Don Granato and Kevyn Adams End of Season Press Conferences

[RochesterExpat]

Just to play the devil's advocate here, it's hard to justify revitalizing an arena with attendance numbers being what they are. 

[GASabresIUFAN]

Just now, RochesterExpat said:

Just to play the devil's advocate here, it's hard to justify revitalizing an arena with attendance numbers being what they are. 

If you fix it they will come.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

5 minutes ago, RochesterExpat said:

Just to play the devil's advocate here, it's hard to justify revitalizing an arena with attendance numbers being what they are. 

Fair point, but some of the attendance problems are due the fact that the place is falling apart somewhat.

Fixing the roster is most important, but having a decent place to see a game is also important.

[GASabresIUFAN]

7 minutes ago, Taro T said:

This.^

Adams seems to have a good handle on what to look for in skaters & people in general.  Have yet to see anything that says he has a handle on how to fix goaltending in the present.

Expect there's a legit possibility that the GTing may be Anderson & UPL (and told people that was something he hinted at in his STH Q&A) which won't be good enough in all likelihood for next season.  Still hoping that's not the case.  Really would be perfectly fine w/ a legit #1 on a 2-3 year deal, Anderson backing him up, with UPL & either Tokarski or Subban in Ra-cha-cha, but doubt Toker would go for that.

Thing is, won't be nearly as ticked about it next year (but still will be bothered by it) as it's not likely being a mid-70's point team 1 more year will break the team.  No data on what sort of a number it would do on the fanbase.

At some point though, management has to give the kids the GTing that will give them a chance to win any given night.  Hoping management sees that.  Maybe the allure of "stocking the pipeline" 1 last time will just be too strong.  And getting a GT on a 2-3 year deal fixes so darn many issues (including reaching the cap floor w/out messing up the overall salary structure & not blocking a prospect).

They are part of the problem.  Anderson missed significant time with injury and was a below average NHL goaltender last season when he played.  UPL was worse in the AHL than Aaron Dell behind the same defense.  Hoping that we’d get at least a similar mediocre performance from Anderson at 41, is foolish at best.  Hoping a mediocre AHL goalie can miraculously be good in the NHL the next season is also foolish.  

[Zamboni]

I am probably looking in the wrong places… But I can’t seem to find DG or KA Press conferences anywhere.

I wasn’t able to view or hear them in their entirety earlier.

[Taro T]

4 minutes ago, RochesterExpat said:

Just to play the devil's advocate here, it's hard to justify revitalizing an arena with attendance numbers being what they are. 

There are LITERALLY broken seats in the rink.  Not just broken cupholders, but actual seats.

That said, this really wasn't the appropriate forum for that Q IMHO.

Interestingly, or not, at the STH Q&A the question about the arena's condition came up.  And Adams answered it pretty well.  But then there were at least 2 more Q's about it.  Which was very annoying, because there were still about 4 other Q's about the team he never addressed that evening because he ran out of time.

Today, would much rather have had somebody ask if Adams has been talking to other FAs besides Anderson to see if they'd come back & if not, does he see having g those conversations/ when.  (Obviously w/out putting him on the spot to name which guys.)

[LGR4GM]

9 minutes ago, RochesterExpat said:

Just to play the devil's advocate here, it's hard to justify revitalizing an arena with attendance numbers being what they are. 

... maybe if they invested in the arena ppl would come. 

This is like having a rust bucket car and complaining no one wants to buy it so why should you fix it at all. 

Just now, Taro T said:

There are LITERALLY broken seats in the rink.  Not just broken cupholders, but actual seats.

That said, this really wasn't the appropriate forum for that Q IMHO.

Interestingly, or not, at the STH Q&A the question about the arena's condition came up.  And Adams answered it pretty well.  But then there were at least 2 more Q's about it.  Which was very annoying, because there were still about 4 other Q's about the team he never addressed that evening because he ran out of time.

Today, would much rather have had somebody ask if Adams has been talking to other FAs besides Anderson to see if they'd come back & if not, does he see having g those conversations/ when.  (Obviously w/out putting him on the spot to name which guys.)

Adams cannot talk to other UFAs unless unless you mean Buffalo ones

[Sabres Fan in NS]

3 minutes ago, Zamboni said:

I am probably looking in the wrong places… But I can’t seem to find DG or KA Press conferences anywhere.

I wasn’t able to view or hear them in their entirety earlier.

They have been scrubbed by the new internet security chie ... never mind 

[LGR4GM]

1 hour ago, LGR4GM said:

Here is the presser

 

 

4 minutes ago, Zamboni said:

I am probably looking in the wrong places… But I can’t seem to find DG or KA Press conferences anywhere.

I wasn’t able to view or hear them in their entirety earlier.

 

[Taro T]

2 minutes ago, Zamboni said:

I am probably looking in the wrong places… But I can’t seem to find DG or KA Press conferences anywhere.

I wasn’t able to view or hear them in their entirety earlier.

Liger posted a link uptrend.  Pretty sure it's towards the bottom of the 1st page.

3 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

They are part of the problem.  Anderson missed significant time with injury and was a below average NHL goaltender last season when he played.  UPL was worse in the AHL than Aaron Dell behind the same defense.  Hoping that we’d get at least a similar mediocre performance from Anderson at 41, is foolish at best.  Hoping a mediocre AHL goalie can miraculously be good in the NHL the next season is also foolish.  

And this is where Adams' Canes winning the SC with Gerber & Ward platooning might come back to bite us all.  That tandem should not have been good enough, but w/ the Canes only losing 1 player the entire post-season & Cole ready to replace him when he did go down it was just good enough.

Am still hoping the GTing gets worked out.  But who knows.

3 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

... maybe if they invested in the arena ppl would come. 

This is like having a rust bucket car and complaining no one wants to buy it so why should you fix it at all. 

Adams cannot talk to other UFAs unless unless you mean Buffalo ones

Hinostroza, Pysyk, Hayden, Eakin (not advocating for bringing either back, but they are FAs), every single goalie in the organization except RFA UPL.

[LGR4GM]

Granato 

 

[dudacek]

58 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Do you honestly think KA believes UPL is ready to carry an NHL team?  That seriously worries me if he does.  

 

52 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

I think Adams believes UPL deserves a shot. 

 

1 hour ago, SDS said:

So far, I would warn any fan that disregards what Adam says. I have yet to hear him say X, but then do the opposite thing Y.

 

I think SDS has the truth of it. UPL is getting his shot. Anderson has a job if he wants it.

[Carmel Corn]

6 minutes ago, dudacek said:

 

 

I think SDS has the truth of it. UPL is getting his shot. Anderson has a job if he wants it.

I don't doubt this either.  That said, I am still wondering though is whether he feels having both UPL and Anderson is the "ideal" state going into next season....or does he make an attempt to add a 3rd name not already in the organization for a shorter-term deal.  He still has to determine a plan for Rochester as well, whether it be re-signing UFA's Subban, Dell, Toker or Houser....and then whether any of those 4 names are good enough to move up to the big club in case of injury.

[Flashsabre]

How did not one reporter ask Adams about having to spend $20 million to get to the cap floor and how he would do it? That was the number one question I wanted answered. Even if he just tried to BS through an answer atleast it would give some insight to his thought process.

[LGR4GM]

28 minutes ago, Taro T said:

Liger posted a link uptrend.  Pretty sure it's towards the bottom of the 1st page.

And this is where Adams' Canes winning the SC with Gerber & Ward platooning might come back to bite us all.  That tandem should not have been good enough, but w/ the Canes only losing 1 player the entire post-season & Cole ready to replace him when he did go down it was just good enough.

Am still hoping the GTing gets worked out.  But who knows.

Hinostroza, Pysyk, Hayden, Eakin (not advocating for bringing either back, but they are FAs), every single goalie in the organization except RFA UPL.

Didn't require a frown, was just seeing if you were referring to the Sabres current ufas

[JohnC]

22 minutes ago, dudacek said:

 

 

I think SDS has the truth of it. UPL is getting his shot. Anderson has a job if he wants it.

Paul Hamilton was on WGR yesterday or the day before discussing UPL not being available for the start of the AHL playoffs. He made the comment that outside scouts have told him that they don't consider UPL as a NHL talent. I'm not suggesting he is or isn't. I just don't know. But what I can say for sure is that I am very concerned about his durability. 

[Taro T]

13 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Didn't require a frown, was just seeing if you were referring to the Sabres current ufas

Twernt the frown, was the sideways "really?" glance.  As in, are you really, seriously asking that question when every single person on this board knows that teams can't talk to other team's FA until this summer?  Especially when just 3 words further in the post the phrase "to see if they'd come back" was used and a player that ISN'T already on Adams team couldn't, by definition, come back to it.  (Barring, of course, those handful of guys who might be playing elsewhere at the moment that are in the last year of their deal & have already been eliminated from the playoffs & have been Sabres in the past; whom we both know were not the players who were being referred to.)  (The reaction button was far less wordy. 😉 )

🍺

 

Edited May 3, 2022 by Taro T

[PerreaultForever]

Nothing in there really surprised me. Glad to hear they do not plan to trade away those draft picks. No Murray style quick fixes. That's good. The idea that they will try to talk Anderson into coming back and going with a UPL/Anderson starting combo is however, troubling, and could easily lead to another season out of playoff contention. 

Building slow and steady with a young core is a good idea. Building too slowly can lead to another culture of accepting losing as the norm. It's time to win. GET A GOALIE!!!!!!!!

[Cityo'Rasmii]

I didn't listen to Adams but listened to most of DG's presser.

My take > I'm a Meatballs Believa

Go Sabres

[GASabresIUFAN]

The only major thing I took away from DG’s press 42 minute conference, besides a nap, was that the analytics would take care of themselves as the team improved.

[Crusader1969]

Askarov signed a contract with the Nashville AHL team.  I would have liked for someone to ask if this was something the Sabres are looking at doing to Poltapov and Kisakov 

not the elite talent that Askarov is but both are important pieces 

[Crusader1969]

4 minutes ago, Crusader1969 said:

Askarov signed a contract with the Nashville AHL team.  I would have liked for someone to ask if this was something the Sabres are looking at doing to Poltapov and Kisakov 

not the elite talent that Askarov is but both are important pieces 

Doing a little digging.  Askarov didn’t have KHL contract. 
poltapov is signed through 24/25

Kisakov is un-signed. I’m assuming the Sabres could bring him to AHL next year 

[SabresVet]

2 hours ago, SDS said:

So far, I would warn any fan that disregards what Adam says. I have yet to hear him say X, but then do the opposite thing Y.

With that said, people who are expecting big trades or high-end players coming in, I think Adams is telling you in no uncertain terms that you’re going to be disappointed.

I think everything single thing that will happen this summer has been foreshadowed in his press conference today. He will not look for short term gains, he will not rush players, he will not panic over goalies, he will resist the urge to do something because somebody wants him to do it.

Set your expectations to low, other than the minimum moves needed to reach the salary cap floor.

Being a 75 point team this year, I'd expect to see a 10-15 point improvement next season with better play from the young guys.  And if they're in the playoff hunt come the trade deadline, tweaking the plan to acquire 1-2 players who can help should not be out of the question.  The rebuild should be done correctly, but that doesn't mean they're locked in for how long it'll take. 

Besides, at some point, ownership can be expected to want results, including financially.  Making the playoffs next season might not be a public goal, but it should be a private one given their finish this season.  And that will address the profitability issue as well to hopefully increase their budget.   

1 hour ago, Taro T said:

There are LITERALLY broken seats in the rink.  Not just broken cupholders, but actual seats.

That said, this really wasn't the appropriate forum for that Q IMHO.

Interestingly, or not, at the STH Q&A the question about the arena's condition came up.  And Adams answered it pretty well.  But then there were at least 2 more Q's about it.  Which was very annoying, because there were still about 4 other Q's about the team he never addressed that evening because he ran out of time.

Adams should not have received that question, but this is probably the only opportunity someone from the organization will be up to answer questions.  I get why it was asked when framed that way.  

[Brawndo]

5 minutes ago, Crusader1969 said:

Doing a little digging.  Askarov didn’t have KHL contract. 
poltapov is signed through 24/25

Kisakov is un-signed. I’m assuming the Sabres could bring him to AHL next year 

Kisakov probably isn’t ready for the AHL, the perfect scenario for Him would have been the CHL Import Draft, but that’s no longer a possibility 

[Crusader1969]

6 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

Kisakov probably isn’t ready for the AHL, the perfect scenario for Him would have been the CHL Import Draft, but that’s no longer a possibility 

I agree.  Just wondering if there is any thought of getting them out of Russia “while they can”