ESPN reviews the Sabres issues.

[Thorner]

Adams is answerable for the price of eggs

[LGR4GM]

1 minute ago, Thorner said:

Adams is answerable for the price of eggs

 

[Believer]

5 hours ago, _Q_ said:

average

Adams is a weak leader.

Unfit for the challenge existing at the Sabres.

Nothing changes until he leaves.

[Flashsabre]

6 hours 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 

The agents are saying no one thinks Adams is capable and that Terry needs to put someone respected in charge and let them spend to help the team.

[Flashsabre]

Yikes. Special teams, team defence and in turn goaltending are killing this team. I wonder if spending on a quality  coaching  staff makes any difference🤪

Edited March 14 by Flashsabre

[Archie Lee]

Having now read the article, there is one theme through the text that worries me re: the unlikelihood there will be change this off-season. That is the theme that there has been too much change. I think there is a chance that Pegula is also concerned about the perception that he fires GMs and coaches too quickly.  Adams has clearly been given long enough and things are currently going in the wrong direction.  But Ruff is only in year one.   

[Thorner]

19 minutes ago, Archie Lee said:

Having now read the article, there is one theme through the text that worries me re: the unlikelihood there will be change this off-season. That is the theme that there has been too much change. I think there is a chance that Pegula is also concerned about the perception that he fires GMs and coaches too quickly.  Adams has clearly been given long enough and things are currently going in the wrong direction.  But Ruff is only in year one.   

Can promote him to senior advisor 

Ruff

[Archie Lee]

Just now, Thorner said:

Can promote him to senior advisor 

Good point.  Do it Terry.

[Brawndo]

This was an indictment of Terry’s Ownership 

"I don't know for sure if it's ownership or if it's Kevyn," the first agent said. "But it seems if I was ownership -- given Mr. Pegula owns the Bills and has vast resources from his other businesses -- I'd be willing to spend rather than have an arena that's half full with people that's calling for me to sell the team."

 

[DarthEbriate]

If the chants for Pegula to fire Adams are too upsetting to the owner, perhaps the chants should be to “Resign Adams”. Then, Adams could be honorable and step down without Pegula doing anything.

(note, not re-sign)

[_Q_]

21 hours 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?  

Sorry for the lack of clarity, the "no blockers" comment in the article sent me off into looking into the youngest team in the league thing.

The "no blockers" approach was asinine.  So is keeping the team the youngest in the league for the last 5 years.

[DarthEbriate]

1 hour ago, _Q_ said:

The "no blockers" approach was asinine.  So is keeping the team the youngest in the league for the last 5 years.

The whole point of competitive sports is overcoming blockers. Blockers on your depth chart, blockers for playing time, blockers of your opponents. Blockers in seeding and tournament brackets and angry opposing fans. It's right there in the name: competition.

The Sabres set up an organization of non-competitive sport for several years. That requires undoing, but they're still not even spending to the cap because, "Playoffs or bust" or "We'll need the money for long-term contracts next year" --- because as we all know, the NHL hard cap rolls over from year to year. That's not how the Force Cap works!

[7+6=13]

On 3/14/2025 at 10:45 AM, 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 is that the ownership has no clue on how to run a hockey organization.  

We've historically struggled to attract top end NHL talent in free agency and not just under TP.