Sabres Associate GM Jason Karmanos Interview on the Sports Bar with Danger and Battaglia on Friday

[Brawndo]

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sports-bar/id1165450886?i=1000521772255

He mentioned for now His Job covers the Amerks, All of the Draft, Player Personnel and Analytics. 
Mentions Mark Jabukowski.
 

Sounds like more people will be hired for the Front Office 

No on POHO, especially if they are not involved in day to day hockey ops. 
If you have the right people leading each department, in Director type roles that works well and they will get there over time. 

Liked the job Granato did, but a detailed search will be done. 

I get the impression that the team will be moving on without Eichel and Reinhart 

Mentioned they understand the playoff drought, but they have to look forward to the future.

Have to find the Right People who want to be part of the solution. 
 

Excited for this opportunity because He is out on His Own, worked with Rutherford for 22 years but when you branch out and take new steps that’s how you grow.

Sounds like Rutherford will not be joining? 
 

NHL Draft thoughts

Spend nearly two weeks in Texas for the U18s. 

Mentioned His Draft Strategy is drafting the player who will be best player down the line.

Directly involved in the last four seasons with the Penguins Draft as the Director of Amateur Scouting reported to Him. 
Travel worldwide for scouting.

Mentioned that the draft is a integral part for the Sabres moving forward. Need to stockpile the right type of prospects through the draft, He has some ideas how to accomplish that based on His experience.

[Brawndo]

Also mentioned they will be look at UFA Goalies to fill needs on the Sabres 

[Gabrielor]

Those highlights are all solid.

 

I'd add that when asked about Eichel, it was just boring company line stuff, didn't show hand either way.

 

Did not like the POHO idea though, so great. Another Pittsburgh Jason wants direct access to the Pegulas. This worked so well last time.

[Doohicksie]

1 hour ago, Gabrielor said:

Another Pittsburgh Jason wants direct access to the Pegulas. This worked so well last time.

Really?  Because he came from Pittsburgh and his name is Jason you liken him to JBots?  What a strange take.

[Stoner]

4 hours ago, Doohickie said:

Really?  Because he came from Pittsburgh and his name is Jason you liken him to JBots?  What a strange take.

I find yours stranger.

[Curt]

My Takeaways:

Everything is me paraphrasing what I considered the important parts, except when I used quotation marks, it’s an exact quote.

-No POHO.  There will be Directors in charge of different departments.  Going to be adding the right people over time.

-Eichel situation: He didn’t actually answer the question, just repeated what Adams has said about wanting players who want to be Sabres and needing everyone pulling in the same direction.  Then went further to praise the younger players for their ability, maturity and desire to be Sabres.

-On Don Granato:  has put himself in strong consideration, but they have a search process that they need to go through.  Brought up that Granato has a lot of experience in roles working with young, developing player, and “that seems to be along the lines of where our team is headed”.

-A second time brought up young players and how exciting their talent and maturity is.

-How to build trust with fan base that has been disenfranchised by all the losing:  Can’t change the past, focused on going forward.  Stressed finding people who want to be Buffalo Sabres, people who want to be part of solution.

-On Seth Appert:  didn’t have a lot to say.  Talked about his development background, but you would expect that for an AHL coach.

-Karmanos spent 2-weeks in Texas at U-18s.

-Amateur Scouting department was under him for 4 years in Pitt,  although they were trading away many picks/prospects, he has also been in situations more similar to Buffalo’s current situation “which is needing to stockpile more young prospects and bring the right type of prospects into our system”.

-Need to monitor goalie situation for next season but they have good goalie prospects on the way.

In summary, I feel that it’s being heavily hinted at by Adams and Karmanos that the Sabres will be moving forward focused on youth, they don’t want players who are unhappy in Buffalo, they want players who are going to put the team first.  It looks like it will be a rebuild around the youngest players to me.  Also, Don Granato seems to maybe be a favorite to keep the HC job, or at least have a head start in the competition.

[bob_sauve28]

8 minutes ago, Curt said:

My Takeaways:

-Need to monitor goalie situation for next season but they have good goalie prospects on the way.

 

Omg, if they don’t bring in a competent goalie I’m taking hostages! 

Edited May 16, 2021 by bob_sauve28

[Curt]

1 minute ago, bob_sauve28 said:

Omg, if they don’t bring in a competent goalie I’m taking hostages! 

Maybe I wasn’t clear, I was getting tired of typing.  It sounded like he was saying they need to keep looking all around for available goalies for next season, but they also have good prospects on the way.  I inferred they would be looking for goalies in UFA and trades, but more as short term solutions because long term, they have internal options.

[Flashsabre]

He said being the executive to sign Carter Hutton to an 8 year, $80 million extension would be a huge feather in his cap!😜😂

(Yes, I’m kidding)

[darksabre]

Things are really reading to me that it's not Eichel who wants to be traded, it's that the Sabres FO has decided to move on from him. I really hope it's not true, but the language being used by both Adams and Karmanos sure seems to be hinting at it.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

2 minutes ago, darksabre said:

Things are really reading to me that it's not Eichel who wants to be traded, it's that the Sabres FO has decided to move on from him. I really hope it's not true, but the language being used by both Adams and Karmanos sure seems to be hinting at it.

I agree, it seems that Eich is disgruntled, but has not asked to be traded and seems willing to work things out going forward.

Listening between the lines of what KA and JK have said and what they have not said, I think you are right.  A big mistake, IMO.  We will not see the playoff for another 10 years, maybe.

[dudacek]

9 minutes ago, darksabre said:

Things are really reading to me that it's not Eichel who wants to be traded, it's that the Sabres FO has decided to move on from him. I really hope it's not true, but the language being used by both Adams and Karmanos sure seems to be hinting at it.

This has been my sense for a while now: they think he's the wrong personality (or at least in the wrong headspace) to be the centrepiece of their team.

[PromoTheRobot]

12 hours ago, Doohickie said:

Really?  Because he came from Pittsburgh and his name is Jason you liken him to JBots?  What a strange take.

It's how we divine the future. 

[Curt]

14 minutes ago, darksabre said:

Things are really reading to me that it's not Eichel who wants to be traded, it's that the Sabres FO has decided to move on from him. I really hope it's not true, but the language being used by both Adams and Karmanos sure seems to be hinting at it.

I mean, yes, but Eichel seems miserable.  So, while he may have not asked for a trade, you still have a miserable captain/face of the franchise with an upcoming NMC on your hands.

Jacks language is also heavily hinting at wanting to move on “wherever I play next season” “I’m here for now”.  

[jad1]

7 minutes ago, darksabre said:

Things are really reading to me that it's not Eichel who wants to be traded, it's that the Sabres FO has decided to move on from him. I really hope it's not true, but the language being used by both Adams and Karmanos sure seems to be hinting at it.

The line that bugs me is about wanting guys who want to be here.  What does 'here,' at this point in time, mean?

Does it mean being part of the general organization and city, and acknowledge the fan base? That's cool I guess.

Other than that, this is a team with an inexperienced GM who has fired the previous coach, hasn't committed to the interim coach, fired a large part of the scouting staff (but MIGHT hire more), bombed his first attempt at free agency (and indicates he won't do that again), couldn't manage to move the needle with his trades.  Oh, and he hired one of his best friends to be assistant GM.

So instead of calling out players who don't want to be here, maybe the GM who failed in his first season should put in the work and define what 'here' is going to look like next season.

 

[Curt]

1 minute ago, jad1 said:

The line that bugs me is about wanting guys who want to be here.  What does 'here,' at this point in time, mean?

Does it mean being part of the general organization and city, and acknowledge the fan base? That's cool I guess.

Other than that, this is a team with an inexperienced GM who has fired the previous coach, hasn't committed to the interim coach, fired a large part of the scouting staff (but MIGHT hire more), bombed his first attempt at free agency (and indicates he won't do that again), couldn't manage to move the needle with his trades.  Oh, and he hired one of his best friends to be assistant GM.

So instead of calling out players who don't want to be here, maybe the GM who failed in his first season should put in the work and define what 'here' is going to look like next season.

 

Yeah, that.  Lol

[darksabre]

6 minutes ago, Curt said:

I mean, yes, but Eichel seems miserable.  So, while he may have not asked for a trade, you still have a miserable captain/face of the franchise with an upcoming NMC on your hands.

Jacks language is also heavily hinting at wanting to move on “wherever I play next season” “I’m here for now”.  

I'm curious if perhaps there was a deal on the table for him at some point in the last 12 months and it was close enough to done that his agent knew and therefore Jack knew. That's the way I'm reading his language at the moment: that they've actually already tried to trade him and he knows they're still looking at it. 

[klos1963]

17 minutes ago, jad1 said:

The line that bugs me is about wanting guys who want to be here.  What does 'here,' at this point in time, mean?

Does it mean being part of the general organization and city, and acknowledge the fan base? That's cool I guess.

Other than that, this is a team with an inexperienced GM who has fired the previous coach, hasn't committed to the interim coach, fired a large part of the scouting staff (but MIGHT hire more), bombed his first attempt at free agency (and indicates he won't do that again), couldn't manage to move the needle with his trades.  Oh, and he hired one of his best friends to be assistant GM.

So instead of calling out players who don't want to be here, maybe the GM who failed in his first season should put in the work and define what 'here' is going to look like next season.

 

I can't imagine any player really 'wants' to be in Buffalo right now. What player in their right mind would?  The young ones saying that are locked in here for a few years, so that kinda have to say they want to be here. They have no real choice.

[kas23]

47 minutes ago, darksabre said:

Things are really reading to me that it's not Eichel who wants to be traded, it's that the Sabres FO has decided to move on from him. I really hope it's not true, but the language being used by both Adams and Karmanos sure seems to be hinting at it.

The strange thing is, if this team wants to get maximal value for him (or any player), don’t you talk them up and blow smoke by saying they are an integral part of the team’s future? I haven’t heard all of these interviews, but have they been doing this? Or, do they keep repeating the “we only want players who want to be Sabres” line? If it’s the later, maybe they already have a trade in place dependent on the outcome of the medical situation. 

[Curt]

18 minutes ago, darksabre said:

I'm curious if perhaps there was a deal on the table for him at some point in the last 12 months and it was close enough to done that his agent knew and therefore Jack knew. That's the way I'm reading his language at the moment: that they've actually already tried to trade him and he knows they're still looking at it. 

This is possible, but just a guess.

All I know is that Adams/Karmanos are talking about youth and guys who want to be here, Eichel is talking about “wherever I am next season” “I’m here for now” and disconnects, he certainly wasn’t up there talking about how much he loves Buffalo and wants to build something there.

To me, it looks like both sides are just about done with each other.

[PerreaultForever]

I think when Karmanos was hired it signaled a full rebuild. Nothing here makes me think any different. 

[Curt]

1 minute ago, PerreaultForever said:

I think when Karmanos was hired it signaled a full rebuild. Nothing here makes me think any different. 

Just curious, why does Karmanos=rebuild in your mind?

[dudacek]

1 hour ago, darksabre said:

I'm curious if perhaps there was a deal on the table for him at some point in the last 12 months and it was close enough to done that his agent knew and therefore Jack knew. That's the way I'm reading his language at the moment: that they've actually already tried to trade him and he knows they're still looking at it. 

This is what I was alluding to in my action/reaction thread.

Jack generally has appeared loyal to the Sabres and Buffalo up until now.

His attitude in his presser fits with a guy who has realized the team isn't feeling the same way about him.

[jad1]

44 minutes ago, klos1963 said:

I can't imagine any player really 'wants' to be in Buffalo right now. What player in their right mind would?  The young ones saying that are locked in here for a few years, so that kinda have to say they want to be here. They have no real choice.

That's it, and it's on Adams as the GM to set the direction and vision for the team.

And if at this point, he's not ready to do that, that's fine.  He deserves some time to figure this out.

At the same time, though, don't put this on the players not wanting to be here, while you're unwilling to share you thoughts about the direction of the team.  That's bush league.

 

[mjd1001]

2 hours ago, Curt said:

 

In summary, I feel that it’s being heavily hinted at by Adams and Karmanos that the Sabres will be moving forward focused on youth, they don’t want players who are unhappy in Buffalo, they want players who are going to put the team first.  It looks like it will be a rebuild around the youngest players to me.  Also, Don Granato seems to maybe be a favorite to keep the HC job, or at least have a head start in the competition.

I hope that is the case. This team probably won't be good, or a playoff team again next year if they focus on youth and trade away Eichel (and maybe Reinhart), but that is what I'd like to see.