Shake up in the office PAT LaFONTAINE RESIGNS

[26CornerBlitz]

I was off the grid for most of yesterday and it's looking like that was a good thing.

 

I think yesterday was the day where begin a Sabres fan officially became akin to rooting for the good guys on Game of Thrones. Every time you think things can't possibly get worse, they do.

 

I've hated our roster for a while, but this is the first time I can say I have ZERO faith in Pegula. Right now everything feels like it's built on sand.

 

I think that's an overreaction. My faith lies in having an two experienced Hockey Men in Murray and Patrick. Keep the train moving.

[Taro T]

The Pegula hate is beyond weird to me. It is his team if he wants to make himself the GM then fine. it is his property. Despite this, would people still rather have TG? No. They wouldn't. Pegula is good for this team. I'm not going to leap to any conclusions about who the villain is and how TP is a monster in sheep's clothing etc. It is pathetic to do that. We all know nothing, but are quite happy to bitch about people because some have pre-conceived ideas and conspiracy theories.

 

All we know is something happened to make PLF resign after a few months. PLF has done this before in NY

 

I see no reason Pegula needs to be at any press-conference. People think he meddles and then doesn't show up to deal with the fall out. but what if, he doesn't actually meddle and isn't at any press conference because that is the job of the people he hired

Good point. This is the 1 thing we know at this point. EVERYTHING ELSE tweeted and spoken is speculation @ this point. I'm going to wait for something substantive before weighing in too heavily on what this means to the Sabres moving forward. My guess is this will turn out to not be as bad for the Sabres at it might seem initially.

[darksabre]

 

Good point. This is the 1 thing we know at this point. EVERYTHING ELSE tweeted and spoken is speculation @ this point. I'm going to wait for something substantive before weighing in too heavily on what this means to the Sabres moving forward. My guess is this will turn out to not be as bad for the Sabres at it might seem initially.

 

But we've already been told the Sabres don't have to give us answers.

 

If we don't get straight talk from Black at this presser then you can bet the radical speculation gains a lot of support.

[nfreeman]

Maybe it's just me, but I think some people are really over-reacting.

It is not just you.

 

Well, it was a pretty stunning development, innit? And given the timing, it had to have been the result of some pretty major internal disagreements, right? And it does make the Sabres look like a Mickey Mouse organization, right? And there seems to be a real risk now that we'll lose the coach as well, after offering him an extension -- kinda like when no one wanted the Bills' coaching job?

 

I don't think anyone is saying that this means the Sabres can't put a good rebuild together. But it just looks bad.

[K-9]

The problem is that there was an impression that the president of hockey ops position was created in a smart move to create a layer between ownership and GM. That was probably a generous interpretation on the part of some. Remember that Pat turned Terry down when the GM job was offered. Now it looks like the president position was created for Patty. (That is, if it isn't filled.)

 

I think if WAS created entirely for Patty because he DID turn down the GM job as you said. Again, if there's a realization that with a GM and adviser in place and there may not be a need to maintain a position solely created for someone no longer in the organization, I can see why it doesn't need to be filled.

 

Maybe they'll just keep an empty chair in the conference room in his honor.

 

GO SABRES!!!

[pastajoe]

 

When TP first bought the team I knew if the Sabres weren't a cup contender in 2 years people would turn on him.

 

His first act as owner was a mistake, keeping Darcy, so he brought it on himself. They could have begun this rebuild a couple years ago.

[Robviously]

I think that's an overreaction. My faith lies in having an two experienced Hockey Men in Murray and Patrick. Keep the train moving.

Sure, if they stick around. They guy who hired them lasted 108 days before bolting for mysterious reasons. It doesn't even sound like Nolan is sure he wants to stay, if you can believe that.

 

You couldn't make this up.

[JJFIVEOH]

Well, it was a pretty stunning development, innit? And given the timing, it had to have been the result of some pretty major internal disagreements, right? And it does make the Sabres look like a Mickey Mouse organization, right? And there seems to be a real risk now that we'll lose the coach as well, after offering him an extension -- kinda like when no one wanted the Bills' coaching job?

 

I don't think anyone is saying that this means the Sabres can't put a good rebuild together. But it just looks bad.

 

It is a rather significant event. But it's not something that needs to be dwelled on past this weekend. Talks about how bad an owner Pegula is, people jumping to conclusions, blame being placed here and there, people placing doubts about the future of the team, etc. It's silly. Regardless of the circumstances all this appears to be is a conflict of too many 'yes men'. Instead of letting the tension getting the better of everybody, one of them left. It doesn't need to be any more than that.

[26CornerBlitz]

Sure, if they stick around. They guy who hired them lasted 108 days before bolting for mysterious reasons. It doesn't even sound like Nolan is sure he wants to stay, if you can believe that.

 

You couldn't make this up.

 

I might share your concern if PLF hadn't done this before. WRT Nolan, I believe he'll accept the extension being offered once he gets past the emotions of LaFontaine's departure. If he doesn't take the job out of loyalty, it's career suicide for him IMO.

[Taro T]

But we've already been told the Sabres don't have to give us answers.

 

If we don't get straight talk from Black at this presser then you can bet the radical speculation gains a lot of support.

Even if he does give straight talk the radical speculation will gain a lot of support.

[Peter]

 

 

The Pegula hate is beyond weird to me. It is his team if he wants to make himself the GM then fine. it is his property. Despite this, would people still rather have TG? No. They wouldn't. Pegula is good for this team. I'm not going to leap to any conclusions about who the villain is and how TP is a monster in sheep's clothing etc. It is pathetic to do that. We all know nothing, but are quite happy to bitch about people because some have pre-conceived ideas and conspiracy theories.

 

All we know is something happened to make PLF resign after a few months. PLF has done this before in NY

 

I see no reason Pegula needs to be at any press-conference. People think he meddles and then doesn't show up to deal with the fall out. but what if, he doesn't actually meddle and isn't at any press conference because that is the job of the people he hired

 

I agree. The guy has been great for the community and has put his money where his mouth is. We are lucky that the Pegulas own the team. They also are willing to ride out the rebuild rather than applying band aids like a lot of other teams.

 

I have no problem with him not finding it necessary to speak with Sully, Bucky, Harrington et al who always seem to be driving their own narrative.

 

As for Nolan, I am not concerned about whether he would want to remain as coach. The Pegulas gave him another lifeline. The guy has got to be smart enough to realize that he has burned enough bridges in his life and that, other than Latvia, there have been no teams (NHL or otherwise) that have been banging down his door.

[K-9]

Even if he does give straight talk the radical speculation will gain a lot of support.

 

This is so true. Nobody can tell everybody everything they all want to hear. That's why you limit your exposure in the first place. Now that doesn't stop the wild speculation but it's often best to never give a shred of validity to speculation by acknowledging it.

 

GO SABRES!!!

[drnkirishone]

I was off the grid for most of yesterday and it's looking like that was a good thing.

 

I think yesterday was the day where begin a Sabres fan officially became akin to rooting for the good guys on Game of Thrones. Every time you think things can't possibly get worse, they do.

 

I've hated our roster for a while, but this is the first time I can say I have ZERO faith in Pegula. Right now everything feels like it's built on sand.

I still support the Starks............ The North Remembers

[darksabre]

 

Even if he does give straight talk the radical speculation will gain a lot of support.

 

Honestly I just want to have them quell My speculation. :P

[spndnchz]

Gibby's got a lot of prep to do.

[nucci]

They better put this to bed quickly they don't need more negative stuff coming out of this team especially during a rebuild and for the future. They don't need more negative press if they want quality free agents to land in Buffalo. What is more depressing is that Nolan doesn't sound that great in that news conference. I'm wondering if he even will accept the full-time heading coaching spot in Buffalo after this mess. What a joke this is becoming. If some of this has to do with Ryan Miller and Steve Ott not getting contract offers or some other BS thing between PLF and Murray I will be pissed.

If he doesn't he'll never get another chance in NHL.

[Weave]

I think that's an overreaction. My faith lies in having an two experienced Hockey Men in Murray and Patrick. Keep the train moving.

 

It seems that right now all we have is Murray and Patrick. Murray is new at this level and Patrick, while highly successful in the past, is a dinosaur. I hope they are up to it.

 

Gibby's got a lot of prep to do.

 

Who is Gibby?

[PromoTheRobot]

 

 

It's the way he's handled his business that people have a problem with. I'm glad he bought the team and I appreciate what he's doing for the city but there's a distinct lack of tact in the way he handles internal problems and that makes me uneasy.

Yeah, it's always "if only he did the other thing..." We are the best at playing the "If only" game.

 

In my opinion we have this vague expectation and we always look for how people fall short of it. Short of immediate instant success I don't think we would be happy with anyone.

 

[nucci]

It seems that right now all we have is Murray and Patrick. Murray is new at this level and Patrick, while highly successful in the past, is a dinosaur. I hope they are up to it.

What did LaFontaine add? No experience being a GM or involved in personnel......and quit the Islanders over a decision the owner made....

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

 

 

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!

 

http://forums.sabrespace.com/topic/22203-gm-speculation/page__st__280#entry528432

 

This is the most logical scenario for me right now, but I truly want to hear from everyone. The kind of stuff that has gone on the past 2 days does not bode well under any circumstance. Now you have Nolan sounding wishy washy. What does Tim Murray think? He at least had Patty as a buffer between him and Pegula. Is Battista going to be over his shoulder? Tim Murray said he is renting a condo and didn't even put anything in the fridge yet a few weeks ago. I can only imagine what is going through his head right now. How do you put your full heart into a trade deadline rebuild when you probably have to question yourself how long you can truly see yourself staying in Buffalo. It's just a bad juju. And Pat Lafontaine did leave before....he left Charles Wang....was that a poor decision? This is the scary part.

 

I just want to hear from everyone right now. This is government overthrow kind of stuff. They should march every major member of the organization in front of a mike so we know they are still alive. Murray, Black, Patrick, Devine....I couldn't care less about Sawyer, and Benson is too busy getting appointed to the board of Penn St by Governor Corbett with the media backlash there....but I really thought we were over the hump.

 

What should be a Christmas Eve type atmosphere of the trade deadline has just been ruined by learning the kids crashed the car on the way to Grandma's house...and we don't know the condition except for 1 DOA.

[Jsixspd]

I don't like Ted Black. I think that's my problem.

 

He's just your typical corporate suit-wearing talking-head/functionary. Which means I don't like him a lot, either.

 

 

Good point. This is the 1 thing we know at this point. EVERYTHING ELSE tweeted and spoken is speculation @ this point. I'm going to wait for something substantive before weighing in too heavily on what this means to the Sabres moving forward. My guess is this will turn out to not be as bad for the Sabres at it might seem initially.

 

I see the converse of that - we're thinking in terms of the 'harm' it will do, or won't do. But alternately we'll never know how good things may have been had the Sabres not lost him so quickly. Just add to the ever growing list of "What Ifs" with this team,ala "What if Sabres hadn't lost Briere and Drury?"

[bunomatic]

Watched Nolans presser and no question he's emotional and alludes to something big that happened. We all know something happened obviously but the way he states it almost sounds like someone close was diagnosed with a bad illness ( an analogy ) whether thats because his good friend resigned or just the circumstances surrounding it that rattled him, who knows. Methinks he's rethinking his desire to be employed with people that would operate in this manner.

 

On a side note can't they employ somebody to operate a boom mike so we can hear the damn questions being asked ?

[wjag]

Sure, if they stick around. They guy who hired them lasted 108 days before bolting for mysterious reasons. It doesn't even sound like Nolan is sure he wants to stay, if you can believe that.

 

You couldn't make this up.

 

I'm not sure I understand why folks are surprised by this.

 

1. When you strip a team down to the foundation and still hold the coach accountable to win, he's in a no win scenario.

2. The man who got you the job just left

2. You are not necessarily the first choice of the GM you are working for

3. Any sembelance of a guy who can actually played at the NHL level is sent packing for a teenage prospect that will probably not make it to the NHL before you get fired.

[That Aud Smell]

The idea (upthread) that this was a contemplated departure is farcical.

 

Something, or some things, happened and PLF quit as a result of it/them.

 

I regret that PLF is gone - that was such a feel-good hire.I think the public/private persona talk is very interesting, and could explain quite a bit.

 

I think that he landed back with the NHL isn't a huge tell--he could've squared that away in a matter of days. The fact that Bettman and PLF are evidently affiliates is weird, and may suggest that PLF isn't the mensch I have long assumed him to be.

 

I find myself questioning a lot all of a sudden -- his devotion to the Knoxes, for example, now potentially marred by insincerity and a desire for self-advancement.I am left to infer that PLF did not have the level of power, authority, and/or influence he desired.

 

And I feel like his decision to up and leave before the trade deadline is deeply unprofessional--fukc, just wait a week, dude. Would that have killed you? Doing it now seems incredibly self-centered--requiring the franchise to spend time cleaning up this mess rather than concentrate entirely on the trade deadline.

And I feel like the decision to separate PLF days before the trade deadline is a worrisome distraction for a FO that has yet to show itself competent. PLF was reportedly under the weather--fukc, just wait another week, fellas. <edited to acknowledge the fact that PLF, while maybe acting like a diva, may have been trying to take the high road, and a leak accelerated the timing of his departure.>

 

If not for the narrative (which has some basis in fact) that TP and his inner circle are bumblefukcs, this would unequivocally be a "PLF is off the rez" analysis. I still think it tips more in that direction than not.

 

We have TM. He seems more than competent. If we can get Reinhardt (sic?) and, God willing, McDavid, none of this will matter.

 

Go Sabres.

Edited March 3, 2014 by That Aud Smell

[IKnowPhysics]

At the moment, without any other evidence, I believe Paul Hamilton, which results in the idea that Blue boiled down: Pat LaFontaine may not be cut out for the front office.

 

PHam said that off-camera, Pat's a very intense person, which I'm sure is a result necessity of being one the great, hyper-competitive players of all time. You can be that way on-ice and in the player transaction (trade, UFA, draft) market, but you can't be that way in a management group among allies that need to work together. You have to be able to compromise.

 

Pat was brought in to perform as a very specific piece of the management puzzle: hire the GM, let the GM do the heavy lifting, then be an ambassador and adviser for the team. But if he thought that there was some expanded role he was to have, or if he thought it was going to be his way always, he was wrong. It's also possible that LaFontaine, who is a very passionate person, didn't have the professional ruthlessness required for being in the chain of responsibility for trading and cutting players, but I'd like to think he's brave enough to try.

 

Paul Hamilton's also somewhat correct about the aftermath: it may not be that big of a deal. We have a GM with a lot of hockey experience working hard to build the team. The coaching and the ownership situation haven't changed. The Sabres are still well-positioned to advance going forward. We're just minus one well-respected ambassador.

 

I don't like seeing Patty go because I think he could've grown his role to do great things as an ambassador for the team. But by no means do I think we're in a world of ######, because, barring any real power struggle nonsense that I have yet to see any evidence of, we still have a very strong front office.

 

edit: And until I see evidence to the contrary, I don't think Ted Black has a single thing to do with any of this. If there actually was any sort of argument with "Terry Pegula's people," I'm looking squarely at Ken Sawyer or Joe Battista.

Edited March 2, 2014 by IKnowPhysics