Sabres on notice and everybody knows it

[dudacek]

Elliotte Friedman back with a monster podcast previewing the new year for every team.

His Buffalo segment was very pointed: 

“They’ve talked a lot about this internally, if they don’t go to the playoffs this year, there could be big consequences. Everyone understands there are no excuses this season.

”You’re looking at a lot of other players and you’re saying guys, it’s not good enough to talk about it.”

”There’s too much talent on this team.”

 

[GASabresIUFAN]

Can we preemptively fire Adams?

[LGR4GM]

If they don't make the playoffs, I hope Pegula sells the team. Teams a freaking joke with all their talk of could have would have should have. 

Piss or gtfo.

[Demoted]

Playoffs or bust. On notice is funny as if they haven't been for years.

[Archie Lee]

17 minutes ago, dudacek said:

Elliotte Friedman back with a monster podcast previewing the new year for every team.

His Buffalo segment was very pointed: 

“They’ve talked a lot about this internally, if they don’t go to the playoffs this year, there could be big consequences. Everyone understands there are no excuses this season.

”You’re looking at a lot of other players and you’re saying guys, it’s not good enough to talk about it.”

”There’s too much talent on this team.”

 

What consequences could there possibly be?  Nobody is making Pegula sell the team. Nothing happened this off-season to suggest that Pegula has given some sort of playoffs or bust ultimatum to Adams.  If he did give such an ultimatum, then he should be embarrassed that he has done so without lifting the spending reins.

We are going into year 4 or 5 of the Adams rebuild, depending on your view (does it matter at this point) and we are still the youngest team in the league with one of the lowest payrolls. I think Friedman is making the mistake of assuming the Sabres operate like a somewhat normal NHL team, when they just don’t.  Could someone get fired or traded if this doesn’t work out?  Sure. How is that meaningful though, in the context of how this team operates?

 

[#freejame]

Outside of Terry selling, there’s no change that matters. I don’t think “don’t make the playoffs or you’ll get traded out of Buffalo” has worked so far. 

[dudacek]

You guys may get a different impression if you listen because it wasn’t directly specified.

But my very clear impression is that members of the Adams executive are talking off-the-record that they know their jobs are on the line.

It’s not so much an ultimatum as the simple truth everyone around here would agree with: they’ve had enough time to turn this thing around and it needs to happen now or they deserve to be fired.

Basically, they aren’t idiots and they understand that’s the reality of pro sports.

[Taro T]

17 minutes ago, dudacek said:

You guys may get a different impression if you listen because it wasn’t directly specified.

But my very clear impression is that members of the Adams executive are talking off-the-record that they know their jobs are on the line.

It’s not so much an ultimatum as the simple truth everyone around here would agree with: they’ve had enough time to turn this thing around and it needs to happen now or they deserve to be fired.

Basically, they aren’t idiots and they understand that’s the reality of pro sports.

Though it's a contrarian opinion around here, don't honestly believe that Adams has a directive to not spend the Skinner savings.  But do believe he has a directive to not simply spend it to spend it.  Wouldn't be shocked if we do see a move during camp.  Wouldn't have money on it, but won't be surprised either.

And, rightly or wrongly, and we'll know about 8 months from now which it is, Adams is sticking to his plan.

Would be really nice if he can get that 2W deal done; would add a degree of wiggle room to what needs to happen to make this season successful.

[JoeSchmoe]

On notice?!?! 🤣😂😅🤣 🤣😂😅🤣😂😅

🤣😂😅   🤣😂😅🤣😂...

 

😢

 

[nfreeman]

Guys in the FO thinking their jobs are on the line this year is eminently reasonable and very likely correct.  Certainly if last season's poopshow is repeated, which I do not expect to happen but is not impossible, heads will roll.

I hope this is not the case, but it's also very possible that TP has kept KA on a shoestring budget, including as regards coaches, and TP knows it, and knows that it unfairly and substantially handicaps KA.  If so, I can see TP not firing everyone if they don't make the playoffs this season as long as they look a lot better than last year, which was a debacle.  But I can also see TP getting PO'd and firing everyone.

I think though that Lindy and a bunch of the top guys are going to deliver, the Sabres will have a good year as a result and this all will be academic.

[Thorny]

1 hour ago, Archie Lee said:

What consequences could there possibly be?  Nobody is making Pegula sell the team. Nothing happened this off-season to suggest that Pegula has given some sort of playoffs or bust ultimatum to Adams.  If he did give such an ultimatum, then he should be embarrassed that he has done so without lifting the spending reins.

We are going into year 4 or 5 of the Adams rebuild, depending on your view (does it matter at this point) and we are still the youngest team in the league with one of the lowest payrolls. I think Friedman is making the mistake of assuming the Sabres operate like a somewhat normal NHL team, when they just don’t.  Could someone get fired or traded if this doesn’t work out?  Sure. How is that meaningful though, in the context of how this team operates?

 

Agree. Their primary goals appear to be different 

[OverPowerYou]

So, is getting rid of a skinner supposed to be addition by subtraction? 

[sabremike]

San Marino won a competitive match before the Sabres made the playoffs under the full ownership of the Pegulas.

[PerreaultForever]

If they don't make the playoffs this year they get relegated. 

[tom webster]

8 hours ago, Taro T said:

Though it's a contrarian opinion around here, don't honestly believe that Adams has a directive to not spend the Skinner savings.  But do believe he has a directive to not simply spend it to spend it.  Wouldn't be shocked if we do see a move during camp.  Wouldn't have money on it, but won't be surprised either.

And, rightly or wrongly, and we'll know about 8 months from now which it is, Adams is sticking to his plan.

Would be really nice if he can get that 2W deal done; would add a degree of wiggle room to what needs to happen to make this season successful.

This is the impression I got. If you are going to spend, it better work. Now others I trust have a different opinion. I know they believe that Adams had a deal for Zegras and hadn’t gotten approval from ownership. Only a few people really know but I do believe this a playoffs or bust year.

[LGR4GM]

2 hours ago, tom webster said:

This is the impression I got. If you are going to spend, it better work. Now others I trust have a different opinion. I know they believe that Adams had a deal for Zegras and hadn’t gotten approval from ownership. Only a few people really know but I do believe this a playoffs or bust year.

Then screw ownership. Every decision Terry makes with this team is wrong. 

Edited September 7 by LGR4GM

[Phil Goyette]

Tough call.

I see Adams at school events, as his son goes to school with mine, and to be honest, he doesn't seem worried.

Strikes me as odd that they would hire his personal choice as Coach, then dismiss him after one season together, but I get the frustration, as I have been at a lot of games over the past 15 years.

FWIW, my son says Adam's son is a great guy, and an outstanding AAA hockey player.

[Cascade Youth]

2 hours ago, tom webster said:

This is the impression I got. If you are going to spend, it better work. Now others I trust have a different opinion. I know they believe that Adams had a deal for Zegras and hadn’t gotten approval from ownership. Only a few people really know but I do believe this a playoffs or bust year.

If that is the case - the product is a fraud.  I don’t understand how anyone pays to watch it.  You’re being sold garbage.

[That Aud Smell]

12 hours ago, Archie Lee said:

If he did give such an ultimatum, then he should be embarrassed that he has done so without lifting the spending reins.

10 hours ago, Thorny said:

Agree. Their primary goals appear to be different 

Agree. The current Sabres situation is a Rorschach test. I blink and rub my eyes, but I just see a roster being cost controlled (and being kept young) and a franchise that spends like a traditional poverty franchise.

I know Friedman has crazy juice. But he’s got 32 teams to cover. It sounds to me like he and his league sources are talking out of their ***** regarding the Sabres.

[Thorny]

21 minutes ago, That Aud Smell said:

Agree. The current Sabres situation is a Rorschach test. I blink and rub my eyes, but I just see a roster being cost controlled (and being kept young) and a franchise that spends like a traditional poverty franchise.

I know Friedman has crazy juice. But he’s got 32 teams to cover. It sounds to me like he and his league sources are talking out of their ***** regarding the Sabres.

Honestly doesn’t even need to be anything that nefarious. Dollars to donuts Adams is just blowing smoke anyways, if he did say something like that. It doesn’t sound substantially different than last year:

“We have to embrace expectations,” general manager Kevyn Adams said Wednesday as the Sabres opened training camp. “I look at pressure as a privilege.”

Under pressure to make the playoffs for the first time in 13 seasons, the Sabres have set higher expectations for themselves.*

Granted, the coach definitely paid the price. But I’m not convinced Terry considers Adams in particular amendable to the result to the tune of a potential firing, as long as things don’t get embarrassingly bad. If they are in the hunt to be in the hunt, I don’t SUSPECT Adams job would be on line. But that’s just a guess. 

Friedman’s “could be consequences” MIGHT hold weight, but “no excuses” is status quo jargon imo

- - - 

*https://www.wivb.com/sports/buffalo-sabres/sabres-windows-open-right-now-gm-kevyn-adams-says/amp/

Edited September 7 by Thorny

[GASabresIUFAN]

1 hour ago, Phil Goyette said:

Strikes me as odd that they would hire his personal choice as Coach, then dismiss him after one season together,

Not if that coach is the GM in waiting.  Who has more credibility around the league; Adams or Ruff?  Since Adams has none, it’s Ruff by default, but I suspect Ruff carries a fair amount of respect and credibility.  

[Pimlach]

2 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

Then screw ownership. Every decision Terry makes with this team is wrong. 

I think I have a solution for Terry. 
 

 

[PASabreFan]

The thread title gets funnier and funnier.

[LTS]

14 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Can we preemptively fire Adams?

After 13 years you probably should put your focus one level higher.

4 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Not if that coach is the GM in waiting.  Who has more credibility around the league; Adams or Ruff?  Since Adams has none, it’s Ruff by default, but I suspect Ruff carries a fair amount of respect and credibility.  

Do you really think it matters who the GM is?  Pegula has clearly been a negative influence on this organization from the moment he purchased it. While I don't think Adams has done anything amazing I also have to wonder how much he's got to put on the best public face in the face of a terrible owner. He can't just resign or he'd never get a shot in another organization.

The fans need to put the owner on notice. Anything other than the playoffs this year and no one is showing up next year. Never will happen of course, but one can dream.

[Pimlach]

Just now, PASabreFan said:

The thread title gets funnier and funnier.

On notice is hysterical.  Real teams fire coaches and GMs if they miss the playoffs two times in a row.  In the case of the Sabres we really should fire the Owner.