The 'layers of people' around TP — THEY'RE PEOPLE! TELL THEM! — also: fookin' Battista

[Stoner]

 

Babcock said his relationship with Murray is strong, dating to their days in Anaheim, and a source familiar with the negotiations agreed, saying Babcock’s issue was far more with the layers of people in the front office and around Terry Pegula.

A lot of the chatter is about Joe Battista, the team’s vice president of hockey-related business. He continues to be talked about in NHL circles as a growing player of influence within the hockey operation when he should be concentrating solely on HarborCenter activities. Battista, remember, has no prior NHL experience and came on board as a close confidante of Pegula in 2013 after a 26-year run at Penn State.

 

http://sabres.buffalonews.com/2015/05/21/babcock-simply-wanted-toronto-over-any-other/

Attention Harrington-haters. Spare me. Let's discuss the front office structure of the Sabres and whether it could have posed a problem for Babcock. Of course GMTM would have us believe Babcock had no interest in anything other than coaching the team. What does Battista do? Craig Patrick? Ken Sawyer? Is Ted Black in on hockey decisions? Does Kim Pegula consult an astrologist? Did she have a bunion on Mother's Day, causing a slight hitch in her giddyup that turned off MB? What happened with LaLa anyway?

 

 

[qwksndmonster]

Hmmm.  Interesting.  I have no clue about any of it.

 

I just spent the last few days getting got by media members stirring the pot, so blahhhh.

[SwampD]

I have trouble reading past the "A lot of the chatter" line. What the hell does that even mean? He's talked about by whom? Is his apparent growing influence seen as negative or positive?

 

Just seems like a lazy way to get a dig in.

[LGR4GM]

I think the question is does Battista actually have the power to stop Tim Murray from doing things.  Judging by how things have happened thus far that answer is no.  Definitely something to keep and eye on.

[X. Benedict]

This gets 8/10 stars on the conspiratorial tones meter.  (Harrington's piece that is). 

Edited May 22, 2015 by X. Benedict

[bunomatic]

word on the street is they're calling the Sabres management structure ' the seven layer dip ',  ;)

[Claude_Verret]

The "chatter" that I've heard from my source is that GMTM was a bit put off by Babcock's extreme arrogance during the negotiation process.  It's probably worth about the same as Harrington's NHL chatter regarding Battista...not much.

[Stoner]

The "chatter" that I've heard from my source is that GMTM was a bit put off by Babcock's extreme arrogance during the negotiation process.  It's probably worth about the same as Harrington's NHL chatter regarding Battista...not much.

Maybe. He does seem full of himself. I did give an eye roll to this quote:

 

“Are they allowed to be disappointed? Yep,” Babcock said. “When the sun got up today, they’ll get on with it."

[nfreeman]

I have trouble reading past the "A lot of the chatter" line. What the hell does that even mean? He's talked about by whom? Is his apparent growing influence seen as negative or positive?

 

Just seems like a lazy way to get a dig in.

 

It means bozo Harrington reads this board and sees a lot of posters with the same level of insight into the Sabres' inner operations as he has (i.e. zero) decrying Battista.

[Stoner]

It means bozo Harrington reads this board and sees a lot of posters with the same level of insight into the Sabres' inner operations as he has (i.e. zero) decrying Battista.

Great theory, except Battista has barely been mentioned around these parts for a long time.

[bg17]

So is it as stated in the first two paragraphs:

 

He wanted to be in the self-proclaimed Center of the Hockey Universe and so did his family. No offense, Buffalo or Detroit. Or San Jose or St. Louis or anyone else.

You’re not Toronto. Babcock could have gotten his $50 million at First Niagara Center, too. But he wanted the chance to rescue a desperate Original Six franchise.

 

Or is it as stated in paragraph 13:

 

source familiar with the negotiations agreed, saying Babcock’s issue was far more with the layers of people in the front office and around Terry Pegula.

Are we to believe that Babcock would have given up everything he wanted if not for the "layers" and Battista?

[That Aud Smell]

I did read that piece - making a rare exception for my Harrington abstention policy.

 

Harrington says that he has a source close to the negotiations for the layers tidbit.

 

How close, though? Per GM TM, there were four people in the room when they were negotiating - Babcock, GM TM, and the Pegulas. I take GM TM at his word there - it was just the four of them.

 

So who's Harrington's source? It's not anyone who was directly involved in the talks. And it must be someone with Babcock's "camp" given that the source was providing insight into Babcock's alleged misgivings with the Buffalo management structure.

 

I think Harrington is a total turd, but I don't want to think he'd just fabricate a source. My guess: He spoke with another writer - maybe Ansar Khan from DET - who gave him that insight, for whatever it's worth.

 

Anyhoo. I think we covered this over in Babwatch somewhat: That Babcock is an emperor of sorts, and Pegula likes a flat clusterf--, err, flat management structure. It may be that the two styles could not be coordinated.

 

As for "chatter" and "NHL circles," I just can't credit that from Harrington. I can't, and won't. Not until he does something to establish some measure of credibility within said "NHL circles." My sense is that the "NHL circles" to which he refers is, at best, his shooting the breeze with other writers - theorizing on what might be, and, at worst, trolling sites like this.

Are we to believe that Babcock would have given up everything he wanted if not for the "layers" and Battista?

 

An excellent point.

Great theory, except Battista has barely been mentioned around these parts for a long time.

 

So what. He could just be a dog with a bone.

Edited May 22, 2015 by That Aud Smell

[TrueBlueGED]

Any interest in starting a collection to get Harrington on the next Space-X test flight.

[K-9]

Look folks, the simple fact is that ever since Pegula chastised the BN for being so negative four years ago, they have been frozen out. And the Sullys, Gleasons, and Harringtons continue to be insulted. "Chatter" my ass.

 

GO SABRES!!!

So is it as stated in the first two paragraphs:

 

He wanted to be in the self-proclaimed Center of the Hockey Universe and so did his family. No offense, Buffalo or Detroit. Or San Jose or St. Louis or anyone else.

You’re not Toronto. Babcock could have gotten his $50 million at First Niagara Center, too. But he wanted the chance to rescue a desperate Original Six franchise.

 

Or is it as stated in paragraph 13:

 

source familiar with the negotiations agreed, saying Babcock’s issue was far more with the layers of people in the front office and around Terry Pegula.

Are we to believe that Babcock would have given up everything he wanted if not for the "layers" and Battista?

Great point. Classic case of a Harrington contradiction.

 

GO SABRES!!!

[That Aud Smell]

Bruce Arthur has a piece this morning where he surrenders to the mystery of why Babcock chose TOR. There's a quote from Tannenbaum [sic] who's a principal with MLSE; he says: "“In this case, we’re looking at building a team here. And that team is Mark Hunter, it’s Kyle Dubas, it’s Brendan Shanahan, it’s Mike Babcock. Because nobody’s got the answers for everything.”

 

Sound like anyone we know? Doesn't sound like Babcock objects to layers of people -- provided, I guess, those layers are ones he likes or respects.

 

The closest Arthur came to a guess on why Babcock chose TOR was that, in the end, TOR is a bigger, better city (true) with a longer, deeper hockey tradition (true as well) in the unofficial seat of Babcock's home country. That's more than enough, really.

 

But my antipathy for Harrington notwithstanding, it may be that Pegula's cronies are a turn-off to some people in the league. Maybe Babcock included.

 

Thing is, even if there weren't a Battista or a Benson or a Sawyer (he's out, actually - right?) in/around the Sabres' FO, I still think Babcock would've chosen TOR.

Edited May 22, 2015 by That Aud Smell

[LabattBlue]

Without someone on the inside, all we can do is hope that Murray is left alone to do his job as GM.  If Battista is one of these guys who is stirring the pot behind the scenes and has Pegula's ear, hopefully Pegula takes it with a grain of salt.

 

IMO one thing is for sure..the day Battista interferes with Murray and his job as GM, Murray goes to Pegula and either gets Battista put in his place, gets him fired, or Murray quits.

Edited May 22, 2015 by LabattBlue

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

Without someone on the inside, all we can do is hope that Murray is left alone to do his job as GM.  If Battista is one of these guys who is stirring the pot behind the scenes and has Pegula's ear, hopefully Pegula takes it with a grain of salt.

 

IMO one thing is for sure..the day Battista interferes with Murray and his job as GM, Murray goes to Pegula and either gets Battista put in his place, gets him fired or Murray quits.

 

Well....this is straight off Battista's Linkedin profile......

 

 

Vice President of Hockey and Business Administration Buffalo Sabres and East Management Services, LP

 

November 2013

– Present (1 year 7 months)buffalo, new york

Joe Battista serves as vice president of hockey and business administration for the Buffalo Sabres. He is responsible for overseeing hockey department administration, budgets, personnel, and technology, and serves as the hockey department’s liaison to the Sabres business operations, Harbor Center, and Pegula Sports and Entertainment.

 

In April of 2014 Battista received The Lou Lamoriello Award from the American Hockey Coaches Association’s in recognition of his work in growing collegiate hockey.

 

Hired in November 2013, Battista joined the Sabres after serving in several capacities at Penn State University for 26 years (1987-2013), the most recent being associate athletic director for ice arena & hockey operations.

[Stoner]

Thing is, even if there weren't a Battista or a Benson or a Sawyer (he's out, actually - right?) in/around the Sabres' FO, I still think Babcock would've chosen TOR.

Jebus, I forgot about Benson. How could I? Sawyer is out? I hadn't heard that. Just looked at sabres.com and Sawyer's name is not listed. Battista, FWIW, is VP of Hockey Administration and not VP of Hockey-Related Businesses, which was his original title to start the 2013-14 season.

[That Aud Smell]

Without someone on the inside, all we can do is hope that Murray is left alone to do his job as GM.  If Battista is one of these guys who is stirring the pot behind the scenes and has Pegula's ear, hopefully Pegula takes it with a grain of salt.

 

IMO one thing is for sure..the day Battista interferes with Murray and his job as GM, Murray goes to Pegula and either gets Battista put in his place, gets him fired, or Murray quits.

 

I agree with this.

 

I can't spend my time worrying about our free-spending billionaire owner's cronies. I just can't. I hope all is well, and that a guy like Battista is staying out of the way and concentrating on the things he does well (I'm not gonna slag the guy -- he's clearly a skilled businessman).

 

GM TM is plainly a super-no-BS sort of fella. He's still there, doing his thing. He is my canary in the coal mine.

[LabattBlue]

Well....this is straight off Battista's Linkedin profile......

 

 

Vice President of Hockey and Business Administration Buffalo Sabres and East Management Services, LP

 

November 2013

– Present (1 year 7 months)buffalo, new york

Joe Battista serves as vice president of hockey and business administration for the Buffalo Sabres. He is responsible for overseeing hockey department administration, budgets, personnel, and technology, and serves as the hockey department’s liaison to the Sabres business operations, Harbor Center, and Pegula Sports and Entertainment.

 

In April of 2014 Battista received The Lou Lamoriello Award from the American Hockey Coaches Association’s in recognition of his work in growing collegiate hockey.

 

Hired in November 2013, Battista joined the Sabres after serving in several capacities at Penn State University for 26 years (1987-2013), the most recent being associate athletic director for ice arena & hockey operations.

He can put whatever he wants on linkedin.  What is he really responsible for?

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

He can put whatever he wants on linkedin.  What is he really responsible for?

 

Well....the Sabres pulled his bio from their site, so I couldn't tell you......

[LabattBlue]

 

Hired in November 2013, Battista joined the Sabres after serving in several capacities at Penn State University for 26 years (1987-2013), the most recent being associate athletic director for ice arena & hockey operations.

His current role(at least according to himself) is quite the step up from his last role at Penn State(bolded above).  Cronyism at its finest.   :lol:  :lol:

Edited May 22, 2015 by LabattBlue

[Stoner]

There ya go, Ghost. So he oversees Murray?

[LTS]

Any interest in starting a collection to get Harrington on the next Space-X test flight.

 

Nah.  Start a collection to buy the BN and just fire the guy instead.  No need to do him harm. :)

[That Aud Smell]

He can put whatever he wants on linkedin.  What is he really responsible for?

 

It would appear that he's Pegula's designated link to the hockey department, to the extent Pegula requires one. As for what that actually means ... who knows.

There ya go, Ghost. So he oversees Murray?

 

Flat. Horizontal.