too soon to say… Tuch is of the Okposo mold… Nice guy but not demanding enough of himself and his teammates, imo. Don’t see a long term C on the roster yet… Next C should be a bridge.

Well said, @Thorny and solely a result of this regime’s making… Also know when you change the conditions, you change the behavior… Abysmal starts went on for months… What did Adams and Granato change?… Nothing, really. Juggled a line or two. Cut minutes on a few guys late in the season. If it’s on the players as you say, management never got their attention… Adams, Granato, and Okposo failed as leaders. We got rid of Okposo, a good man but a miserable Captain, imo… Time to get rid of the others… Do it in the offseason or do it during the season on a probationary basis as someone suggested… But at the first whiff of complacency… as evidenced by a lack of Commitment to Winning… Cut bait.

Me, too. Earlier.

Got you snowed, too, @Thorny??… Any other NHL Coach with the same record would have been fired by now… You guys are getting as soft as the Sabres!

Granato is not HC material… He proved it again this year with his inability to send out a team prepared to play hard hockey from the first puck drop, to his line change management with the home ice advantage, to his wholly ineffective PP system, and his redundant postgame analytical explanations for poor efforts and results… I’m giving him a pass on spending the last few preseason games auditioning prospects instead of playing his starters for 60 minutes… No Commitment to Winning… And his inexplicable and unacceptable public reaction to the team’s adolescent stunt responding to the boos and fan chants for his firing… Absence of Leadership. Excited to hear the organization’s plans for next season.

Our Sabres headlining an NHL promotional tour to start the next season?… Wouldn’t have been my choice unless we are at the end of a rotation selection system… As if our youngsters need the distraction of a quasi European vacation to getting off to a winning start.

Or be expected to pay for season tickets, game day tickets, parking, and concessions with hard-earned wages or other income… when the owner doesn’t care enough to insist his GM, Coach, and Players commit to a winning effort every single game.

And, that has been Granato’s and Adams blind spot all season long. No “Commitment to Winning.”… Instead, they produced complacency with the goal of youth development… From the final three preseason games through 79 game nights… It’s as simple as that, I believe.

“Now, boys, when the horn blows I want you to skate off the ice with your shoulders back and your head held high.”

Don’t agree, @inkman… Adams got so caught up in his search for prospects with “high character” he neglected to select for players with “high competitiveness”… We only have a few on our roster… We are loaded with Wannabes… No hockey mind is going to fix this franchise without roster change.

Truth.

Quinn… Boom… Dallas announcers think it is a high stick… Yep.

Damn.

Dallas announcer “Sabres loaded with prospects in their rebuilding that will go on for another year.” More like five…

WGR 550 is broadcasting CBS Sports Radio … Sheesh Just got the Dallas broadcast…

Agree 100%.

Not too late to show some pride. Play hard.

It’s on both players and coaches… Coaches first period line matchups fail… and Players unfocused on winning the period with early offense and stout defense… Greatest failure it was not recognized and rectified all season long… just like the power play…

Been banging that drum for three months… Pegula isn’t interested enough to eat management contracts.