New GM, New Coach & Star Player

[CallawaySabres]

I think the Sabres are at a boiling point with the fans. It has been bad for quite some time, but something feels a heck of a lot more hopeless now than ever before. There seems to be no answer to the freefall, no end in sight.

I think there is a real chance that if major, and I mean MAJOR organizational and player changes aren't made, this team will fall in line with the likes of the Bisons. People will go see them once in a while if they have kids, but nobody will really care if they win or lose. After a while, the team will be sold and maybe they relocate, maybe they won't (depending on the new owner.)

I am already past the breaking point, and if they can reduce my fandom to apathy, imagine what has already happened to the casual fan, or bandwagoners. There are 20  or so meaningless games left and that place is going to be half empty the rest of the way.

[Stoner]

You mean break the population down, lay the people low, and when they don't or can't care anymore, have your way? It works.

[bunomatic]

Its neglect and its abusive in so many ways. If this team was a child Terry would lose it. He is the worst placeholder in the history of this team. Do everyone a favour and sell the team Terry.

[Mr. Allen]

I think before we hire any of those guys we need a really good President of hockey operations.  Allow him to pick the GM and they can pick the coach.  Stop allowing the person who has been making these decisions (Pegula?) and allow a fresh set of eyes start over. Because whoever is making the big decisions has done pretty poorly the last 15 years. 

[CallawaySabres]

4 minutes ago, bunomatic said:

Its neglect and its abusive in so many ways. If this team was a child Terry would lose it. He is the worst placeholder in the history of this team. Do everyone a favour and sell the team Terry.

As soon as Terry pronounced STANLEY cup wrong in his first presser, I knew we were in trouble.

[msw2112]

Here you go:

New GM:  Lindy Ruff

New Coach:  Seth Appert

New Star Player:  Jordan Greenway

Some would call it promoting from within.  Others would call it reshuffling the deck chairs on the Titanic.  It's tough to be a Sabres fan these days.

[Palm Trees And Taxes]

If things do not turn around soon, this team might become the Houston Sabres.

I hate to even suggest this, but this could be a cold hard reality.

[In The Buff]

4 minutes ago, Palm Trees And Taxes said:

If things do not turn around soon, this team might become the Houston Sabres.

I hate to even suggest this, but this could be a cold hard reality.

the money Pegula would get from the sale would be a nice consolation prize for him.

He promised Hockey Heaven but gave us Hockey Hell & in the end he'll be rewarded with millions

[mjd1001]

39 minutes ago, Palm Trees And Taxes said:

If things do not turn around soon, this team might become the Houston Sabres.

I hate to even suggest this, but this could be a cold hard reality.

I don't think this will happen, I wouldn't bet it on in the near future.  However I do think it is a possibility.

[Weave]

36 minutes ago, In The Buff said:

the money Pegula would get from the sale would be a nice consolation prize for him.

He promised Hockey Heaven but gave us Hockey Hell & in the end he'll be rewarded with millions

A grifter’s story, innit?

[inkman]

1 hour ago, CallawaySabres said:

I think the Sabres are at a boiling point with the fans. It has been bad for quite some time, but something feels a heck of a lot more hopeless now than ever before. There seems to be no answer to the freefall, no end in sight.

I think there is a real chance that if major, and I mean MAJOR organizational and player changes aren't made, this team will fall in line with the likes of the Bisons. People will go see them once in a while if they have kids, but nobody will really care if they win or lose. After a while, the team will be sold and maybe they relocate, maybe they won't (depending on the new owner.)

I am already past the breaking point, and if they can reduce my fandom to apathy, imagine what has already happened to the casual fan, or bandwagoners. There are 20  or so meaningless games left and that place is going to be half empty the rest of the way.

There has been no indication from anyone involved with the Sabres that anything will be done anytime soon.  

[GASabresIUFAN]

New GM: Craig Button

New Coach:  None - The Players don't listen to anyone anyway

New Star Player:  (insert name of latest top draft pick here)

[Pimlach]

3 hours ago, CallawaySabres said:

I think the Sabres are at a boiling point with the fans. It has been bad for quite some time, but something feels a heck of a lot more hopeless now than ever before. There seems to be no answer to the freefall, no end in sight.

I think there is a real chance that if major, and I mean MAJOR organizational and player changes aren't made, this team will fall in line with the likes of the Bisons. People will go see them once in a while if they have kids, but nobody will really care if they win or lose. After a while, the team will be sold and maybe they relocate, maybe they won't (depending on the new owner.)

I am already past the breaking point, and if they can reduce my fandom to apathy, imagine what has already happened to the casual fan, or bandwagoners. There are 20  or so meaningless games left and that place is going to be half empty the rest of the way.

The Sabres are already in the state you describe.  Lots of people in Buffalo have stopped going to games and many do not care about them.  They are not popular at all.  They really do not not have many young fans when compared to the Bills or Bandits.  Looking at Southern Ontario, WNY, and Rochester area and it is hard to see that they are growing the fan base at all.  But the Bills are.  

Pegula selling them to an outside owner for relocation is not very likely since this could have repercussions on the Bills.  Best hope is a consortium of local owners pools together to buy the team from Terry. 

 

 

The 

[CallawaySabres]

The only thing that could get me to the arena next year would be a free ticket AND some cheerleaders in every aisle. They are going to have to turn that place into a night of entertainment from start to finish since the game will be secondary. 

[Palm Trees And Taxes]

2 hours ago, mjd1001 said:

I don't think this will happen, I wouldn't bet it on in the near future.  However I do think it is a possibility.

I sure hope you are right, but we are now talking like this: if you are 30 and under, do you have any good memories of the Sabres?

And that is an issue, there is way less connection to the Sabres from the young generation and if Pegula just refuses to hire a top GM, put more $ into scouting, analytics, and FA, nothing will change.

If you told me when Pegula had his introductory presser that it would be this bad almost 14 years later, I would have thought you were NUTS.

But sadly, here we are.

[PerreaultForever]

Well the owner ain't going anywhere. The team as an asset for a rich guy has grown in value by a lot. He's got the Bills to watch and enjoy. Win or lose it's not going to matter to him in terms of ownership so we can dream on that but nothing's going to happen. 

So to "new GM, new coach & star player" what I'd like to see is who? I'm all for it since this isn't working but WHO? Name names. 

GM? Is there an experienced GM out there looking for a job? Do we want another rookie to learn on the job for 3-4 years and all the mistakes that'll bring? Another new guy who will look at the potential and over value what we have based on ceilings? WHO?

Coach? Who? Wait for someone to be fired this year? Do we want a guy who got fired? Who is out there with a resume other than Quennville and all his baggage. Detroit snapped up the only guy I had as an option. Another rookie coach? An AHL coach? I don't have another name do you??? Who?

Star Player? We have those. Dahlin and Thompson. We've been down that road. I'd suggest maybe the plan should be build to the stars rather than from the stars. What we need is the competitive middle level guys who come to play every night and drag the guys around them into the fight. We need toughness and push back. We need a TEAM not a star but that's just me. You want a new star, who? Lindholm is the only one out there and he's not working out in Vancouver so is that what you want? Raantanen? Pay him a fortune will he be the guy you need? I doubt it. So who????

Myself, I think the roster needs a major overhaul and reconstruction. I'm keeping Thompson, Peterka (assuming I can sign him reasonably) and Tuch, and Dahlin and Byram (I'm trading Power, again assuming I can sign him reasonably) and UPL for lack of a better alternative. I'm keeping Benson but he's spending next season in Rochester. I'm keeping Kulich. Everyone else is negotiable and up for grabs and I'd rather move people than keep them but obviously not all would end up moved. I'm adding guys who compete. Perhaps less skill than we have, but far more compete. 

Sabres? They will likely stay the course, preach patience, wait for prospects to develop. Nothing will change. They'll maybe add a bargain FA or an unwanted overpay like Zucker/Clifton and that'll be it. When it doesn't work again next year they will fire Ruff and make Seth Appert interim and that'll likely be just like Granato was. Eventually Adams will be fired but only after another year or more of this and he will be replaced by whichever assistant Terry trusts most or the guy that flatters him most a lot like you know who. God I hope I'm wrong but I see nothing to indicate that I might be. I don't know what I'm going to do with hockey next year now that the Bruins suck too. That fall was inevitable and is finally here. Maybe I can find a new team but you all know how hard to do that is. I guess I wish I lived in Florida. How much is a retirement condo down there? 

[Scottysabres]

4 hours ago, Palm Trees And Taxes said:

If things do not turn around soon, this team might become the Houston Sabres.

I hate to even suggest this, but this could be a cold hard reality.

I do not believe Houston would successfully support an NHL franchise, the demographics don’t fit. I was stationed in Houston and the surrounding bay areas just southeast of there for 6 years.

I do however believe Jacksonville and Orlando could absorb an NHL franchise with some success, but ultimately I look to St. Pete/Tampa as a very viable candidate for a 2nd franchise.

Why Florida? I lived there for a spell a couple of times, the demographics are heavy northern transplants, understand the game, and let’s be honest……….Palm Trees!

[SwampD]

4 hours ago, Palm Trees And Taxes said:

If things do not turn around soon, this team might become the Houston Hamilton Seattle Quebec Atlanta Sabres.

I hate to even suggest this, but this could be a cold hard reality.

The reality is that we have heard this threat for as long as I've been a Sabres fan. It's time for it to stop.
 

[mjd1001]

4 minutes ago, SwampD said:

The reality is that we have heard this threat for as long as I've been a Sabres fan. It's time for it to stop.
 

I don't think its wrong to say the fanbase is the least engaged, and the youngest generation of people in the area are the least interested in the team that they have ever been. So why I don't think they are moving, its worth converstation to me because things are worse now than pretty much ever for the support level this team gets.

[Mango]

5 hours ago, bunomatic said:

Its neglect and its abusive in so many ways. If this team was a child Terry would lose it. He is the worst placeholder in the history of this team. Do everyone a favour and sell the team Terry.

Without exaggeration, Terry Pegula is the worst thing to ever happen to hockey in Buffalo....ever. He won't ever get credit for keeping the team in Buffalo, because if/when it leaves it will be 100% due to his incompetence as an owner. 

I will scream it from the roof tops, this city is a top 5 NHL market, more people in Buffalo often watch more Stanley Cup hockey than cities who are actually playing in it. This teams historical P% was 4th highest in the league on the day Terry bought the team. And under his "leadership" they have neve made the playoffs. He is the worst thing to ever happen to hockey in Buffalo history.

I posted this on TBD, but the Buffalo Sabres are a gigantic reason I am hemming and hawing about PSL's in the new stadium. I don't trust Pegula in a post Allen/Pegula era. 30 years is a long time and I don't trust him not to ruin the Bills once he is given the opportunity to do so. 

[The Jokeman]

New GM: Lindy Ruff

New HC: Greg Brown

New Star player: Adam Fox (Lindy's first move as GM) trades Owen Power and Jack Quinn and our 2nd Round 2025 pick to acquire the LHD we need. 

[Timonthy 76]

1 hour ago, Mango said:

Without exaggeration, Terry Pegula is the worst thing to ever happen to hockey in Buffalo....ever. He won't ever get credit for keeping the team in Buffalo, because if/when it leaves it will be 100% due to his incompetence as an owner. 

I will scream it from the roof tops, this city is a top 5 NHL market, more people in Buffalo often watch more Stanley Cup hockey than cities who are actually playing in it. This teams historical P% was 4th highest in the league on the day Terry bought the team. And under his "leadership" they have neve made the playoffs. He is the worst thing to ever happen to hockey in Buffalo history.

I posted this on TBD, but the Buffalo Sabres are a gigantic reason I am hemming and hawing about PSL's in the new stadium. I don't trust Pegula in a post Allen/Pegula era. 30 years is a long time and I don't trust him not to ruin the Bills once he is given the opportunity to do so. 

This top 5 only means something if it means money which it does not 

[Gatorman0519]

The franchise is in serious trouble. They are hemorrhaging money badly and no (elite) player wants to come here. There are no major trades to be made without getting fleeced. With the salary cap going up, things will get worse. I think there is a possibility the team gets sold and moves in the next 5 years or so. 

Edited 1 hour ago by Gatorman0519

[mjd1001]

3 minutes ago, Gatorman0519 said:

The franchise is in serious trouble. They are hemorrhaging money badly and no (elite) player wants to come here. There are no trades to be made. With the salary cap going up, things will get worse. I think there is a possibility the team gets sold and moves in the next 5 years or so. 

Here is the thing, odds are they have got to get better, right?  If the Buffalo community likes hockey as much as some think, then if this team does make the playoffs I would bet that the fans come back and the financials improve.

If the team doesn't make the playoffs for the next 3-5 years, yeah, then things are in trouble. I do not see how they will get more fans, and odds are likley they will continue to lose paying customers.

To me, odds are things get better with the franchise financially. However, in the case that they continue to flounder on the ice, yeah, what you said becomes a possibility.

[Gatorman0519]

Just now, mjd1001 said:

Here is the thing, odds are they have got to get better, right?  If the Buffalo community likes hockey as much as some think, then if this team does make the playoffs I would bet that the fans come back and the financials improve.

If the team doesn't make the playoffs for the next 3-5 years, yeah, then things are in trouble. I do not see how they will get more fans, and odds are likley they will continue to lose paying customers.

To me, odds are things get better with the franchise financially. However, in the case that they continue to flounder on the ice, yeah, what you said becomes a possibility.

There were reports they are hemorrhaging about $30 million a year.  If this is the case, they are already a sinking ship.  That is just reality unless they can get that arena packed out again.  This is the same exact scenario that doomed Hartford, Winnipeg (the first time), Quebec, Arizona, and Atlanta.