ESPN reviews the Sabres issues.

[GASabresIUFAN]

https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/44237201/nhl-buffalo-sabres-playoff-drought-draft-free-agency-kevyn-adams
 

Article long on rehash and short on objective ideas to fix the team, other than an agent saying Terry needs to spend more.  Most interesting note was a discussion of Adams failure to capitalize on the good season a couple of years ago by not making the correct acquisitions on defense and in goal to take the next step.  While this is something we have discussed, it does crystalize the failures of this current regime.

Edited March 14 by GASabresIUFAN

[HumanSlinky39]

18 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/44237201/nhl-buffalo-sabres-playoff-drought-draft-free-agency-kevyn-adams
 

Article long on rehash and short on objective ideas to fix the team, other than an agent saying Terry needs to spend more.  Most interesting note was a discussion of Adams failure to capitalize on the good season a couple of years ago by not making the correct acquisitions on defense and in goal to take the next step.while this is something we have discussed it does crystalize the failures of this current regime.

Adams's failure to move after the momentum gained by the strong finish to that 2022/23 season torpedoed this current rebuild, and all under the guise of not wanting to "block" young guys. Moronic philosophy in every sense.

You were moving forward with a number of players who appeared to be good enough to be part of a strong team. Right there on the doorstep, but you still needed some more help. So instead of capitalizing on that and filling in the weaknesses around them with good, steady veterans, you decide to essentially hit pause and wait for some more young guys to come along and fill those roles? Hedging bets of your future success on kids who have yet to show anything at the NHL level is arrogant and stupid.

Adams's strict adherence to his "plan" has evaporated any gains that were made early on because the development of this core has been stunted by a failure to build a cohesive team around them. Now most of them are flailing because they're constantly shifting lines and pairings because why? None of them ***** fit together!

[Pimlach]

Adams record as GM would be much better if he addressed goalie first.  He did the opposite and let Ullmark go.  He acquired Devon Levi and thought he had the second coming of Hasek, but right out of college.  

Adams record would be better if he realized that players want to win right now,  the "no blockers" thing was a fire-able offense.  

Case in point - "I always tell people if you can figure out a way to win in Buffalo, it's a pretty damn good place to play," Montour said. "You see the Bills and the passion they have there. Sabres fans are just waiting for a season or something to turn there."    Yes, thank you Montour.  

The problem is not the City of Buffalo, its not the snow and cold, its not the small town night life, it not a lack of palm trees, not higher NYS taxes - it is that the ownership has no clue on how to run a hockey organization.  

Edited March 14 by Pimlach

[Archie Lee]

13 minutes ago, HumanSlinky39 said:

Adams's failure to move after the momentum gained by the strong finish to that 2022/23 season torpedoed this current rebuild, and all under the guise of not wanting to "block" young guys. Moronic philosophy in every sense.

You were moving forward with a number of players who appeared to be good enough to be part of a strong team. Right there on the doorstep, but you still needed some more help. So instead of capitalizing on that and filling in the weaknesses around them with good, steady veterans, you decide to essentially hit pause and wait for some more young guys to come along and fill those roles? Hedging bets of your future success on kids who have yet to show anything at the NHL level is arrogant and stupid.

Adams's strict adherence to his "plan" has evaporated any gains that were made early on because the development of this core has been stunted by a failure to build a cohesive team around them. Now most of them are flailing because they're constantly shifting lines and pairings because why? None of them ***** fit together!

Very well said. 

I’m very pleased that the Sabres are getting a lot of attention in the national media discourse. If there is any chance that Pegula makes changes, the negative national attention will hopefully assist in leading him to the right conclusion. Of course, people generally don't like to be told what to do (billionaires, likely more so); I guess it could have the opposite impact too. 

[_Q_]

This is asinine.

 

The Buffalo Sabres have been recognized as the youngest team in the NHL for several consecutive seasons, based on the average age of their roster. While exact historical data for every season isn't fully detailed in the provided references, recent trends and specific mentions allow us to estimate this streak with reasonable confidence.

For the 2024-25 season, the Sabres entered with the youngest roster in the NHL, with an average age of 25.32 as of opening day (October 8, 2024), according to OntarioBets.com. In the 2023-24 season, they were again the youngest, with an average age of 25.3, as reported by Elite Prospects and News 4 Buffalo. The 2022-23 season also saw them as the youngest team, with an average age around 26.1 at the start of the prior year (noted as dropping to 25.3 by 2023-24), per Sabres Noise and related commentary. Posts on X and Reddit further suggest that the Sabres have been among the youngest teams for at least the last five years, aligning with their rebuilding strategy under General Manager Kevyn Adams.

While definitive average ages for the 2021-22 and 2020-21 seasons aren't explicitly cited here, the consistent narrative of youth—bolstered by the addition of young players like Owen Power (drafted 2021), Jack Quinn, and Zach Benson (2023)—implies they likely held this distinction. The Sabres' focus on developing prospects rather than signing older veterans supports a streak extending back at least to the 2020-21 season, when their roster included emerging stars like Rasmus Dahlin and Dylan Cozens, with minimal veteran presence after shedding players like Kyle Okposo over time.

Thus, based on the available data and ongoing trends, the Buffalo Sabres have likely been the youngest team in the NHL for at least five consecutive seasons (2020-21 through 2024-25). This estimate could extend further with access to complete historical roster age data, but five years is a conservative, well-supported answer as of March 14, 2025.

[HumanSlinky39]

1 minute ago, Pimlach said:

Adams record as GM would be much better if he addressed goalie first.  He did the opposite and let Ullmark go.  He acquired Devon Levi and thought he had the second coming of Hasek, but right out of college.  

Adams record would be better if he realized that players want to win right now,  the "no blockers" thing was a fire-able offense.  

Case in point - "I always tell people if you can figure out a way to win in Buffalo, it's a pretty damn good place to play," Montour said. "You see the Bills and the passion they have there. Sabres fans are just waiting for a season or something to turn there."    Yes, thank you Montour.  

The problem is not the City of Buffalo, its not the snow and cold, its not the small town night life, it not a lack of palm trees, not higher NYS taxes - it the ownership has no clue on how to run a hockey organization.  

Adams's philosophy seems to have been predicated almost entirely on all of these young draft picks and trade acquisitions reaching their potential. I don't have the numbers, but I would bet dollars to donuts the hit rate on prospects (particularly those drafted in round 2 and below) is not great...and definitely not good enough to tie the entire success of your rebuild to. What it says to me is that KA basically thinks he's smarter than everyone else and HIS prospects will hit...because he drafted them and he knows better. This of course doesn't even take into account knowing how these guys fit together on an NHL team.

[Pimlach]

Negative media attention is one thing.   Keep it coming if you want to see change.  

A fan walk out would be powerful.  It could never be organized, too many people would not do it,  but imagine if a full house of fans for the last home game all just walked out immediately after the national anthems.  Imagine the impact of seeing that and playing the game with no one there.  It would hurt the players but also send a powerful message to Terry.  

Like Gandhi, the Sabres fans could start positive change with peaceful resistance.  

Edited March 14 by Pimlach

[GoPuckYourself]

Pretty much everything we’ve been saying for the past 13 years. If we had a competent GM I believe things would be much different. Anytime a GM says he isn’t going for it because he doesn’t want to “block” anyone is asinine to me.

[Broken Ankles]

Highlighting Adams record as the most successful of those in the drought is like being named the Valedictorian of summer school.  
 
   The most salient comment was from the agent who speaks for so many here…about the vast resources of Pegula and spending rather than hear a half empty stadium calling for you to sell the team.  
 

 

[inkman]

43 minutes ago, _Q_ said:

This is asinine.

 

The Buffalo Sabres have been recognized as the youngest team in the NHL for several consecutive seasons, based on the average age of their roster. While exact historical data for every season isn't fully detailed in the provided references, recent trends and specific mentions allow us to estimate this streak with reasonable confidence.

For the 2024-25 season, the Sabres entered with the youngest roster in the NHL, with an average age of 25.32 as of opening day (October 8, 2024), according to OntarioBets.com. In the 2023-24 season, they were again the youngest, with an average age of 25.3, as reported by Elite Prospects and News 4 Buffalo. The 2022-23 season also saw them as the youngest team, with an average age around 26.1 at the start of the prior year (noted as dropping to 25.3 by 2023-24), per Sabres Noise and related commentary. Posts on X and Reddit further suggest that the Sabres have been among the youngest teams for at least the last five years, aligning with their rebuilding strategy under General Manager Kevyn Adams.

While definitive average ages for the 2021-22 and 2020-21 seasons aren't explicitly cited here, the consistent narrative of youth—bolstered by the addition of young players like Owen Power (drafted 2021), Jack Quinn, and Zach Benson (2023)—implies they likely held this distinction. The Sabres' focus on developing prospects rather than signing older veterans supports a streak extending back at least to the 2020-21 season, when their roster included emerging stars like Rasmus Dahlin and Dylan Cozens, with minimal veteran presence after shedding players like Kyle Okposo over time.

Thus, based on the available data and ongoing trends, the Buffalo Sabres have likely been the youngest team in the NHL for at least five consecutive seasons (2020-21 through 2024-25). This estimate could extend further with access to complete historical roster age data, but five years is a conservative, well-supported answer as of March 14, 2025.

Going to need some clarity Locutus.  Is the content asinine, the fact the Sabres did it asinine, or the fact that ESPN personnel wrote an article with basically no substance just spouting out ages of players asinine?  

[Pimlach]

5 minutes ago, inkman said:

Going to need some clarity Locutus.  Is the content asinine, the fact the Sabres did it asinine, or the fact that ESPN personnel wrote an article with basically no substance just spouting out ages of players asinine?  

Breaking out your Latin?  Nice work vir atramentarius (man of ink).  

Edited March 14 by Pimlach

[GASabresIUFAN]

1 hour ago, HumanSlinky39 said:

Adams's failure to move after the momentum gained by the strong finish to that 2022/23 season torpedoed this current rebuild, and all under the guise of not wanting to "block" young guys.

The crazy thing is we are actually in the same position as we were two years ago.  We have a good offense (2 years ago was a great offense), but terrible defense and goaltending.  

Adams response to this situation two years ago was a decision to bring in a backup goalie (Comrie) while hoping one of his goalies of the future (UPL or Levi) emerged and a couple of depth D in Clifton and Erik Johnson.  The offense up, the defense still stunk and the team failed again, despite UPL playing his butt off.

This time he needs to invest in 2 the very least 2 good top 4 D.

[GASabresIUFAN]

8 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

Breaking out your Latin?  Nice work vir atramentarius (man of ink).  

No he was referring to Star Trek.  The previous poster was “Q”, named for Pickard’s nemesis from Star Trek.  In the show, Q introduced Pickard to the Borg who turned Pickard into Locutus.  Please accept my apology if you knew this already.

[inkman]

21 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

Breaking out your Latin?  Nice work vir atramentarius (man of ink).  

TBF, it was a Star Trek reference as I’m too much of a dolt to understand Latin. 

[inkman]

11 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

No he was referring to Star Trek.  The previous poster was “Q”, named for Pickard’s nemesis from Star Trek.  In the show, Q introduced Pickard to the Borg who turned Pickard into Locutus.  Please accept my apology if you knew this already.

RIP Annie Wershing aka the Borg Queen a bizarrely attracting yet disgusting and frightening assimilated creature. 

17 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

The crazy thing is we are actually in the same position as we were two years ago.  

Grabbing out ankles? 

[Pimlach]

19 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

No he was referring to Star Trek.  The previous poster was “Q”, named for Pickard’s nemesis from Star Trek.  In the show, Q introduced Pickard to the Borg who turned Pickard into Locutus.  Please accept my apology if you knew this already.

Yes.  I missed that one. 

Lots of references to Stars Wars, Star Trek, Hobbit/Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones, etc., on this site.  Most of it I don't fully get.  

I liked Next Gen Star Trek but during its heyday I had three little kids to run around town with and a job that was demanding so I missed a lot of the details and nuances of the show.  I should stream it and rewatch it sometime.  With spring now here my attention shifts to golf, baseball, gardening, and travel.  I love to travel and I am learning to love to golf.   Maybe next winter I will revisit these shows.  Thanks. 

 

[Thorner]

“A second agent explained that Buffalo isn't a city players are openly avoiding. But that's not to say there aren't challenges.”

Incredibly damaging to Adams. Especially in light of going up to the podium as listing off all his excuses. 
 

a loser 

[Thorner]

1 hour ago, Broken Ankles said:

Highlighting Adams record as the most successful of those in the drought is like being named the Valedictorian of summer school.  
 
   The most salient comment was from the agent who speaks for so many here…about the vast resources of Pegula and spending rather than hear a half empty stadium calling for you to sell the team.  
 

 

It’s not the most successful at all

he’s one year away from equaling Botterill and Murray’s portions of the drought COMBINED. The drought was nearly 40% shorter when Adams started 

52 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

No he was referring to Star Trek.  The previous poster was “Q”, named for Pickard’s nemesis from Star Trek.  In the show, Q introduced Pickard to the Borg who turned Pickard into Locutus.  Please accept my apology if you knew this already.

Re: Adams

The line must be drawn here! THIS far! NO FURTHER!

[mjd1001]

23 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

Yes.  I missed that one. 

Lots of references to Stars Wars, Star Trek, Hobbit/Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones, etc., on this site.  Most of it I don't fully get.  

I liked Next Gen Star Trek but during its heyday I had three little kids to run around town with and a job that was demanding so I missed a lot of the details and nuances of the show.  I should stream it and rewatch it sometime.  With spring now here my attention shifts to golf, baseball, gardening, and travel.  I love to travel and I am learning to love to golf.   Maybe next winter I will revisit these shows.  Thanks. 

 

If you have paramount or access to it, check out "Strange new worlds".  One of the best Trek shows ever.  The characters are all pretty much likeable, and they went back to the episodic format of the original series and TNG with it.  Its easy to get into, even if you aren't up to date with everything 'trek', fun, most episodes are more 'thought provoking' rather than 'stressful' or 'action for the sake of action'.

Edited March 14 by mjd1001

[Thorner]

23 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

Yes.  I missed that one. 

Lots of references to Stars Wars, Star Trek, Hobbit/Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones, etc., on this site.  Most of it I don't fully get.  

I liked Next Gen Star Trek but during its heyday I had three little kids to run around town with and a job that was demanding so I missed a lot of the details and nuances of the show.  I should stream it and rewatch it sometime.  With spring now here my attention shifts to golf, baseball, gardening, and travel.  I love to travel and I am learning to love to golf.   Maybe next winter I will revisit these shows.  Thanks. 

 

6 original series films a good place to start imo 

[shrader]

1 hour ago, inkman said:

RIP Annie Wershing aka the Borg Queen a bizarrely attracting yet disgusting and frightening assimilated creature. 

She was on 24 for a couple seasons. I had no idea she was the view queen. 

[In The Buff]

Is the team headed in the right direction? How would we even determine that? Team points per season?

2022 - 91 pts

2023 - 84 pts

2024 - 76 pts (projected)

So very clearly we can see the team is going in the wrong direction. Not ideal for a GM on year 5 of his tenure. I was gonna say rebuild but i cant even say thats what this is anymore.

I would expect more personnel changes this offseason than in past ones. There just seems to be too much pressure on our front office to do more than it has.  However its anyone's guess if they'll actually improve us or not. Fingers Sabres crossed

[GASabresIUFAN]

1 hour ago, inkman said:

RIP Annie Wershing aka the Borg Queen a bizarrely attracting yet disgusting and frightening assimilated creature. 

Grabbing out ankles? 

Thank you sir may I have another?

I was thinking more like lying dead face down in the gutter, but grabbing ankles works.

Edited March 14 by GASabresIUFAN

[LGR4GM]

1 hour ago, Thorner said:

“A second agent explained that Buffalo isn't a city players are openly avoiding. But that's not to say there aren't challenges.”

Incredibly damaging to Adams. Especially in light of going up to the podium as listing off all his excuses. 
 

a loser 

yup

[CallawaySabres]

Adams sucks, plain and simple, he flat out sucks at his job….and Terry is fine with it. I really wish that arena was empty the rest of the season.