Sabres management got it all back-assward!

[DarthEbriate]

4 minutes ago, Archie Lee said:

The year you are missing in the “next summer” category, is this year. We would have Skinner at $9 million this year.  Of course, it’s turned out to be a disaster either way. But I’m not sweating the extra $444k over the next 4 years or the $2,444,000 in 29-30. The buyout this year was fine. Like many things Sabre-related, it’s the execution that is lacking. 

Totally agree -- the issue from the roster perspective is that they freed up the space this year... and sat on it. (They're better for having vet like Zucker 3rd line and Malenstyn on the 4th line than they would be if Skinner had been shoehorned into those roles. But it'd have been really helpful to have added $7M more in RHD or 2C.

[HILLsabre]

On 12/8/2024 at 9:34 AM, DarthEbriate said:

For the first sentence, absolutely. (It made more sense from financial and cap perspective to buy him out at the end of this year.)

But, his production was replaced. JJP had already taken over for him on the top line at the end of last year and despite having gone completely cold is still on pace to exceed Skinner's point production from last year (which was admittedly very poor for a 1LW).

The issues are that the entire second line (and by extension the powerplay) is basically a complete void of offense, and the top line has been very uneven. If you're a one-line team, that line has to be dynamite. The Sabres' is not.

And this is my point...the entire 2nd line should consist of our first line wings with a solid vet second line center along with two top line wingers to compliment Tage's game. In short, we're missing a top 6 line!

[Scottysabres]

10 hours ago, HILLsabre said:

And this is my point...the entire 2nd line should consist of our first line wings with a solid vet second line center along with two top line wingers to compliment Tage's game. In short, we're missing a top 6 line!

Don't forget 3rd period defense. We're missing an entire period defense corps.

[Flashsabre]

Terry never drilled another hole. Pretty damning for a team that hasn’t made the playoffs going on 14 years straight. 

[DarthEbriate]

8 minutes ago, Flashsabre said:

Terry never drilled another hole. Pretty damning for a team that hasn’t made the playoffs going on 14 years straight. 

2/22/2011 - Introductory press conference

“Starting today, the Buffalo Sabres' reason for existence will be to win a Stanley Cup.” - Terry Pegula

The payroll went down coming out of the tank -- rookie deals for Eichel, not trying to win, etc. Got up to 10th with Eichel making good cash...

6/17/2020 - Zoom conference

"I mentioned three words: effective, efficient and economic. I'm the last guy to know anything about technology. I can't even mute this thing (Zoom) we're talking on here. But I can tell you this, with all the existing technology that exists in the world of sports today, we can move forward much leaner than we operated in the past and much more efficient." - Terry Pegula; from Matthew Fairburn's Athletic article (I had to pull it from a Bleacher Report article). It went on to describe they were getting leaner (axing the scouts/AHL staff, for example).

Then, right back down to bottom 4 in spending.

I don't know if Pegula has even had an on-record presser/appearance or statement about the Sabres finances since, but he certainly hasn't said anything to the contrary of EEE.

[PerreaultForever]

Some interesting comments I basically agree with from these guys. Sabres stuff starts around the 35:30 mark. 

 

[mjd1001]

3 hours ago, Flashsabre said:

Terry never drilled another hole. Pretty damning for a team that hasn’t made the playoffs going on 14 years straight. 

My point exactly when I say the "fire Adams" chants are misplaced.

Adams may be a terrible GM. He may be a good GM, but the point is its hard to really tell with the above taken into consideration with Pegula in is ear all the time.  If you want to fire Adams, then the entire hockey department has to go with him AND Pegula need to take a step back to. Anything other than that and nothing changes.

[zow2]

I think Lindy will be one and done.  He didn’t come back to oversee some long rebuild. He came here to push a playoff ready team over the mountain top in year 1.  and they failed miserably.  So i can’t see him wanting to stick around.

[HumanSlinky39]

4 minutes ago, zow2 said:

I think Lindy will be one and done.  He didn’t come back to oversee some long rebuild. He came here to push a playoff ready team over the mountain top in year 1.  and they failed miserably.  So i can’t see him wanting to stick around.

I expressed my doubts when he was hired. It felt like a nostalgia hire. But I held out hope that maybe a vet coach like Lindy could whip these kids into shape. It's quite clear now it was the wrong move. Not saying this is Lindy's fault by any stretch, but he obviously isn't getting through to these guys and I don't see how that changes at this point. It's too late to be early.

[SabreFinn]

11 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

Some interesting comments I basically agree with from these guys. Sabres stuff starts around the 35:30 mark. 

 

Liked that they talked about the need of a culture change. The sad thing is that there is no one in management that is willing to do that.

[PerreaultForever]

19 hours ago, SabreFinn said:

Liked that they talked about the need of a culture change. The sad thing is that there is no one in management that is willing to do that.

Culture change has been my battle cry for quite a long time. We get close but we never seem to get there and then it all falls apart every time. 

[North Buffalo]

https://www.nhl.com/news/topic/trade-coverage/2024-25-nhl-trades

Yet Adams has done nothing with this tire fire.

[Pimlach]

On 12/7/2024 at 5:34 PM, Archie Lee said:

I think the 4th line has been fine, with the exception of Lafferty who been a pretty big disappointment. In hindsight, it was a pretty large red flag that Lafferty only produced 4 points in his last 41 games last year, including 0 points in 11 playoff games.  Our 4th line wasn't the issue last year though.  We would be more than fine with a 4th line of Krebs, Girgs and Robinson (arguably better).  It is perhaps worth noting that Washington did just fine in replacing Malenstyn and Aube-Kubel with Brandon Duhaime and Taylor Radysh. This isn't a knock on Malynstyn and Aube-Kubel, who you could probably interchange with the other players I mention in this post, it's just that the 4th line upgrade was one of the off-season's three big canards (the other two being:  1.) The impact Ruff will have on the team; and 2.) The notion that Quinn and Benson were ready for top-6 duty). 

Don’t forget Cozens as a 2C.  

[Archie Lee]

10 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

Don’t forget Cozens as a 2C.  

I’m ready to try Cozens on wing. I stand by my view though that he would be a better centre with better wingers. I would like to see him get 6-10 games with Tuch and Zucker as his wingers. It’s not a crazy expectation for a “playoff” team to give its young 7 million $ centre, a couple of capable and experienced wingers. Of course, it would leave Thompson playing with the kids, so not likely to be a net positive for anyone but Cozens. 

[Pimlach]

8 minutes ago, Archie Lee said:

I’m ready to try Cozens on wing. I stand by my view though that he would be a better centre with better wingers. I would like to see him get 6-10 games with Tuch and Zucker as his wingers. It’s not a crazy expectation for a “playoff” team to give its young 7 million $ centre, a couple of capable and experienced wingers. Of course, it would leave Thompson playing with the kids, so not likely to be a net positive for anyone but Cozens. 

No matter how you slice it there is not enough skill and experience at forward.  Adam’s bet on Cozens and Quinn to be top 6 was a bad one. Benson is not top 6 either.  Greenway out hurts, especially the PK.  

[bunomatic]

1 hour ago, Pimlach said:

No matter how you slice it there is not enough skill and experience at forward.  Adam’s bet on Cozens and Quinn to be top 6 was a bad one. Benson is not top 6 either.  Greenway out hurts, especially the PK.  

Leafs PP will feast on the Sabres tonight.

[Pimlach]

On 12/14/2024 at 11:01 PM, zow2 said:

I think Lindy will be one and done.  He didn’t come back to oversee some long rebuild. He came here to push a playoff ready team over the mountain top in year 1.  and they failed miserably.  So i can’t see him wanting to stick around.

Latest rumors have him moving to FO after 2 years, could it be sooner?