KA at the deadline

[Radar]

3 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

That's impossible obviously as I don't have their phones tapped but Winnipeg was calling all over looking for D, that's no secret. Something could have been done I'm sure. 

With all do respect we don't know.

[SDS]

3 hours ago, matter2003 said:

Why are they even bothering making trades for such garbage returns? I'd just not make the trades to keep other teams from getting better.

You are concerned that other teams are going to get better with rental players? does this keep you up at night?

[PerreaultForever]

23 minutes ago, Radar said:

With all do respect we don't know.

Of course not, but if you ranked the GMs and how they did on deadline would you put Adams near the top or the bottom? imo it's down in the depths. Horrible job. 

[Flashsabre]

53 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

Of course not, but if you ranked the GMs and how they did on deadline would you put Adams near the top or the bottom? imo it's down in the depths. Horrible job. 

What would you have done?
 

Hall had a no trade and would only waive for Boston. Hall was absolutely awful this year and is making $8 million. What wizardry would have you pulled off with Boston?
 

Staal has gone to Montreal and been worse then he was here which is shocking to believe. Getting two picks for him was more than fair.

Montour was analytically one of, if not the worst defence man in the entire league.

We are in last place because these guys were awful. Teams going for the Cup don’t usually want awful hockey players.

I swear sometimes fans thinks GMs are just idiots who look at a name and say, “he is well known, let’s add him regardless” without actually looking at how they are playing.

[Kristian]

6 hours ago, Scottysabres said:

"The type of team that I would like to create here will be, in conjunction with the head coach that we bring in, is a team that plays a high tempo," Botterill said. "A lot of times people think high-tempo, dump-and-chase. No, it's a high-tempo, puck-possession game. We tried to, whether it was in Pittsburgh or whether it was in Wilkes-Barre where you have less skill, you can still play a high-percentage, high-intensity game, but I think some of the success in Pittsburgh is from the standpoint of simplicity, a north-south game. But if you're asking me what exactly we're doing, it's up-tempo, puck-possession, north-south game."

Jason Botterill hired as Sabres general manager (nhl.com)

And then he hired Head con-artist Ralph Krueger.

[PerreaultForever]

1 hour ago, Flashsabre said:

What would you have done?
 

Hall had a no trade and would only waive for Boston. Hall was absolutely awful this year and is making $8 million. What wizardry would have you pulled off with Boston?

None. There was no wizardry because Hall screwed us and got what he wanted. The articles are all coming out now and I was right, he wanted Boston, always wanted Boston, used us, and wouldn't go anywhere else.

So what would I have done? I would never have given him that NMC because the only way that would help us in any way would be if we were a playoff team at this point and even in adding him that was a reach (assuming he was good here). You don't give a NMC to a guy you likely will have to move at the deadline. He should never have been signed. 

[MODO Hockey]

1 hour ago, Flashsabre said:

What would you have done?
 

Hall had a no trade and would only waive for Boston. Hall was absolutely awful this year and is making $8 million. What wizardry would have you pulled off with Boston?
 

Staal has gone to Montreal and been worse then he was here which is shocking to believe. Getting two picks for him was more than fair.

Montour was analytically one of, if not the worst defence man in the entire league.

We are in last place because these guys were awful. Teams going for the Cup don’t usually want awful hockey players.

I swear sometimes fans thinks GMs are just idiots who look at a name and say, “he is well known, let’s add him regardless” without actually looking at how they are playing.

You do realise we had the worst coach of the century right ? 

If you dont know how to use your tools, you aint building jackshit.

We are definitly not in last place because of these players, we are in last place because we had a coach that has destroyed any of confidence players had in them selfs or in this team at all. We had a total waste of a system, eventhough the players are professional players they are also humans just like you and me, hired to do their job as told to and if your boss is telling you to clean the toilette eventhough you could grow the companys productiveness with your skills elsewhere, you gonna clean the toilette instead because your boss told you so and your skills go to waste.

Taylor Hall and Eric Staal are very skilled players, Eric Staal hasnt missed a single game last 5 seasons as far as i know, and Taylor didnt become mvp for no reason. They were used completly wrong and the team was built and coached like trash. 

Montour is a offensive D, but he was also beeing used wrong and coached wrong, the skills are there no doubt. 

If you wanna blame someone here you should blame Kev, Pegulas and above all Ralph Kreuger. These idiots together created the biggest trashcan we've seen in the history of NHL when looking at what players we have on paper. Enough said.

 

Edited April 13, 2021 by MODO Hockey

[sabremike]

3 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

None. There was no wizardry because Hall screwed us and got what he wanted. The articles are all coming out now and I was right, he wanted Boston, always wanted Boston, used us, and wouldn't go anywhere else.

So what would I have done? I would never have given him that NMC because the only way that would help us in any way would be if we were a playoff team at this point and even in adding him that was a reach (assuming he was good here). You don't give a NMC to a guy you likely will have to move at the deadline. He should never have been signed. 

The idea he had us over a barrel and we had no leverage annoys me greatly. We did have leverage: if Hall was still here after the deadline we lose a pick but he loses MILLIONS of dollars in UFA because his value is at an all time low and he needed to go somewhere to rebuild it. It's real clear that our GM was more interested in catering to a guy who ended up being exposed as a complete snake rather than playing hardball and getting the best outcome for the team.

[Radar]

7 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

Of course not, but if you ranked the GMs and how they did on deadline would you put Adams near the top or the bottom? imo it's down in the depths. Horrible job. 

I understand how you feel about him but what were your expectations. Maybe too high. We knew Hall was getting moved and with all the issues money,covid and cap strapped teams along with Halls NMC I have a feeling it was just keep him or Boston. Montour trade I would have liked to get a second but again about the going rate. Overall I just don't have the same assessment of Adams right now. A year from now maybe but as of now no.

[WhenWillItEnd66]

The only leverage we had over Hall was to keep him and let him stew in Buffalo. Was KA at fault and got swindled? Possibly. Did he do all that he could? I thiunk he did the best he could. He is in a position of power with little or no help. He got as many picks as he could and has publicly said we need a bigger scouting Dept. I do not have major issues with a first time GM making some mistakes. It happens. It is whether he learns from them and can make the team better. 

[Marvin]

Two things:

1. People forget that Darcy Regier made a lot of mistakes his first year here and and there was another GM, John Muckler, who pounced on them or used his influence to work against Regier just to spite the Sabres organisation.  I still think that Mike Peca's initial ask for $4M at the start of 2000-1 was from him.

2. I don't see why holding on to Hall was such  a brilliant idea.  It seems to me that a reputation for making the best of a bad hand is better than cutting off your nose to spite your face.  It sends a terrible message to players who are doing well who are still in the organisation.  And I wanted him and his mindset out of the organisation immediately.

[Doohicksie]

13 hours ago, matter2003 said:

Why are they even bothering making trades for such garbage returns? I'd just not make the trades to keep other teams from getting better.

Since the Sabres won't be in the playoffs, they might was well cast off their UFAs that they're not going to sign anyway.  Even if you only get a minimal return in terms of draft picks, that's still more at season's end than you would have if you kept the player and then they signed somewhere else after the season was over.

[Curt]

11 hours ago, Taro T said:

Relentless is just a word as well & means roughly as much.  The Eulers attack relentlessly & the Habs forecheck relentlessly.  The styles are very different in how they actually play.

No.  Not relentless as an aspect of a game plan or system.

Relentless mentally.  A culture of having the will to overcome adversity.  To not relent.

Edited April 13, 2021 by Curt

[Doohicksie]

7 hours ago, MODO Hockey said:

If you wanna blame someone here you should blame Kev, Pegulas and above all Ralph Kreuger. These idiots together created the biggest trashcan we've seen in the history of NHL when looking at what players we have on paper. Enough said.

I don't blame KA.  Krueger was here when he was hired.  It's likely that the Pegulas wanted him to keep Krueger.  It was only after Krueger rode the team into the ground that KA had a strong enough case to take to the Pegulas to let Krueger go.  I also like to think that at the Audience in Boca KA told the Pegulas they need to let him (not them) run the team going forward.  If that's the case, the *real* date KA became GM was March 17th when he fired Krueger.  So far he's put Granato in the interim HC spot and did the best he could with the expiring contracts at the deadline.  Let's see what he does going forward.

[nfreeman]

35 minutes ago, Marvin, Sabres Fan said:

Two things:

1. People forget that Darcy Regier made a lot of mistakes his first year here and and there was another GM, John Muckler, who pounced on them or used his influence to work against Regier just to spite the Sabres organisation.  I still think that Mike Peca's initial ask for $4M at the start of 2000-1 was from him.

2. I don't see why holding on to Hall was such  a brilliant idea.  It seems to me that a reputation for making the best of a bad hand is better than cutting off your nose to spite your face.  It sends a terrible message to players who are doing well who are still in the organisation.  And I wanted him and his mindset out of the organisation immediately.

It would have been insane for them to keep Hall in retaliation for Hall's exercising his NMC.  The Sabres would've looked even more like a clown show, they wouldn't have gotten the 2nd-rounder or Bjork AND it would've hurt their ability to get FAs in the future.

[Doohicksie]

3 hours ago, sabremike said:

the best outcome for the team.

The best outcome for the team.  Let's look at the options:

1. Keep Hall and at the end of the season he walks.  The Sabres have nothing.
2. Trade Hall and at the end of the season we have a 2nd round pick.

How is having an extra pick at the end of the season not the best outcome for the Sabres?  Either way the signing was a mistake.  With the trade at least the Sabres have something going forward.  I'm glad you're not the GM...we wouldn't have assets but at least you'd get to wave your wiener around and show everyone how tough you are.

Edited April 13, 2021 by Doohickie

[sabremike]

2 hours ago, Doohickie said:

The best outcome for the team.  Let's look at the options:

1. Keep Hall and at the end of the season he walks.  The Sabres have nothing.
2. Trade Hall and at the end of the season we have a 2nd round pick.

How is having an extra pick at the end of the season not the best outcome for the Sabres?  Either way the signing was a mistake.  With the trade at least the Sabres have something going forward.  I'm glad you're not the GM...we wouldn't have assets but at least you'd get to wave your wiener around and show everyone how tough you are.

He didn't even try to use the leverage he had (which I patiently explained in an earlier post) to make Hall accept going somewhere other than Boston because the situation was Mutually Assured Destruction, and losing out on a high second rounder would hurt us less than losing out on a fortune would hurt Hall.

[Doohicksie]

You don't know that.

[PerreaultForever]

8 hours ago, sabremike said:

The idea he had us over a barrel and we had no leverage annoys me greatly. We did have leverage: if Hall was still here after the deadline we lose a pick but he loses MILLIONS of dollars in UFA because his value is at an all time low and he needed to go somewhere to rebuild it. It's real clear that our GM was more interested in catering to a guy who ended up being exposed as a complete snake rather than playing hardball and getting the best outcome for the team.

I get the point, but if Adams doesn't trade Hall at the deadline there isn't a single person who wouldn't want his head on a platter. 

[PerreaultForever]

7 hours ago, Radar said:

I understand how you feel about him but what were your expectations. Maybe too high. We knew Hall was getting moved and with all the issues money,covid and cap strapped teams along with Halls NMC I have a feeling it was just keep him or Boston. Montour trade I would have liked to get a second but again about the going rate. Overall I just don't have the same assessment of Adams right now. A year from now maybe but as of now no.

My expectation was low, but my hope was for a hockey trade that would truly signal moving on from the old core that has failed us and a new direction. Reinhart or Risto moved perhaps. 

[PerreaultForever]

12 hours ago, MODO Hockey said:

You do realise we had the worst coach of the century right ? 

We are definitly not in last place because of these players, we are in last place because we had a coach that has destroyed any of confidence players had in them selfs or in this team at all.

Are you really dragging out and relying on that old chestnut? Isn't that the narrative that brought Kreuger here in the first place? Build their confidence and all that other pampered fragile ego crap. If that's the actual issue, I'm sorry but these are the wrong players. That fragility will shatter again and we'll never win no matter who is in charge. 

[Scottysabres]

Hall went where he wanted to go. I have no complaints about him doing so, Adams signed the NMC giving the player control, expectations should have been tempered on the return.

I also have no problems with Adams giving Hall the NMC.

Mad? Nah. Not happy with Hall's overwhelmingly subpar play while eating 8 million of cap space all the while chuckling in the back of his head because he knows it's merely a matter of time before he he issues his "I'm only going here" orders? Yes, not happy with that at all.

The guy gave little to nothing here in Buffalo biding his time to go to Boston. Piece......of.......(you know).

[Radar]

18 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

My expectation was low, but my hope was for a hockey trade that would truly signal moving on from the old core that has failed us and a new direction. Reinhart or Risto moved perhaps. 

Most Hockey trades of the type you mention are draft day or off season. You may see that happen yet. In fact I half expect it. Although I really don't want to see Reinhart traded. Risto I don't but it may be one or the other.

[nucci]

16 hours ago, Curt said:

Every GM and coach will say they want to play fast.  Weird that no one wants a slow team.  It doesn’t mean anything.

The relentless part is the key for me.  They need that here.  They need to surround the kids with high compete guys who won’t quite.  That needs to be the expectation for a Buffalo Sabre, not the exception.  That’s an identity.  That’s a way out of the morose.  

Have you heard Rob Ray? He always says to slow the game down

[thewookie1]

4 minutes ago, nucci said:

Have you heard Rob Ray? He always says to slow the game down

He's technically referring to staggering the flow of the game to break the momentum in order to regroup. It doesn't mean to skate slow; it tends to mean goalies' freezing the puck and defenseman holding the puck behind their net on a change to allow the team to breathe.