Should the Sabres hire an experienced GM and HC this offseason?

[Jerry Jabber]

Seems since the Pegula’s bought the Sabres, they’ve had inexperienced GM’s (Murray, Botterill and Adams all first time GM’s) and mostly inexperienced coaches (Rolston and Krueger having prior HC experience). Unfortunately, the results have showed over the years. 

Should the Sabres bring in an experienced GM who’s had success in the league, as well as a retread HC, who’s had previous success?

[CallawaySabres]

Definitely not, I like the way things are going here...

[SABRES 0311]

Sabrespace is starting to get a lot of “Captain Obvious” and No Sh!t Sherlock” threads.

GMKA, HCDG, the Power Play, and team construct suck. There, wrapped it all up. Should we repackage them same discussion with new titles?

Edited December 29, 2023 by SABRES 0311

[Contempt]

Terry wants people he knows or can control. That eliminates virtually the entire qualified talent pool.

[Jerry Jabber]

2 minutes ago, SABRES 0311 said:

Sabrespace is starting to get a lot of “Captain Obvious” and No Sh!t Sherlock” threads.

GMKA, HCDG, the Power Play, and team construct suck. There, wrapped it all up. Should we repackage them same discussion with be titles?

Marine?

[Sabres Fan in NS]

Depending how the rest of the season plays out I would promote KA to President of Hockey Operations and bring in a new GM - Scott Nichol, if he is available.  He trained under one of the best in Poile.

Then see where the Sabres are in the coaching area - I think Granato is still good, but his assistants are mostly terrible.

[HumanSlinky39]

Should they? Yes. 

Will they? 

[Jerry Jabber]

Just now, Sabres Fan in NS said:

Depending how the rest of the season plays out I would promote KA to President of Hockey Operations and bring in a new GM - Scott Nichol, if he is available.  He trained under one of the best in Poile.

Then see where the Sabres are in the coaching area - I think Granato is still good, but his assistants are mostly terrible.

I cringe at the idea of bringing in another “up and comer” who’s inexperienced. Between Murray, Botterill and Adams, it hasn’t worked. 

[Flashsabre]

The answer is a resounding yes but the chances of it happening are minimal.

The biggest problem with this organization is a lack of successful experience from top to bottom.

This love of inexperience has buried them. Lack of experience at the GM position, Coaching staff, roster.

They have whiffed of free agents, Adams has refused to move off this plan of building from within with all the kids.

The coaching staff is made up of first time head coach, coaches from the ECHL, a non coach (Ellis) and a middling D coach.

[GASabresIUFAN]

I’m going to take a different tack because I don’t think DG or KA are getting fired.

However, TP can send them a strong message by doing the following.  
1. Fire Ellis and Girardi. Replace with more experienced coaches and get a PP specialist

2. Hire a team President over Adams to help him mature as a GM and help him conduct a real evaluation of his roster.

3. Replace the entire Pro scouting dept.  

Edited December 29, 2023 by GASabresIUFAN

[USMCSnyper]

No!

It should happen IN SEASON

[thewookie1]

21 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

I’m going to take a different tack because I don’t think DG or KA are getting fired.

However, TP can send them a strong message by doing the following.  
1. Fire Ellis and Girardi. Replace with more experienced coaches and get a PP specialist

2. Hire a team President over Adams to help him mature as a GM and help him conduct a real evaluation of his roster.

3. Replace then entire Pro scouting dept.  

Girardi is a part-time coach; he isn't anywhere near relevant enough to fire.

[Marvin]

The one problem I see is what @Brawndo once mentioned: we have fired so many coaches that no one worth anything wants to come here with ordinary coach's power.

I imagine that experienced position coaches can be had.  Can we get them?

Wild card: do the players push for "now" moves?

6 minutes ago, USMCSnyper said:

No!

It should happen IN SEASON

Welcome back!

[Derrico]

No.  They should hire them today.

Why keep a lame duck coach and GM?  Even if the playoffs are a pipe dream this season I would much rather bring in the next guys now so the coach has the rest of the season to begin implementing their system in hopes of jumping out to a good start from day 1 next season.  The GM would also be given this trade deadline to try and better the franchise instead of waiting for the summer. 

[Getpucksdeep]

1 hour ago, Sabres Fan in NS said:

Depending how the rest of the season plays out I would promote KA to President of Hockey Operations and bring in a new GM - Scott Nichol, if he is available.  He trained under one of the best in Poile.

Then see where the Sabres are in the coaching area - I think Granato is still good, but his assistants are mostly terrible.

Still haven't forgiven that disgusting cheap shot on my man Spacek, so it's a no to Nichols.  Trust TP is with me here.

[Pimlach]

1 hour ago, CallawaySabres said:

Definitely not, I like the way things are going here...

[Pimlach]

1 hour ago, Sabres Fan in NS said:

Depending how the rest of the season plays out I would promote KA to President of Hockey Operations and bring in a new GM - Scott Nichol, if he is available.  He trained under one of the best in Poile.

Then see where the Sabres are in the coaching area - I think Granato is still good, but his assistants are mostly terrible.

Promote Adams?   He is already running hockey ops.  Promote him and then he gets a big raise.  For what ?   

Bring in a new GM and watch Karmanos scurry out the door?   Nope  

We need an NHL coach. Ideally this coach will work with Adams  and have some say and control of the roster.  Berube and Gallant are there.  Not sure either would come here though.  Gallant has been outside looking in for awhile.  Berube will be heavily sought after.  

[Jerry Jabber]

2 hours ago, Jerry Jabber said:

Marine?

OohRah! How long were you in for?

I served for 8 1/2 years. 

[French Collection]

The easiest move is always to fire the coach. I like DG with a young team but this isn’t working.

TP, despite his billions, seems to hate to pay people to sit at home so he may ride out the season because it is also very late to turn the ship around and make the playoffs. He would still be on the hook for next year but hockey lifer DG would probably get a job somewhere at some level.

The off season would have more candidates available but they would also have more choices for teams.

An experienced coach like Gallant would want more vets and grit than what KA gives him so that may create moves or keep those coaching candidates away.

Next year would be the last for KA if he doesn’t lead them to the playoffs. His babies will be a year older and he has another summer to add some key vets to this roster.

[Gatorman0519]

Hire Gallant and give him roster freedom and he would have this team around 100 points next year easily. 

[mjd1001]

The more I think about it, the more I think its not JUST the HC, or JUST the scouting dept, or the Minor league staff in Rochester,  or JUST the GM...but it is top to bottom, everything in this organization is bad. And if you just make one change, the leftovers from the previous regime infect everything else. If a change is going to be made, EVERYTHING needs to change.

I'm not sure there is enough evidence for my next point, but I'll throw it out there anyway.  When players leave Buffalo and are good enough to stick with another team (Eichel, Reinhart, even Sheary and Rodriguez), it seems that it takes them almost a full season to excel with their team. Its almost like, if they spent TOO much time in Buffalo, they learned bad habits, were taught to play the full game the wrong way...and it takes some time when they get to a new organization to actually start playing the way a well rounded player actually plays.

 

 

[PromoTheRobot]

3 hours ago, Jerry Jabber said:

Seems since the Pegula’s bought the Sabres, they’ve had inexperienced GM’s (Murray, Botterill and Adams all first time GM’s) and mostly inexperienced coaches (Rolston and Krueger having prior HC experience). Unfortunately, the results have showed over the years. 

Should the Sabres bring in an experienced GM who’s had success in the league, as well as a retread HC, who’s had previous success?

Was that you calling Sal on WGR this morning?

So if you favor a new regime, no doubt you are in favor of clearing out the roster? After all, no new regime wants to get stuck with players they didn't draft. I'm sure we can get some nice draft picks with out roster. I have to imagine Tage, Dahlin, JJP, and Quinn will all blossom on new teams. Of course we might keep Benson.

Then we'll have to stop winning so we get the best possible draft position. After all you want the be in the best position for your rebuild. But we won't call it a tank. 😉

And you have to give this new regime at least two years, right? If they don't make the playoffs in two years, then we'll just have to clear house again

Don't you love that new regime smell?

[PerreaultForever]

I wish they would do what I've wished they would do for many years. Hire an experienced hockey guy as a Director Of Hockey Operations or whatever you want to title it but above the current GM and coach and Pegula just stay in Florida and stay out of it. 

That guy would then analyze the team and evaluate the players and their character, work with a coach like Briere did with Torts and point out all the slackers that had to go and they would restructure this thing into a proper hockey team in a few years. 

It won't happen. 

But yes, I'd be a happy man if they named Gallant head coach. 

[Doohicksie]

Oh, I know!  Let's have this conversation AGAIN!!!!!!

[Night Train]

The answer is obviously yes...but who knows if Pegula will do it.