Shake up in the office PAT LaFONTAINE RESIGNS

[Eleven]

The way this came out of the blue and the way how Pat had a 2nd job in hand by the time it was announced he was leaving, there has to be people besides Lafontaine that understand what were the issues that precipitated this. Some (several?) of these people leak matters to the press when it is beneficial to themselves.

 

Getting the clear picture of what happened probably won't fully come out.

 

Now I get it--yes, of course "anyone" was too broad; what I mean is "anyone" who is on the air or in the press (whether virtual or paper). None of the talking heads know, and I'm definitely more respectful of the local folks who are saying that they don't know than I am of the international folks who are speculating wildly.

[Stoner]

I feel that Battista telling Nolan not to dress Miller/Ott was a tipping point. Wouldn't it have been PL's job to tell Nolan? Maybe PL couldn't stomach the trade and the finagling that went with it.

 

Yes. Just read that Battista also told Ryan Vinz to get his pads and come with him. Battista is everywhere! There's some serious ball-swinging taking place!

[bcsaberks]

 

Some will feel the need to make this all about TP, the "inner circle" (ALL sports team owners have them BTW), and how dysfunctional they are in order to satisfy some preconceived narratives. But the simple truth seems to be that Patty just isn't cut out for it. While it's embarrassing in the short term perhaps, it speaks well that TP and Co. nipped the unrest in the bud. Would have been far worse to let it fester out of some misguided loyalty to a great player and person that we all love.

 

GO SABRES!!!

 

I like this line of thinking. Preferably TP would have done his homework / interviewed well and not hired in the first place, but here we are.

[bunomatic]

Yes. Just read that Battista also told Ryan Vinz to get his pads and come with him. Battista is everywhere! There's some serious ball-swinging taking place!

 

What exactly is Battistas job title ?

[Eleven]

What exactly is Battistas job title ?

 

http://forums.sabres...o-what-exactly/

 

That's probably the most information we have on him!

 

I like this line of thinking. Preferably TP would have done his homework / interviewed well and not hired in the first place, but here we are.

 

Somewhere, Darcy is laughing.

 

Somewhere else, Rolston has that familiar puzzled look on his face and is wondering what's going on.

Edited March 2, 2014 by Eleven

[Doohicksie]

Also, remember - PLF had been M.I.A. all week "with a cold". The trade didn't even solidify apparently until late in the week

 

But it was in the works and I'm sure PLF knew what was going on.

[bunomatic]

http://forums.sabres...o-what-exactly/

 

That's probably the most information we have on him!

 

 

 

Somewhere, Darcy is laughing.

 

Somewhere else, Rolston has that familiar puzzled look on his face and is wondering what's going on.

 

 

It sounds like he's describing PLFs position when he explains his job responsibilities. We very well may have the culprit. I agree with previous posts that this might have been a pissing contest between Battista and PLF. Who knows ?

[plenzmd1]

Hamilton and Bulldog just painting a not so pretty picture of Patty. Inferring really hard to work with, big ego, different off camera than on.

[nucci]

Hamilton and Bulldog just painting a not so pretty picture of Patty. Inferring really hard to work with, big ego, different off camera than on.

Not surprising to me.

[Doohicksie]

If PLF is leaving in mutual agreement, why no press conference to announce it?

 

You don't do a presser when someone who's only been with the organization a few months leaves. We got this, it's all that was required.

 

 

The Buffalo Sabres have announced Pat LaFontaine has resigned as President of Hockey Operations.

 

Both Sabres Owner Terry Pegula and Pat LaFontaine have issued statments through the team.

"I would like to thank Pat for all he has done for the organization. Pat joined us at a very difficult time and helped transition the organization down a new path. Tim Murray will continue as GM & Craig Patrick will continue as Senior Hockey Advisor. As has been the case since I bought the team, we’ll continue to do whatever is needed to rebuild the organization & keep it on path towards our ultimate goal of winning the Stanley Cup.” – Sabres Owner Terry Pegula

"Terry Pegula hired me in Nov. and my primary objective was to lead the Sabres organization through a time of transition. I'm proud of what we've been able to accomplish in a short period of time and want to thank Terry and Kim Pegula for the opportunity and their support during my time with the Sabres. I also want to convey my best wishes to all of the players in the Sabres organization and to wish them the best of success in the future. Most importantly, I want to convey my heartfelt appreciation to the great fans of the Sabres for the way I have been treated here as a player and as an executive." - Pat LaFontaine

 

 

That is sufficient.

[SwampD]

This couldn't have happened at a better time if you ask me. With the season finale of Downton Abbey last week, I didn't know what I was going to follow today.

[Peter]

Hamilton and Bulldog just painting a not so pretty picture of Patty. Inferring really hard to work with, big ego, different off camera than on.

This seems to make sense.

 

The fact that this happened the way it did and the timing leads me to believe that there is credence to the suggestion that there is a difference between the public and private PLF.

 

The Miller/Ott trade had to happen also. We could not afford to lose them for nothing. If either really want to re-sign with Sabres, nothing prevents them from doing so in July.

Edited March 2, 2014 by Peter

[Doohicksie]

Dohickie, this is correct. It is the follow on to 11's MFT status.

 

Thanks. I never saw the MFT reference (or just scanned over it).

[Neo]

 

 

That is sufficient.

 

Sixteen pages of posts asking "why" in less than 18 hours, and headlines throughout the hockey world, suggests to me that it's not sufficient to your core audience.

Edited March 2, 2014 by Neo

[PromoTheRobot]

I like that there's zero conversation about who is going to replace Pat as president. It's almost like we instinctively know that the job was a farce to begin with and that no one will replace him, that's who. Terry and his cronies (love that word) are "Office of the President."

Replace him? Why? We already have too many VP's of this and that.

[Doohicksie]

Yes. Just read that Battista also told Ryan Vinz to get his pads and come with him. Battista is everywhere! There's some serious ball-swinging taking place!

 

Maybe GMTM was (and is) still working the phones and asked Battista to handle this stuff for him. Lots of plausible scenarios that don't involve conflict (outside of an ass-hurt PLF).

[LGR4GM]

okay, I have to say that I am at Defcon 2 with this organization right now. We haven't reached full nuke but something is off. I still really like Murray and I am glad Patrick and Nolan are still with the team. That being said something isn't or wasn't right. Maybe PLF was a bit of an EGO guy and maybe it was just he wanted to leave. Hell could be anything at this point but my spidey senses are tingling... the next three days are very important to me.

[26CornerBlitz]

(WBEN Audio) More from Hamilton of the PLF resignation saga: http://audio.wben.com/hosting/media/wben/1578676/paul-hamilton-interview.mp3

Edited March 2, 2014 by 26CornerBlitz

[K-9]

Sixteen pages of posts in less than 18 hours, and headlines throughout the hockey world, suggests to me that it's not sufficient to your core audience.

 

Sufficiency and milking it to slake the thirst of the 24 hour news cycle are two different things.

 

GO SABRES!!!

Edited March 2, 2014 by K-9

[Neo]

 

 

Sufficiency and milking it to slake the thirst of the 24 hour news cycle are two different things.

 

GO SABRES!!!

 

Slake! Well done.

 

I don't feel we're milking a story, however. We've not learned it. After it's told, I'll resist the urge to slake.

 

[Doohicksie]

Sixteen pages of posts asking "why" in less than 18 hours, and headlines throughout the hockey world, suggests to me that it's not sufficient to your core audience.

 

A handful of posters on a sausage-fest fanboi forum does not constitute a "core audience." There are 16 pages of yapping here because the people here like to yap when their inferiority complexes are tweaked.

 

And I'm not seeing much notice in the hockey world. More of a "Hey. This happened. Meh."

 

Replace him? Why? We already have too many VP's of this and that.

 

I think that was his point.

Edited March 2, 2014 by Doohickie

[Neo]

 

 

A handful of posters on a sausage-fest fanboi forum does not constitute a "core audience." There are 16 pages of yapping here because the people here like to yap when their inferiority complexes are tweaked.

 

 

Who, then, is the core audience that finds the press release sufficient?

[Doohicksie]

The butts that fill the seats, that watch the games on TV. The revenue.

 

The only reason the posters here have any significance at all is that the Buffalo sports media likes to dig around in here for material when they can't think of anything intelligent to say.

Edited March 2, 2014 by Doohickie

[Neo]

The butts that fill the seats, that watch the games on TV. The revenue.

 

I was unaware they found the press release sufficient.

[Stoner]

A handful of posters on a sausage-fest fanboi forum....

 

That's great!

 

Replace him? Why? We already have too many VP's of this and that.

 

Either the organization structure was set up to have a president because it made sense, or we ended up with a president for some ulterior motive. The difference is important. If no one replaces PLF, it looks really bad.