Sabres announce Kevyn Adams will have media availability at 11:30 tomorrow

[DarthEbriate]

2 minutes ago, Thorner said:

I can’t get past this 

we supposedly neglected to spend this year cause we had to save money for the likes of quinn

So they looked at the available new info this year and decided it supported doubling down on the strategy?
 

What? 

We are watching a prequel trilogy on repeat. There's a story in there somewhere, but it was hastily written out and is basically only a first draft to make some executives some cash, not of its own artistic merit or a carnal need to craft said story.

The fans/players will pay the price for their lack of vision...
and execution, because there's little of merit there to execute upon.

[Thorner]

Just now, DarthEbriate said:

We are watching a prequel trilogy on repeat. There's a story in there somewhere, but it was hastily written out and is basically only a first draft to make some executives some cash, not of its own artistic merit or a carnal need to craft said story.

The fans/players will pay the price for their lack of vision...
and execution, because there's little of merit there to execute upon.

Agree, but the Star Wars prequel trilogy skates circles around this organization in terms of competence and I don’t even like phantom menace 

[darksabre]

The Buffalo Sabres, like many regular businesses, are failing because the culture that starts at the top with ownership and management is shot through with mediocrity. There is no vision, there is no tenacity, there is no humility. Just poor judgment and excuses. A rudderless ship.

There's a very good chance that someone exists out there who could fix this mess, someone with talent and creativity. But they will never find a home at the Sabres.

[Cityo'Rasmii]

"We need to be better."

Really??

And how??

Watch game video

[Bangarang]

Thought Adams came away from this looking like a fool. He probably would've been better off dodging this press conference. 

[Thorner]

4 minutes ago, darksabre said:

The Buffalo Sabres, like many regular businesses, are failing because the culture that starts at the top with ownership and management is shot through with mediocrity. There is no vision, there is no tenacity, there is no humility. Just poor judgment and excuses. A rudderless ship.

There's a very good chance that someone exists out there who could fix this mess, someone with talent and creativity. But they will never find a home at the Sabres.

Saying you need creativity to fix this honestly undersells how incompetent they are. It actually doesn’t require much creativity. They are *historically bad* for a reason. They have astronomically deficient dunces manning the important spots

id be surprised if I couldn’t throw a stone around here and hit someone who could do a better job. I’m not kidding - I think more people than not could do better. These are stupid people 

[DarthEbriate]

Maybe, just maybe, Darth Pegulas the Wise watched the presser and thought to himself, "Self... I need a new apprentice."

We can only hope.

Edit: And the next apprentice is actually a qualified journey-level GM.

Edited December 6 by DarthEbriate

[mjd1001]

1 hour ago, Brawndo said:

 

Ok, in light of the above:

-His advanced stats are AWFUL this year.  I saw a post on SM yesterday saying they were bad last year and pretty bad for the last 3 years and declining.

-His regular stats:

-On a good rangers team he went from +25, to +7, to -4, to 'on pace' to be -11.  In terms of offensive production his goals went from 11, to 8, to 3, to zero.

Well, hes still physical and hits through, we need that, right?  His hits per 60 are down almost 40% this year form the last couple years.  Right now he would be 4th in hits per 60 among Sabres current D-men.

He's over 30. He has a lot of wear and tear on him.  His own team is trying to get rid of him. His stats have been in decline for years, this year he is among the worst D-men in the league in terms of both regular and advanced stats. Oh, and would take up the 2nd most cap hit on your team for this and next year.

In light of all that, Why would he make this team better?

[darksabre]

2 minutes ago, Thorner said:

Saying you need creativity to fix this honestly undersells how incompetent they are. It actually doesn’t require much creativity. They are *historically bad* for a reason. They have astronomically deficient dunces manning the important spots

id be surprised if I couldn’t throw a stone around here and hit someone who could do a better job. I’m not kidding - I think more people than not could do better. These are stupid people 

I wasn't necessarily speaking to the work that needs to be done as much as the traits a person should have that are often overlooked because those in charge are not competent enough to recognize those traits. Which I believe is the case here. Pegula is not an effective judge of management talent and never will be. 

[zow2]

1 hour ago, OverPowerYou said:

The last time the Sabres made the playoffs I was in college. Now I’m established in life have a wife and 3 kids and I have 19 years left til i retire. I can’t waste my life with this team 

Crazy right?  I've thought about this too... since two of my kids were in 1st grade during last playoff game, now they are sophomore's in college and pretty much adults.  Hard to wrap my head around that.

[HOF Wingman]

I have been a follower here for decades and rarely post. But I can’t help but think at what point does Gary Bettman step in and say we need a new direction in Buffalo?

[mjd1001]

3 minutes ago, zow2 said:

Crazy right?  I've thought about this too... since two of my kids were in 1st grade during last playoff game, now they are sophomore's in college and pretty much adults.  Hard to wrap my head around that.

Want to take it a step further? We want to win the cup, but how about the last time they WON ONE single playoff series?

Take that playoff drought, and 4 more years to it.

Last time in the playoffs?  2011.  Last time anyone saw this team win a series? 2007.

Edited December 6 by mjd1001

[JP51]

9 minutes ago, Thorner said:

Saying you need creativity to fix this honestly undersells how incompetent they are. It actually doesn’t require much creativity. They are *historically bad* for a reason. They have astronomically deficient dunces manning the important spots

id be surprised if I couldn’t throw a stone around here and hit someone who could do a better job. I’m not kidding - I think more people than not could do better. These are stupid people 

I almost wonder if we simply just used the mock drafts if we wouldnt be better off. 

[mjd1001]

How far out are they right now?

Boston is in the last playoff spot now with a points percentage of .554.

To be ahead of that number, the Sabres need to win 4 in a row. No losses. No loser points.  4 wins in a row..then they MIGHT be back into that last playoff spot. Might.

The depressing part is, if they simply held onto that 4 goal lead the other day for 2 periods and won, and would have found a way to win yesterday even in OT or a shootout, They would right now be just a handful of percentage points behind the Bruins. Right there sniffing a spot TODAY.

Edited December 6 by mjd1001

[JohnC]

8 minutes ago, mjd1001 said:

Ok, in light of the above:

-His advanced stats are AWFUL this year.  I saw a post on SM yesterday saying they were bad last year and pretty bad for the last 3 years and declining.

-His regular stats:

-On a good rangers team he went from +25, to +7, to -4, to 'on pace' to be -11.  In terms of offensive production his goals went from 11, to 8, to 3, to zero.

Well, hes still physical and hits through, we need that, right?  His hits per 60 are down almost 40% this year form the last couple years.  Right now he would be 4th in hits per 60 among Sabres current D-men.

He's over 30. He has a lot of wear and tear on him.  His own team is trying to get rid of him. His stats have been in decline for years, this year he is among the worst D-men in the league in terms of both regular and advanced stats. Oh, and would take up the 2nd most cap hit on your team for this and next year.

In light of all that, Why would he make this team better?

It would be an outlandishly stupid move to deal for an expensive and fading player. Acting in desperation would be even more evidence of organizational obtuseness. A Clifton like acquisition would make a lot more sense. When you put your franchise in a bad spot you lose your leverage to make a fair deal, let alone a good deal. 

[mjd1001]

6 minutes ago, JP51 said:

I almost wonder if we simply just used the mock drafts if we wouldnt be better off. 

I don't even think their drafting is awful. Yeah it could be better...but to me its not so much the drafting as the roster construction.  Right mix of youth and vets. Guys who play well together.  

[Thorner]

8 minutes ago, mjd1001 said:

Want to take it a step further? We want to win the cup, but how about the last time they WON ONE single playoff series?

Take that playoff drought, and 4 more years to it.

Last time in the playoffs?  2011.  Last time anyone saw this team win a series? 2007.

Last Harry Potter book wasn’t even out yet 

[Thorner]

8 minutes ago, JP51 said:

I almost wonder if we simply just used the mock drafts if we wouldnt be better off. 

That’s a thing, too: their one claim to fame is that their drafting has been ok? I’m not even sure how well that’s holding up, but even granting that for the sake of argument: the one thing they are good at is the biggest crapshoot where going with the consensus would have a team lose little, anyways. They have no competence in areas that allow us to claw back into it. Doing ok by the 7 picks you make that everyone else gets too is so far from enough

demonstrably  

[That Aud Smell]

12 minutes ago, HOF Wingman said:

I have been a follower here for decades and rarely post. But I can’t help but think at what point does Gary Bettman step in and say we need a new direction in Buffalo?

Good to see you post.

I think there must be at least some friendly calls being made to Terry from the league office. Problem being, I think, Terry probably feels burned by having trusted the league office in the past.

[JP51]

3 minutes ago, mjd1001 said:

I don't even think their drafting is awful. Yeah it could be better...but to me its not so much the drafting as the roster construction.  Right mix of youth and vets. Guys who play well together.  

Oh you arent wrong... I think its the entire body of work.. I am simply focusing on the draft as we have heard for years how deep our prospect pool is... yet who has made the difference in improving the team out of these prospects... 

1 minute ago, That Aud Smell said:

Good to see you post.

I think there must be at least some friendly calls being made to Terry from the league office. Problem being, I think, Terry probably feels burned by having trusted the league office in the past.

LOL the only thing worse than Pegula running the team I can think of is Bettman interfering... but then I am getting close to a flip flop on that LOL 

[Taro T]

Sadly, this is turning into a "December to (at all costs) NOT remember."  Doesn't seem like this PC did anything to remove the bad taste of the past 2 games from anybody's memory.

 

But on a different note: what a December to Remember Hasek had.

Man, was that great run of 6 shut outs in a single month by Hasek REALLY 27 years ago?  Interestingly, they went 7-7-1 that month with the only other W coming in OT.  So, if Dom didn't get a SO that month there was a real good chance they were going to lose.

They'd been horrible in the fall of '97 but then the calendar flipped to January and they were on a tear all of '98.  (Both seasons)

Not expecting that sort of a lightbulb switching on moment for this squad.

[mjd1001]

1 minute ago, Thorner said:

Last Harry Potter book wasn’t even out yet 

This could turn into something fun...last time the Sabres won a playoff game...

JP Losman was the reigning leader in Bills passing yards for the season before

Willis McGahee just led the team in Rushing.

The Bills thought they had a pretty good rookie in the Secondary, as Donte Whitner just finished his rookie season for them.

Afinogenov was on pace for almost 35 goals for the Sabres but missed a lot of games due to Injury.

JaMarcus Russell was still in college about to be selected First overall in the NFL draft. 

[Stoner]

34 minutes ago, darksabre said:

The Buffalo Sabres, like many regular businesses, are failing because the culture that starts at the top with ownership and management is shot through with mediocrity. There is no vision, there is no tenacity, there is no humility. Just poor judgment and excuses. A rudderless ship.

There's a very good chance that someone exists out there who could fix this mess, someone with talent and creativity. But they will never find a home at the Sabres.

You got it. The players not only suffer from KA's fecklessness (you can't tell me the kids don't hate the youth excuse as much as we do; they are pros now, they want to win... this is the NHL!), it drains down and infects them. Any player listening today heard excuse after excuse for why KA can't build even a 16th best roster. Destination, salary cap, taxes, palm trees, non linear development, youth, even a hint at the end that the refs screwed us. Why should the players think any differently?

20 minutes ago, HOF Wingman said:

I have been a follower here for decades and rarely post. But I can’t help but think at what point does Gary Bettman step in and say we need a new direction in Buffalo?

Intriguing question.

18 minutes ago, mjd1001 said:

Want to take it a step further? We want to win the cup, but how about the last time they WON ONE single playoff series?

Take that playoff drought, and 4 more years to it.

Last time in the playoffs?  2011.  Last time anyone saw this team win a series? 2007.

Woulda been a great question for KA. You are taking forever just to get a team into the playoffs. How much rope will you need to win one two three four series? What gives you confidence in yourself to win the US Open after taking x years just to get to a qualifying round somewhere?

Edited December 6 by Stoner

[elijah]

We don’t have palm trees, we have taxes in New York

[DarthEbriate]

24 minutes ago, Thorner said:

Agree, but the Star Wars prequel trilogy skates circles around this organization in terms of competence and I don’t even like phantom menace 

Off-topic, but if @Thorner or anyone is keen to spend time in an alternate-reality comedy prequel trilogy, I highly recommend the live stage reading collaborations between the George Lucas Talk Show and Star Wars Minute podcasts (shameless plug for SWM). The final one should be posted within a few weeks after some editing. The have beautiful interpretations, lots of laughs, and include a bunch of actors/comedians you know. Haley Joel Osment (who auditioned for kid Anakin back in 1997-98) plays Anakin.

Go to YouTube and search The Naboo Movie / The Great Kamino Kaper / Mustafar Takes L.A.

It is probably the best non-Andor Star Wars since the Rey/Kylo arc of Last Jedi or the first 40 minutes of The Force Awakens... depending on your preferred approach.