So now what?

[Pimlach]

40 minutes ago, JohnC said:

I think you are too fixated on the owner to come up for the reasons why the Sabres are struggling. KA proposed a strategy to the owner for the best pathway to rebuild a team that was in a state of stagnation. It was a strategy that emphasized drafting and development. The owner agreed with the rebuilding strategy that KA proposed to him. That's why he was hired! For the most part, the strategy has worked. It wasn't a quick fix because that mostly rebuild from within strategy is not a quick fix strategy. When the novice owner first took over the stewardship of the franchise, he looked for the quick fix that relied on throwing money and extended term contracts to free agents. It was a disaster. Not only was that strategy poorly executed but it set this franchise back.

KA has had more than enough time to allow his approach to work. In general, it has worked. The roster has been substantially reworked, and the system is robustly restocked. Most hockey people acknowledge that our system is one of the better systems in the NHL. What has gone wrong? The difference between success and failure in hockey is miniscule. Go back and review the games this season. It's not an exaggeration that we could have had at least three more wins. If that would have happened, our outlook would be so much better than it is now. 

There is no question that Yzerman is one of the best GMs in the game. He was instrumental in building a cup team in Detroit when he was first there, and was a major factor in Tampa's cup runs. What's frustrating is that most hockey people believed that Buffalo was ahead of Detroit with their respective rebuilds. Why do they appear to have jumped ahead of us this season? The answer is that the more astute and experienced GM brought in some experienced players to undergird a roster to support the young players on the roster. Our GM didn't adequately do so. 

I'm not panicking right now. The season isn't lost quite yet. My timeline will be at the halfway point before I make a more conclusive judgment about this season and rating of the GM. The road is currently bumpy but don't panic just yet and jump into the turbulent waters. The best approach right now is to be patient and ride it out, at least to midseason. 

 

Fair comments @JohnC,  I will of course watch and wait for Adams plan to payoff.   But that won’t change the damage that’s been done. I am not fixated on the owner, but I am frustrated by the past off season.  I know, and we all know, that the constraints on Adams are both dictated from TP,  and/or are a result of the past performance of the this organization under TP. 🧻 

Our roster and pipeline is not yet robustly stacked.  We still are currently developing 2 goalies without having a proven #1 on the roster.  It’s improving for sure, but we could not even adequately replace Girgensons with a Rochester player, hence the trade for Robinson.  

 One thing that has gone wrong, no fault to anyone, is injuries and our pipeline is still too young to help us overcome them.  

[JohnC]

5 hours ago, Pimlach said:

Fair comments @JohnC,  I will of course watch and wait for Adams plan to payoff.   But that won’t change the damage that’s been done. I am not fixated on the owner, but I am frustrated by the past off season.  I know, and we all know, that the constraints on Adams are both dictated from TP,  and/or are a result of the past performance of the this organization under TP. 🧻 

Our roster and pipeline is not yet robustly stacked.  We still are currently developing 2 goalies without having a proven #1 on the roster.  It’s improving for sure, but we could not even adequately replace Girgensons with a Rochester player, hence the trade for Robinson.  

 One thing that has gone wrong, no fault to anyone, is injuries and our pipeline is still too young to help us overcome them.  

With respect to the injury factor contributing to our struggles I don't accept that as an excuse. The reason why I'm not accepting injuries as an excuse is that although we have sustained injuries, it is at a level that most other teams have to contend with.  

There are three games that have stuck out for me that give me some hope. We beat the Rangers and Boston on the road and defeated Colorado at home. These are upper echelon teams. In all three games, we played a tight, disciplined game and played consistently hard for 60 minutes. That demonstrates what this team is capable of. 

At this point, I'm not making a declared judgment about this team and staff. By the time we reach the half-season point, we should be in a good position to draw fair conclusions about this team. As you are well aware of the margin of error between success and failure, winning games and losing games, is very small. As the season advances and too many games are squandered in the first half of the season, the opportunity to make up games in the second half of the season becomes a futile chase to a frustrating end. 

As with many fans here, my patience is running out. 

 

Edited December 11, 2023 by JohnC

[FrenchConnection44]

There have been many complaints levied at Adams for not bringing in vets last year and running back Okposo, et al. I get that. But it was a thin free agent year and not a lot of players available. This year we should be in better position to bring in new players and replacing a good bit of the chaff. Now, if Adams doesn’t procure 2-3-4 very solid players this off season then he should be in trouble. I would give him one more offseason and year. But we have to get a new staff that sees the value of the players on the team and can harness that. 

Look, for example, at what Mike McDaniel has done in Miami with the Dolphins. Yes I know they are the Bills rival. But he put faith in the talent that was there. They added veteran talent to complement that young talent. And added a strong coaching staff with McDaniel to improve those players. Amazing what a smart Xs and Os coach from a good system who fosters self belief in players can do for a team culture. Granato just doesn’t have that hockey IQ, imo. 

That’s what I want to see with the Sabres young group. A good coach and staff that knows how to play hockey and can develop the players and then add quality talent in the off season to blend in and lead by example. 
 

 

[Pimlach]

48 minutes ago, FrenchConnection44 said:

There have been many complaints levied at Adams for not bringing in vets last year and running back Okposo, et al. I get that. But it was a thin free agent year and not a lot of players available. This year we should be in better position to bring in new players and replacing a good bit of the chaff. Now, if Adams doesn’t procure 2-3-4 very solid players this off season then he should be in trouble. I would give him one more offseason and year. But we have to get a new staff that sees the value of the players on the team and can harness that. 

Look, for example, at what Mike McDaniel has done in Miami with the Dolphins. Yes I know they are the Bills rival. But he put faith in the talent that was there. They added veteran talent to complement that young talent. And added a strong coaching staff with McDaniel to improve those players. Amazing what a smart Xs and Os coach from a good system who fosters self belief in players can do for a team culture. Granato just doesn’t have that hockey IQ, imo. 

That’s what I want to see with the Sabres young group. A good coach and staff that knows how to play hockey and can develop the players and then add quality talent in the off season to blend in and lead by example. 
 

 

Yes Teammates,  there is always tomorrow. 

Edited December 11, 2023 by Pimlach

[Taro T]

 

[French Collection]

6 hours ago, FrenchConnection44 said:

There have been many complaints levied at Adams for not bringing in vets last year and running back Okposo, et al. I get that. But it was a thin free agent year and not a lot of players available. This year we should be in better position to bring in new players and replacing a good bit of the chaff. Now, if Adams doesn’t procure 2-3-4 very solid players this off season then he should be in trouble. I would give him one more offseason and year. But we have to get a new staff that sees the value of the players on the team and can harness that. 

Look, for example, at what Mike McDaniel has done in Miami with the Dolphins. Yes I know they are the Bills rival. But he put faith in the talent that was there. They added veteran talent to complement that young talent. And added a strong coaching staff with McDaniel to improve those players. Amazing what a smart Xs and Os coach from a good system who fosters self belief in players can do for a team culture. Granato just doesn’t have that hockey IQ, imo. 

That’s what I want to see with the Sabres young group. A good coach and staff that knows how to play hockey and can develop the players and then add quality talent in the off season to blend in and lead by example. 
 

 

With the cap going up there may be extensions so a lot of pending UFAs may get locked up.

I’m losing hope for this year, KA better add some quality talent once KO, VO, Jost, Girgs are gone.

[FrenchConnection44]

On 12/11/2023 at 3:11 PM, French Collection said:

With the cap going up there may be extensions so a lot of pending UFAs may get locked up.

I’m losing hope for this year, KA better add some quality talent once KO, VO, Jost, Girgs are gone.

He does need to make some strong additions. And his young draft choices need to step up.