Is Kevyn Adams doing anything?

[Porous Five Hole]

50 minutes ago, Eleven said:

I don't care and I'm not excusing Adams just because Comrie is injured.  I don't think Comrie is the answer (and if you look at the thread from when the Sabres signed him, I was generous), and so I DO think Adams has been derelict in his duty.

I’m not going to forcefully push back, but I would like a sample of what worked elsewhere that should have been the Sabres move. The only transaction that could have been the one is the Husso trade (with a huge risk given sample size).  But it isn’t like the Sabres stood idle while the whole league flipped competent goalies via trade Willy Nilly. 
 

I just find it hard to blame the Sabres when Ulmark left them at the altar for more money than most thought reasonable for a guy who couldn’t stay healthy. 
 

I wanted Jack Campbell signed via UFA in the off-season and he has a 4.12 GAA so far this year. 
 

Half of the league is looking for a number one goalie in the NHL right now.  

[Eleven]

9 hours ago, Thorny said:

Also, the Leafs had a cool sounding name for their rebuild plan, ie the “Shanaplan”. We should have something like that. 

Do you mean a plan?  Or a clever name for it?

28 minutes ago, Porous Five Hole said:

I’m not going to forcefully push back, but I would like a sample of what worked elsewhere that should have been the Sabres move. The only transaction that could have been the one is the Husso trade (with a huge risk given sample size).  But it isn’t like the Sabres stood idle while the whole league flipped competent goalies via trade Willy Nilly. 
 

I just find it hard to blame the Sabres when Ulmark left them at the altar for more money than most thought reasonable for a guy who couldn’t stay healthy. 
 

I wanted Jack Campbell signed via UFA in the off-season and he has a 4.12 GAA so far this year. 
 

Half of the league is looking for a number one goalie in the NHL right now.  

Oh FFS the Canadiens lost Carey Price and immediately signed Jake Allen.  The Sabres HAVE NOT TRIED.

[Porous Five Hole]

4 minutes ago, Eleven said:

Do you mean a plan?  Or a clever name for it?

Oh FFS the Canadiens lost Carey Price and immediately signed Jake Allen.  The Sabres HAVE NOT TRIED.

Ok so now I’m invested.  You’re going to die on the hill that the Sabres should have signed a career backup in Jake Allen, who has sported a 2022-23 line of 8-10, with a .896 save percentage and GAA of 3.40?

I hope you see that half the league is looking for what the Sabres are looking for at the moment. This is not enough to roast the GM. 

[Eleven]

5 minutes ago, Porous Five Hole said:

Ok so now I’m invested.

Good.  I've been invested since I was a five year old in the seventies, and it's pissing me off that this team doesn't seem to move forward, and Adams seems to be a reason why.

Edited December 12, 2022 by Eleven

[sabresouth]

8 minutes ago, Porous Five Hole said:

Ok so now I’m invested.  You’re going to die on the hill that the Sabres should have signed a career backup in Jake Allen, who has sported a 2022-23 line of 8-10, with a .896 save percentage and GAA of 3.40?

I hope you see that half the league is looking for what the Sabres are looking for at the moment. This is not enough to roast the GM. 

KA has had multiple seasons to upgrade the goalie. I've been calling for that for at least 2 years. I'm sure we could have gotten one by now if it had been a true priority. 

[Porous Five Hole]

9 minutes ago, Eleven said:

Good.  I've been invested since I was a five year old in the seventies, and it's pissing me off that this team doesn't seem to move forward, and Adams seems to be a reason why.

I meant that I was invested in our back and forth. 
 

I understand your position. I don’t think I’ll live forever, nor may I get to see fruit of another slow rebuild. I might be sick and I’m terrified. 
 

But there’s room for nuance and I don’t fault the GM in the same way you do…and you haven’t provided a reason to be up in arms to regarding the goaltending position. 

Go Sabres. 

3 minutes ago, sabresouth said:

KA has had multiple seasons to upgrade the goalie. I've been calling for that for at least 2 years. I'm sure we could have gotten one by now if it had been a true priority. 

We all have. I’m just asking for the lack of a move where GMKA effed up. Surely there’s one for all this vitriol. Can you point to it?

Edited December 12, 2022 by Porous Five Hole

[sabresouth]

I have been of the opinion that we were a number one goalie and two defensem from being  a playoff caliber team. But I think we need more. When we have three injuries to our starters we can't win games. The eight game losing streak and this last game to pit (I'm sure there are other games as well). I know one wasn't an injury (Skinner) against pit but our record is abysmal when we have a couple of injuries.  We have got to get a couple more competent dmen and forwards for call ups. 

[LTS]

8 hours ago, Thorny said:

For me maybe just the Reilly pick up on D

 

8 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

We have two or more D injured for most of the season.  Ethan Bear was traded for a 5th rd pick.  Reilly was waived and went unclaimed because of his contract.  Both would have been upgrades over Fitz, Clague, Pilut and probably Bryson.

Bear sucks.. simply suggesting he should have been an option undermines your take. Reilly, I think we all agree, was a tad confusing.

7 hours ago, Eleven said:

Get a goalie plan.  Adams is a jerk.  And he spells his first name like he is experimenting with his gender.

This is so unlike the you I remember, even the angry you.

2 hours ago, Eleven said:

You really think there wasn't one available for the last several years?  

There really wasn't anyone good who was available that would have solved the problem.

21 minutes ago, Eleven said:

Do you mean a plan?  Or a clever name for it?

Oh FFS the Canadiens lost Carey Price and immediately signed Jake Allen.  The Sabres HAVE NOT TRIED.

Jake Allen... c'mon man. See my comment on Bear above.  Jake Allen suuuuucks.  Remember when the Sabres lit him up?

7 minutes ago, Eleven said:

Good.  I've been invested since I was a five year old in the seventies, and it's pissing me off that this team doesn't seem to move forward, and Adams seems to be a reason why.

Being near the top in scoring in the league is not moving forward?  A team that has 109 goals right now after 28 games.. who had in 2013-14: 157 goals, the following season: 161 goals.. that's like 1.96 goals per game... right now they are at 3.89.. that's not progress.

Oh right.. the record.. would you rather have the teams from 2013-2015 or this team?

Yes, it's been a long time.. the fan carries that weight with them if they so choose. But there are reset buttons in sports franchises, it happens.

1 minute ago, sabresouth said:

KA has had multiple seasons to upgrade the goalie. I've been calling for that for at least 2 years. I'm sure we could have gotten one by now if it had been a true priority. 

It wasn't a priority.  The priority was building the scoring talent along with the right D.  That exists... now

3 minutes ago, sabresouth said:

I have been of the opinion that we were a number one goalie and two defensem from being  a playoff caliber team. But I think we need more. When we have three injuries to our starters we can't win games. The eight game losing streak and this last game to pit (I'm sure there are other games as well). I know one wasn't an injury (Skinner) against pit but our record is abysmal when we have a couple of injuries.  We have got to get a couple more competent dmen and forwards for call ups. 

It's not so much the more.. but the experience.  This team lacks experience to deal with the adversity.  The more likely comes with a change in about 3-4 players from this current roster... and then the younger players end up staying in Rochester longer.

[sabresouth]

11 minutes ago, Porous Five Hole said:

I meant that I was invested in our back and forth. 
 

I understand your position. I don’t think I’ll live forever, nor may I get to see fruit of another slow rebuild. I might be sick and I’m terrified. 
 

But there’s room for nuance and I don’t fault the GM in the same way you do…and you haven’t provided a reason to be up in arms to regarding the goaltending position. 

Go Sabres. 

We all have. I’m just asking for the lack of a move where GMKA effed up. Surely there’s one for all this vitriol. Can you point to it?

It's an impossible to answer that, none of us were in the room when negotiations were going on.  But when you have a glaring need at arguably the most important position on the team and we are in our third season with subpar goaltending I have to say KA has failed. Trying doesn't cut it at this level.  You do what it takes to get it done. There have been goalies out there over the past three years. It should not take that long to fill a position. 

[sabresouth]

11 minutes ago, LTS said:

 

Bear sucks.. simply suggesting he should have been an option undermines your take. Reilly, I think we all agree, was a tad confusing.

This is so unlike the you I remember, even the angry you.

There really wasn't anyone good who was available that would have solved the problem.

Jake Allen... c'mon man. See my comment on Bear above.  Jake Allen suuuuucks.  Remember when the Sabres lit him up?

Being near the top in scoring in the league is not moving forward?  A team that has 109 goals right now after 28 games.. who had in 2013-14: 157 goals, the following season: 161 goals.. that's like 1.96 goals per game... right now they are at 3.89.. that's not progress.

Oh right.. the record.. would you rather have the teams from 2013-2015 or this team?

Yes, it's been a long time.. the fan carries that weight with them if they so choose. But there are reset buttons in sports franchises, it happens.

It wasn't a priority.  The priority was building the scoring talent along with the right D.  That exists... now

It's not so much the more.. but the experience.  This team lacks experience to deal with the adversity.  The more likely comes with a change in about 3-4 players from this current roster... and then the younger players end up staying in Rochester longer.

To the bold. I believe that it should have been just as important a priority at the same time. Surely he can chew gum and walk at the same time.

[LTS]

Just now, sabresouth said:

To the bold. I believe that it should have been just as important a priority at the same time. Surely he can chew gum and walk at the same time.

And therein lies the issue.  Those who believe it was as an important a priority and what the organization actually planned for. But then again, the trick is identifying which goaltender would have been the Sabres savior.  People tend to look at the positivity of this season and forget that even a year ago, or two years ago, and certainly three.. the Sabres were not a place where players would choose to go.  We still debate whether players want to come here today.

So.. who are they getting without overpaying.. and if they overpay, what impacts does that have on the current situation?

[GASabresIUFAN]

21 minutes ago, LTS said:

Bear sucks.. simply suggesting he should have been an option undermines your take. Reilly, I think we all agree, was a tad confusing.

People keep saying Bear sucks, but does he?  He has 6 pts in 19 games for Van.  He is skating 18:35 a night for them.  He also blocks shots and is willing to hit someone.  Last year on Carolina he skated 16 minutes a night for one of the best teams in hockey.  

Against Pitt the other night DG reduced Bryson’s PT to 8:20 and with Joki out the next night he skated only 12.  You can’t tell me that a 5th rd pick was to high a price for a 25 year old player who is likely better than Bryson and certainly better than Pilut, Fitz or Clague.  A 5th rd pick has about a 15% of playing 100 NHL games and that would be 5 years from now.  What a tiny price to pay for some immediate help.  

[sabresouth]

4 minutes ago, LTS said:

And therein lies the issue.  Those who believe it was as an important a priority and what the organization actually planned for. But then again, the trick is identifying which goaltender would have been the Sabres savior.  People tend to look at the positivity of this season and forget that even a year ago, or two years ago, and certainly three.. the Sabres were not a place where players would choose to go.  We still debate whether players want to come here today.

So.. who are they getting without overpaying.. and if they overpay, what impacts does that have on the current situation?

Your points are valid. We are debating hypotheticals. There is no way to know how things might be different.  Just looking at this season though. If we had a true number one goalie, I believe we would be in the playoff hunt right now.  And after this  long playoff drought we are just frustrated that a known position of need was not addressed for this season. I felt like before the season started we could be a playoff potential team with a goalie upgrade. So if I as just a fan could see that than why couldn't KA?

[Porous Five Hole]

4 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

People keep saying Bear sucks, but does he?  He has 6 pts in 19 games for Van.  He is skating 18:35 a night for them.  He also blocks shots and is willing to hit someone.  Last year on Carolina he skated 16 minutes a night for one of the best teams in hockey.  

Against Pitt the other night DG reduced Bryson’s PT to 8:20 and with Joki out the next night he skated only 12.  You can’t tell me that a 5th rd pick was to high a price for a 25 year old player who is likely better than Bryson and certainly better than Pilut, Fitz or Clague.  A 5th rd pick has about a 15% of playing 100 NHL games and that would be 5 years from now.  What a tiny price to pay for some immediate help.  

He’s a -4 in protected third line minutes. So Lyubushkin numbers. I also want to improve the Sabres, but this doesn’t move the needle.  

[GASabresIUFAN]

7 minutes ago, Porous Five Hole said:

He’s a -4 in protected third line minutes. So Lyubushkin numbers. I also want to improve the Sabres, but this doesn’t move the needle.  

We weren't trying to move the needle.  We should have been trying to build depth to have at least capable players playing for us as the injuries took their toll.  Anyone who is an upgrade on Bryson, Clague, Fitz or Pilut should be welcome with open arms.  I'd much rather have someone a coach can legitimately play 16-18 minutes a night vs. someone the coach can only play 8-12.  Oh by the way, the night Bryson on played 8, Fitz only played 6:30.  

Competent GM's help their team by whatever means necessary.  We have 17 mill in cap space, yet weren't willing to risk a few $ and a 5th to improve on Bryson etc....  The excuse it's not in the plan is simply BS.  He pickup up Jost and that certainly wasn't in the plan.  

Edited December 12, 2022 by GASabresIUFAN

[Porous Five Hole]

2 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

We weren't trying to move the needle.  We should have been trying to build depth to have at least capable players playing for us as the injuries took their toll.  Anyone who is an upgrade on Bryson, Clague, Fitz or Pilut should be welcome with open arms.  I'd much rather have someone a coach can legitimately play 16-18 minutes a night vs. someone the coach can only play 8-12.  Oh by the way, the night Bryson on played 8, Fitz only played 6:30.  

I guess I am trying to move the needle. It’s the only way to be a playoff team this season. 

[GASabresIUFAN]

Just now, Porous Five Hole said:

I guess I am trying to move the needle. It’s the only way to be a playoff team this season. 

That shipped sailed because of the 8 game losing streak.  Right now his job is to make this team better.  The top 4 D are fine and are the core of the future.  His job on the D is to take the liability that is the 3rd pair and find away to stop hemorrhaging golden opportunities to our opponents each time they step on the ice.

The only deal out there that could possibly "move the needle" is Chychrun.  KA won't even part with a 5th rd pick for an upgrade over Bryson, why would he trade significant assets for Chychrun?  The really stupid thing about his moves is that are organizational depth is at forward.  We literally have zero depth in goal or on defense yet he refuses or isn't capable (or both) at addressing those issues.   In almost criminal.

[Porous Five Hole]

4 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

That shipped sailed because of the 8 game losing streak.  Right now his job is to make this team better.  The top 4 D are fine and are the core of the future.  His job on the D is to take the liability that is the 3rd pair and find away to stop hemorrhaging golden opportunities to our opponents each time they step on the ice.

The only deal out there that could possibly "move the needle" is Chychrun.  KA won't even part with a 5th rd pick for an upgrade over Bryson, why would he trade significant assets for Chychrun?  The really stupid thing about his moves is that are organizational depth is at forward.  We literally have zero depth in goal or on defense yet he refuses or isn't capable (or both) at addressing those issues.   In almost criminal.

Isn’t his job to make the team better in the long run? Ethan Bear doesn’t do that. 

[GASabresIUFAN]

3 minutes ago, Porous Five Hole said:

Isn’t his job to make the team better in the long run? Ethan Bear doesn’t do that. 

So!  He makes us better now.  This team needs to learn how to win.  Winning more games now helps this season and helps the kids learn how to win long-term.  Also Bear is an RFA after this season.  KA could consider it a year long try out for the future and he could also by moved at the deadline for other assets.  To me it was a no brainer given our injury situation and lack of depth.  

[GASabresIUFAN]

One of the other things we aren't really touching on is KA's failure to complete the "important" deals he is trying to make.  He can't seem to sell even struggling goalies like Murray and Gibson on his vision of the future.  

[Porous Five Hole]

1 minute ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

One of the other things we aren't really touching on is KA's failure to complete the "important" deals he is trying to make.  He can't seem to sell even struggling goalies like Murray and Gibson on his vision of the future.  

Just show me the deals he should have made that other teams have made and I’m all in. I’m really not coming from a “defend the Sabres at all cost” POV.  
 

There’s nothing out there except spare parts.  

[Brawndo]

1 hour ago, Eleven said:

Good.  I've been invested since I was a five year old in the seventies, and it's pissing me off that this team doesn't seem to move forward, and Adams seems to be a reason why.

Interesting, I was a five year old in the seventies as well and yet I see a team that scored 232 goals in 82 games last year, that has already scored 109 goals in 28 games this year. That seems like a pretty good example of moving forward. 
 

If you want to blame Adams that’s Your Right. 
 

In Adams, I see someone who took over a franchise as GM in 2020 that had a disgruntled franchise center, a HC (who He could not replace right away) that would rather play Sobotka over Skinner, one who neutered Rasmus Dahlin and had Tage Thompson on the taxi squad. The team had a weak prospect pool and poor development track record of said prospects. 
 

Since then He promoted Granato to HC, who as We all know has help turn Tage and Dahlin into what appears to be franchise players 

He has revamped the front office from top to bottom, brought in an analytics department and built a prospect pool with depth.

He also appears to have hit on a second round pick for the first time in a long time for the team. 

This franchise seems to be on the right track for the first time in a long while. 
 

I share season tickets with My Uncle who is one of the franchise’s inaugural STH from 1970. He turned 80 this year and He even believes in what Adams is building. 

Believe me, I wish Murray would have agreed to waive to come to the Sabres and that they would have had a Ty Smith level prospect under contract so that John Marino was paired with Owen Power. 
 

The Sabres are slowly changing Their Perception around the league and that should start to make Buffalo a more attractive trade/UFA Destination in the next coming months. 
 

They were the only team to offer Comrie a second year, that’s how they got Him to sign here and there was an overpay for Lybushkin in salary.  The issue that the Sabres have been dealing with is the only players you can force to come here are the ones you draft, and even they do not sign with you all the time.  
 

And Eleven I will save you the trouble of responding to this. 
 

You Don’t Care 

[Brawndo]

1 hour ago, sabresouth said:

It's an impossible to answer that, none of us were in the room when negotiations were going on.  But when you have a glaring need at arguably the most important position on the team and we are in our third season with subpar goaltending I have to say KA has failed. Trying doesn't cut it at this level.  You do what it takes to get it done. There have been goalies out there over the past three years. It should not take that long to fill a position. 

 

1 hour ago, sabresouth said:

Your points are valid. We are debating hypotheticals. There is no way to know how things might be different.  Just looking at this season though. If we had a true number one goalie, I believe we would be in the playoff hunt right now.  And after this  long playoff drought we are just frustrated that a known position of need was not addressed for this season. I felt like before the season started we could be a playoff potential team with a goalie upgrade. So if I as just a fan could see that than why couldn't KA?

Adams and the Front Office does realize this, hence trying to get Murray and Gibson to come here. 

 

1 hour ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

People keep saying Bear sucks, but does he?  He has 6 pts in 19 games for Van.  He is skating 18:35 a night for them.  He also blocks shots and is willing to hit someone.  Last year on Carolina he skated 16 minutes a night for one of the best teams in hockey.  

Against Pitt the other night DG reduced Bryson’s PT to 8:20 and with Joki out the next night he skated only 12.  You can’t tell me that a 5th rd pick was to high a price for a 25 year old player who is likely better than Bryson and certainly better than Pilut, Fitz or Clague.  A 5th rd pick has about a 15% of playing 100 NHL games and that would be 5 years from now.  What a tiny price to pay for some immediate help.  

Bear was a healthy scratch for Carolina until He was traded. 
 

Do you think there maybe there is a scenario where Adams might have called Rod Brindamour, who is not only the HC who wouldn’t play Bear, but also happens to be one of Adams Best Friends from the NHL, and might have asked for information. Then based on the information He received,  Adams decided He wasn’t the right for the organization?

 

[GASabresIUFAN]

6 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

 

Adams and the Front Office does realize this, hence trying to get Murray and Gibson to come here. 

 

Bear was a healthy scratch for Carolina until He was traded. 
 

Do you think there maybe there is a scenario where Adams might have called Rod Brindamour, who is not only the HC who wouldn’t play Bear, but also happens to be one of Adams Best Friends from the NHL, and might have asked for information. Then based on the information He received,  Adams decided He wasn’t the right for the organization?

 

Anything is possible. At some given how poorly our depth D were (and are) performing, the GM needs to do something the help his ream.

[PerreaultForever]

1 hour ago, Porous Five Hole said:

Just show me the deals he should have made that other teams have made and I’m all in. I’m really not coming from a “defend the Sabres at all cost” POV.  
 

There’s nothing out there except spare parts.  

I doubt that, but spare parts on D is all we needed for our lack of depth. They were available. 

I also suspect there are a number of teams looking to unload salary so they can make their own deadline pick ups but deals like that would take creativity and a desire to win now.