Bill Hoppe Missive of Doom: Trades show Terry believes in Adams' vision

[Stoner]

https://www.buffalohockeybeat.com/trades-show-terry-pegula-believes-in-kevyn-adams-vision-for-sabres/

Bill might go a bit far in speculating on Terry's mindset. Pegula "hasn't lost faith"... he enjoys a "special relationship" with KA... trade shows a "strong belief" in KA.

Couldn't it be that LR got behind the trade, and thus the trade isn't necessarily a signal KA is in the owner's good graces?

[GoPuckYourself]

I guess I’ll just start going to bandits games again. No way I’m sitting through another season like this.

[Ctaeth]

there was some speculation on the baker-fairburn podcast that Pegula simply doesn't want to pay KA to not be the GM.  they are letting him ride out the remainder of his contract.  my memory is that they said there was one year left?

[PromoTheRobot]

I don't think anything that happened this week protects Adams, especially if he's replaced internally.

[CallawaySabres]

Is there a superstar waiting on the draft next year? I think Buffalo will have a legit shot at that. Maybe 2026/27 season could be saved?

[LGR4GM]

16 minutes ago, CallawaySabres said:

Is there a superstar waiting on the draft next year? I think Buffalo will have a legit shot at that. Maybe 2026/27 season could be saved?

In 2026 Gavin McKenna will be draft eligible. McKenna is from Whitehorse, Yukon oddly enough. Even though he won't be 18 until December and is not draft eligible this season, he currently has 33g, 77a, for 110pts in 52 WHL games. This puts him at 2nd in the WHL in ppg and pts this season for ALL players. For all the people around here asking about a 2-way playmaking center, McKenna is the very definition of that. 

[irregularly irregular]

1 hour ago, Ctaeth said:

there was some speculation on the baker-fairburn podcast that Pegula simply doesn't want to pay KA to not be the GM.  they are letting him ride out the remainder of his contract.  my memory is that they said there was one year left?

Makes sense. Got to average out the $$$ paid to Granato on that brand new contract he never worked one day of. Not sure where Terry's head is regarding the Sabres, but I'm fairly certain he hasn't seen any sunshine in a number of years. 

[Night Train]

1 hour ago, Stoner said:

 

 Pegula "hasn't lost faith"... he enjoys a "special relationship" with KA... 

 

[mphs mike]

I hate to admit it, but the Cozens trade told me the same thing that Hoppe wrote. I can't believe the Knox Brother's baby has sunk to these depths

Edited 6 hours ago by mphs mike

[Flashsabre]

1 hour ago, LGR4GM said:

In 2026 Gavin McKenna will be draft eligible. McKenna is from Whitehorse, Yukon oddly enough. Even though he won't be 18 until December and is not draft eligible this season, he currently has 33g, 77a, for 110pts in 52 WHL games. This puts him at 2nd in the WHL in ppg and pts this season for ALL players. For all the people around here asking about a 2-way playmaking center, McKenna is the very definition of that. 

McKenna  has played wing. A Marner, Kucherov, Kariya, Juneau elite play making winger 

[Thorner]

And there’s SO much talent these days, and more drafts than not are giving multiple teams the ability to add game-changers in the top 5/10. As we’ve seen, you get a good player, usually, when you are bad and pick high. But a lot of teams get good players every year, then. It’s not an avenue to being good on its own, not close. Less than ever are teams going to to the long form rebuild now. 

[Mango]

Adams post deadline presser is still living rent free in my head. I cannot believe that the same person said both of these things, but also said them in the same day, same interview, same sentence.....
 

Quote

 

"I need to be better in terms of every single part of my job. I haven't put a team on the ice that is capable of being in the playoffs,...". 

 

 

Quote

"....even though when I look at our talent and I look at where we are compared to other teams, I think we should be there."

Both these things can't be true. You can't say I need to be better at literally everything and then say well actually when I look at the work I did, it should be enough. 

Edited 7 hours ago by Mango

[inkman]

5 minutes ago, Mango said:

Adams post deadline presser is still living rent free in my head. I cannot believe that the same person said both of these things, but also said them in the same day, same interview, same sentence.....
 

 

Both these things can't be true. You can't say I need to be better at literally everything and then say well actually when I look at the work I did, it should be enough. 

Stop.  Don’t listen to them.  Nothing they say matters. It’s the actions that need to be measured not words. I’m gonna spin the ***** out of every situation I can in the workplace to alleviate concerns about my ability to do the job and the company’s liability as well.  
 

What’s Kevin’s motivation to do anything other than than.  Just spin everything to appease the masses. No real insight will be gained from a press conference. He’s literally saying exactly what you want to hear to get people to STFU.  
 

He’s rather bad at it but it’s what these interactions are for, not some real insight into what is happening.  It’s make sure we CYA to limit the blame.  

[Demoted]

Washington Nationals MLB- 29 years

Washington Red... Commanders & St Louis Cardinals NFL- 25 years

Buffalo Sabres NHL- 17 seasons and counting.

 

I think Pegula wants to make American sports history, 30 years here we come.

 

[GASabresIUFAN]

The Sabres are 14 years and counting.  I believe the Bills were 17 years between playoff appearances (2000-2017).

Anyway!  I don't think the trade told us anything this board didn't already know.  We all know in our hearts Adams will be returning as GM for next season.  We all hope he'll be fired along with the terrible coaching staff, but that's unlikely to happen.  Adams has a contract and TP loathes paying two GMs or coaches at once anymore.  

So we have to pray the Adams somehow gets a clue and fixes the holes on the roster he created.  

[darksabre]

I posted months ago after that Palm Trees Presser that KA was acting with Pegula's full confidence because Pegula has finally decided to pick a path and stick to it. 

They're fully bought into "the NHL as a Development League" talking point and they're running with it. 

They've also completely written off making the playoffs anytime soon, and you should too.

 

[Drag0nDan]

3 hours ago, Ctaeth said:

there was some speculation on the baker-fairburn podcast that Pegula simply doesn't want to pay KA to not be the GM.  they are letting him ride out the remainder of his contract.  my memory is that they said there was one year left?

Ruff is on a 2 year deal as well, so I kind of always assumed it was a 2 year plan.  If it works and the team can make it to the playoffs in year 2, adams gets another couple of years to build and ruff maybe moves into the front office somewhere.  If it doesn't work, then they have a fresh balance sheet and both are gone along with hopefully a bunch of other coaches and front office folks.  

[Stoner]

21 minutes ago, Demoted said:

Washington Nationals MLB- 29 years

Washington Red... Commanders & St Louis Cardinals NFL- 25 years

Buffalo Sabres NHL- 17 seasons and counting.

 

I think Pegula wants to make American sports history, 30 years here we come.

 

Commanders? Didn't they just get to the NFC championship game?

[HumanSlinky39]

I've said for some time I don't expect them to move on from KA after this season, even though objectively there is zero reason to bring him back for another season.

I suspect one of two things is at play - 1) Terry doesn't care enough to make a move or 2) KA is really good at convincing an incredibly gullible Terry that his "plan" just needs more time...yada, yada, yada youngest team in the league.

Neither are appealing, but possibility 2 is absurd. I don't care what the average age of this roster is; this core is going on their third to fourth year playing together. Youth is a tired excuse when you get to that point. And if you want to sell the "youth" excuse, you better damn well have some empirical data showing that things are trending upward. They're not. This team has gotten WORSE each of the last two seasons with largely the same bunch. No serious hockey (or any sport) organization would allow a GM who is so clearly failing to move the franchise forward continue. But, again, this is not a serious hockey organization so here we are.

Edited 7 hours ago by HumanSlinky39