PSE Announces Numerous Layoffs in Management Positions

[Sabres Fan in NS]

2 hours ago, SwampD said:

I’m totally buying that.

What I said, or what I was reacting to?

[Tondas]

I thought the Sabres were Terry's passion???  He cried meeting Perreault.  Now a "cash infusion" seems unlikely.  WTF.  As Jon Stewart said in front of Congress to get funding for the first responders still ill from the 9-11 attacks, "We've done our jobs, DO YOURS!"

[nucci]

But why cut Botteril's pay? Sabres wouldn't be playing now anyway and there weren't many home games left

[freester]

22 minutes ago, nucci said:

But why cut Botteril's pay? Sabres wouldn't be playing now anyway and there weren't many home games left

Botteril should be paying the Pegulas for the mess he’s created. Both the NHL and the Pegulas will be facing some difficult financial circumstances. 

[nucci]

5 minutes ago, freester said:

Botteril should be paying the Pegulas for the mess he’s created. Both the NHL and the Pegulas will be facing some difficult financial circumstances. 

then just fire him

[Stoner]

40 minutes ago, Tondas said:

I thought the Sabres were Terry's passion???  He cried meeting Perreault.  Now a "cash infusion" seems unlikely.  WTF.  As Jon Stewart said in front of Congress to get funding for the first responders still ill from the 9-11 attacks, "We've done our jobs, DO YOURS!"

As Terry said, "I'm a football guy" there just happened to be a hockey team for sale first (paraphrase, and yes I can get the actual quote/link). I'm pretty much convinced buying the Sabres was prelude to getting the Bills, establish your cred so to speak. I don't think Terry's a good enough actor to fake the reaction to seeing Perreault. It was a great moment. I don't believe, however, his passion for the Sabres lasted beyond the time he lived in Buffalo. There's no other explanation for not knowing the team was for sale in 2002. For the uninitiated folks who didn't subscribe to my free newsletter, when asked why he didn't buy the Sabres the first time around, he said he didn't have the money and he didn't know they for sale anyway.

Terry as superfan who bought his team was and remains a crock.

[SwampD]

59 minutes ago, New Scotland (NS) said:

What I said, or what I was reacting to?

What you were reacting to. I could totally see him selling the team. I don't know what his wealth is currently in, but unless he was smart enough to see Covid coming and go to all cash a month and a half ago, I'm sure he has taken a beating just like everyone else.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

16 minutes ago, SwampD said:

What you were reacting to. I could totally see him selling the team. I don't know what his wealth is currently in, but unless he was smart enough to see Covid coming and go to all cash a month and a half ago, I'm sure he has taken a beating just like everyone else.

I hear ya.  There is no one that keeps much liquid investments.  That said, a multi-billionare could loose a lot and still have a lot.  If you and I were to loose even a little bit relatively speaking we would be in a much bigger pickle.  *Quite the pickle I'm in* ...

[That Aud Smell]

36 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

As Terry said, "I'm a football guy" there just happened to be a hockey team for sale first (paraphrase, and yes I can get the actual quote/link). I'm pretty much convinced buying the Sabres was prelude to getting the Bills, establish your cred so to speak. I don't think Terry's a good enough actor to fake the reaction to seeing Perreault. It was a great moment. I don't believe, however, his passion for the Sabres lasted beyond the time he lived in Buffalo. There's no other explanation for not knowing the team was for sale in 2002. For the uninitiated folks who didn't subscribe to my free newsletter, when asked why he didn't buy the Sabres the first time around, he said he didn't have the money and he didn't know they for sale anyway.

Terry as superfan who bought his team was and remains a crock.

I agree with just about everything here.

My one quibble is that I think he was a (somewhat lapsed) fan who bought his favourite team. Speaking as someone who has had spells of lapsing in my fandom (especially pre-internet and nationwide coverage), I can understand how things wound up as they did.

[Eleven]

1 hour ago, Brawndo said:

Here is the Article 

Obviously, the Sabres and Bills seem to be trending in very different directions when it comes to success on the ice/field. Recently, a lot of heat seems to be directed towards the Pegulas for the Sabres’ lack of success and their inexperience in owning an NHL team (many fans have been calling for a president of hockey ops to be hired). The problem is that they have just as much experience running a NFL team as they do a NHL team, but the NFL team is starting to show signs of success and promise. What do you think the Bills’ organization is doing to have the team trending in a promising direction that the Sabres might be lacking? — Joey M.

The Pegulas have more experience running an NHL team by three and half years. The difference is that they recovered from the Rex Ryan fiasco by hiring the right tandem in coach Sean McDermott and general manager Brandon Beane.

McDermott established a wholesome and character-driven culture. Beane assembled a fantabulous scouting department, consisting of several evaluators who have served upper-level roles with other teams or are considered attractive candidates to do so eventually: assistant GM Joe Schoen, pro personnel director Malik Boyd, college scouting director Terrance Gray, player personnel director Dan Morgan, college scouting assistant director Lake Dawson, senior scout Dennis Hickey and personnel adviser Brian Gaine. We at The Athletic Buffalo have written feature stories on most of them.

Think back to previous Bills GMs and their top lieutenants; most never got another NFL job.

Back to the Sabres … I don’t think a hockey czar is needed just as the Bills’ front office proves a football czar is unnecessary. Jason Botterill could be the Sabres’ boss man in the same way Beane commands the Bills.

The significant difference is that Botterill’s staff doesn’t resemble his Orchard Park counterpart’s deep crew.

Sabres assistant GM/Rochester Americans GM Randy Sexton previously was Ottawa Senators GM for two and a half years and Florida Panthers GM for seven months, and his teams failed to reach the postseason. He worked with Botterill in Pittsburgh as amateur scouting director. Sexton oversaw the Penguins’ drafts in 2016 and 2017. None of those picks have played in the NHL. The Penguins didn’t have any first-round selections, but they did take three second-rounders with Sexton.

Buffalo’s other assistant GM, Steve Greeley, is considered a front-office riser. The 39-year-old former Boston University associate head coach interviewed for the Carolina Hurricanes’ top job in 2018.

Amateur scouting director Ryan Jankowski was assistant GM with the New York Islanders from 2005 to 2010 and oversaw player personnel for Canada’s world junior and under-18 teams before joining Buffalo.

An answer to fortifying the Sabres’ front office would be to spend money to make those lieutenant jobs more attractive to top scouts with better credentials. But with rumblings of more personnel cutbacks across Pegula Sports and Entertainment offices, a substantial cash infusion into hockey operations seems unlikely.

In other words, they just haven't hired the right GM.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

My typing is terrrible ... damn phone!!

[LabattBlue]

8 hours ago, tom webster said:

While we can all speculate on their cash reserves, and we all have an opinion on why their standing in the community is where it’s at, can we agree on

1) their ticket sales suck

2) their media relations suck

3) the live experience at the arena sucks

They fired the head of ticket sales.(1)
They fired the head of media relations(2)

They fired the head of live events(3)

Most everyone else was furloughed(guaranteed their job) or asked to take a temporary pay cut(common across basketball and hockey)

Isn't #1 a direct result of the team sucking since Pegula took over?  I want to see the new Director of Ticket Sales succeed when there is IMO about to be the largest STH rebellion the Sabres have ever faced.  

 

Also, is #3 responsible for in game experience, or booking events into the arena?

[tom webster]

6 minutes ago, LabattBlue said:

Isn't #1 a direct result of the team sucking since Pegula took over?  I want to see the new Director of Ticket Sales succeed when there is IMO about to be the largest STH rebellion the Sabres have ever faced.  

 

Also, is #3 responsible for in game experience, or booking events into the arena?

Anyone can sell tickets when things are good. 
I’m not sure about scope of #3. 
My point is just that you can make the case for the firings without all the drama and assuming facts not in play.

[Stoner]

20 minutes ago, That Aud Smell said:

I agree with just about everything here.

My one quibble is that I think he was a (somewhat lapsed) fan who bought his favourite team. Speaking as someone who has had spells of lapsing in my fandom (especially pre-internet and nationwide coverage), I can understand how things wound up as they did.

Did you become a Pens fan at any point? Your honour, I rest my case.

[Tondas]

This tread is depressing me so much it makes me want to return to the religion thread.

[Brawndo]

48 minutes ago, Eleven said:

In other words, they just haven't hired the right GM.

Correct

[inkman]

1 hour ago, PASabreFan said:

As Terry said, "I'm a football guy" there just happened to be a hockey team for sale first (paraphrase, and yes I can get the actual quote/link). I'm pretty much convinced buying the Sabres was prelude to getting the Bills, establish your cred so to speak. I don't think Terry's a good enough actor to fake the reaction to seeing Perreault. It was a great moment. I don't believe, however, his passion for the Sabres lasted beyond the time he lived in Buffalo. There's no other explanation for not knowing the team was for sale in 2002. For the uninitiated folks who didn't subscribe to my free newsletter, when asked why he didn't buy the Sabres the first time around, he said he didn't have the money and he didn't know they for sale anyway.

Terry as superfan who bought his team was and remains a crock.

I'll buy this. Still trying to wrap my head around them being cash poor.  Do you thinks it's a thing or are they just going all OSP collecting packets wherever they can?

[Stoner]

13 minutes ago, inkman said:

I'll buy this. Still trying to wrap my head around them being cash poor.  Do you thinks it's a thing or are they just going all OSP collecting packets wherever they can?

I don't know anything about finance. I'd still be shocked if the Pegulas personally have financial problems. Maybe it's more like they've decided to go all-in on the idea of running the teams as businesses.

[inkman]

32 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

I don't know anything about finance. I'd still be shocked if the Pegulas personally have financial problems. Maybe it's more like they've decided to go all-in on the idea of running the teams as businesses.

Possibly.  Maybe all the firings will lead to bringing in people who don't screw up every single player/fan event that ever happens.  I know one thing. I don't trust their ability to judge personnel, at all.  

People please save me the "they got the Bills right" nonsense.  They were fortunate and I'm nowhere near convinced that McDermott is anything more than a good defensive coordinator.  

[Tondas]

8 minutes ago, inkman said:

Possibly.  Maybe all the firings will lead to bringing in people who don't screw up every single player/fan event that ever happens.  I know one thing. I don't trust their ability to judge personnel, at all.  

People please save me the "they got the Bills right" nonsense.  They were fortunate and I'm nowhere near convinced that McDermott is anything more than a good defensive coordinator.  

I agree with 90% of your post.  But I think McDermott has changed the culture in 3 years and deserves credit.  That's more leadership than just a good coordinator possesses.  If you've ever tried to get 90+ guys to buy in  to what you're preaching, there's more to it than just x's and o's on one side of the ball..  

[Taro T]

42 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

I don't know anything about finance. I'd still be shocked if the Pegulas personally have financial problems. Maybe it's more like they've decided to go all-in on the idea of running the teams as businesses.

LT they definitely wouldn't.  But, as we don't know what their investments are, it's difficult to say that they aren't experiencing cash flow issues.  A LOT of money has stopped flowing through our economy.  Their fixed costs haven't gone away just because their variable costs and a lot of revenues have gone away.

How bad is it for them, or how well their investments are holding up, really doubt they're going to tell us.

Pretty sure a lot of people are having cash flow issues right about now.

[inkman]

1 hour ago, Tondas said:

I agree with 90% of your post.  But I think McDermott has changed the culture in 3 years and deserves credit.  That's more leadership than just a good coordinator possesses.  If you've ever tried to get 90+ guys to buy in  to what you're preaching, there's more to it than just x's and o's on one side of the ball..  

He might be a good leader but whenever the Bills have the ball I cringe at the decision making for personnel use and game management. 

[Stoner]

1 hour ago, Taro T said:

LT they definitely wouldn't.  But, as we don't know what their investments are, it's difficult to say that they aren't experiencing cash flow issues.  A LOT of money has stopped flowing through our economy.  Their fixed costs haven't gone away just because their variable costs and a lot of revenues have gone away.

How bad is it for them, or how well their investments are holding up, really doubt they're going to tell us.

Pretty sure a lot of people are having cash flow issues right about now.

I'm a dum-dum when it comes to money. But if you have several billion dollars, why wouldn't you just stick it in the bank or do something safe with it?

[Taro T]

8 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

I'm a dum-dum when it comes to money. But if you have several billion dollars, why wouldn't you just stick it in the bank or do something safe with it?

How the #### you going to put it in the bank.  FDIC only insures $100k.  

Certainly they have some in treasuries, but they aren't going to have $1B earning almost no interest.  They'll have a fraction invested in something liquid, but a lot (beyond the close to $2B they have in sports teams) will be in stuff that is highly illiquid.   With that kind of wealth they're looking to have at least a 10% return overall on the portfolio.

It doesn't mean they're broke (they're still billionaires afferall) but by having huge amounts in LT assets they may not have enough liquid to cover their immediate obligations.

Not saying they don't have enough, but there's no way they could've expected the government to shut everything down essentially overnight.

So a lot of ST cash they expected to roll in dried up overnight. 

[Stoner]

1 hour ago, Taro T said:

How the #### you going to put it in the bank.  FDIC only insures $100k.  

Certainly they have some in treasuries, but they aren't going to have $1B earning almost no interest.  They'll have a fraction invested in something liquid, but a lot (beyond the close to $2B they have in sports teams) will be in stuff that is highly illiquid.   With that kind of wealth they're looking to have at least a 10% return overall on the portfolio.

It doesn't mean they're broke (they're still billionaires afferall) but by having huge amounts in LT assets they may not have enough liquid to cover their immediate obligations.

Not saying they don't have enough, but there's no way they could've expected the government to shut everything down essentially overnight.

So a lot of ST cash they expected to roll in dried up overnight. 

In times of pandemic or world health, can always rely on you to keep it classy.