Interesting Tidbit from John Wawrow

[Scottysabres]

As long as it translates in to a ticket to one of the eastern conference playoff seats I don’t care if it’s Sabrestooth that talks to Terry. The management and coaching money doesn’t count towards the cap, so my only interest is a run in the post season dance.

[PerreaultForever]

4 hours ago, Pimlach said:

This is a positive.  Adams wanted Appert as coach and didn't get it,  and Adams does not want advisors/consultants and now he has one.  Terry decided on Lindy and the direct line to Terry is exactly what Coach McDermott has.  

I just hope Lindy becomes the more influential of the two and that leads to positive changes. 

Still prefer Adams is replaced but that is not likely unless he plays the politics of this triad wrong. 

I wonder if Lindy has been frustrated by a situation where he has no veteran call up possibilities. As a coach what power does he have to sit a Quinn (as an example) if that just means calling up a Rosen to replace him? The lack of internal competition for roster spots has to make the life of a coach near impossible. 

[JohnC]

2 hours ago, 7+6=13 said:

Yet if he's regularly talking to the coach or anyone, he's meddling.  The fact is we don't know who to blame and that's the truth.

You may not know who to primarily blame but I do know: It's the owner. He has made all the critical hires and has structured the organization the way he wants it to be. The team has not made the playoffs since he became the owner. And because of his long-term mismanagement the fanbase has dramatically been eroded.  Some issues are tough to figure out. This is not one of them, at least for me. You can keep looking but I've found the person most responsible for badly damaging this franchise. He can hide behind his silent act but he can't run away from the record. This is an easy issue to score.  

[LGR4GM]

What a dumpster fire 

What front office experience does Lindy have?

[PerreaultForever]

54 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

What a dumpster fire 

What front office experience does Lindy have?

More than you. 

[shrader]

11 hours ago, Scottysabres said:

As long as it translates in to a ticket to one of the eastern conference playoff seats I don’t care if it’s Sabrestooth that talks to Terry. The management and coaching money doesn’t count towards the cap, so my only interest is a run in the post season dance.

Tooth for GM!

[PromoTheRobot]

15 hours ago, SwampD said:

I just don't care anymore.

Sell. The. Team.

I feel the same way about Pegula now that I did about Eichel when he left.

Eichel - is he a good hockey player,… probably,… don't care. Just go away.

Pegula - could he be a good owner,… probably,… don't care. Just go away.

Sell to whom? Another billionaire who grew up a fan of the Sabres who would pour millions on top of the billion spent to acquire the franchise just to keep them in Buffalo for the 12K average of fans who show up and think ticket prices are already too high? Oh, then there's hundreds of millions needed to be spent on the arena. 

[PromoTheRobot]

15 hours ago, GoPuckYourself said:

Lindy is a failed HC now both in NJ and Buff, putting him upstairs because of nostalgia is absolutely ridiculous. So He's not good enough to hack it as a HC but he'll magically be better as a hockey operations guy in a role he's never been in anywhere? This is exactly why I didn't want Ruff back, he's going to set this franchise back another 5 seasons, he's clearly past his prime.

Sadly you are probably correct. Ruff as PoHO sounds a lot like Marv Levy as Bills GM.

13 hours ago, shrader said:

Now we need to start pitching an angle where Ruff tanked the season to get Adams out of the way.

[LGR4GM]

Seriously, someone use a reason that isn't based on Lindy Ruff nostalgia to justify him being good as a POHO or a GM. He's been marginally successful at his other NHL stops. Other than that, he's kinda mediocre at coaching. Why would he be good in a higher role? Because Adams is so bad so anything is better? 

[shrader]

1 minute ago, LGR4GM said:

Seriously, someone use a reason that isn't based on Lindy Ruff nostalgia to justify him being good as a POHO or a GM. He's been marginally successful at his other NHL stops. Other than that, he's kinda mediocre at coaching. Why would he be good in a higher role? Because Adams is so bad so anything is better? 

65 is the perfect age to start something new. He might as well be fresh out of college. 

[Stoner]

57 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

Sell to whom? Another billionaire who grew up a fan of the Sabres who would pour millions on top of the billion spent to acquire the franchise just to keep them in Buffalo for the 12K average of fans who show up and think ticket prices are already too high? Oh, then there's hundreds of millions needed to be spent on the arena. 

Why is attendance down?

[SwampD]

1 hour ago, PromoTheRobot said:

Sell to whom? Another billionaire who grew up a fan of the Sabres who would pour millions on top of the billion spent to acquire the franchise just to keep them in Buffalo for the 12K average of fans who show up and think ticket prices are already too high? Oh, then there's hundreds of millions needed to be spent on the arena. 

Don’t care. Just go away. I enjoyed the Sabres more when he wasn’t the owner.

[Stoner]

1 hour ago, PromoTheRobot said:

Sell to whom? Another billionaire who grew up a fan of the Sabres who would pour millions on top of the billion spent to acquire the franchise just to keep them in Buffalo for the 12K average of fans who show up and think ticket prices are already too high? Oh, then there's hundreds of millions needed to be spent on the arena. 

Also Terry didn't grow up a Sabres fan. It's even very debatable he was a fan (or much of a fan) after he dropped his season tickets and moved his company to Pittsburgh.

[Flashsabre]

For me it’s not about Ruff being a good POHO, it’s about the reality of the situation.

Pegula is owner and he wants someone he trusts to communicate with. To “feel heard”. Right now the two people communicating with him are Adams and Ruff. I want Adams gone so Ruff is the lesser of two evils.

Push Ruff upstairs, hire a successful seasoned GM that can work with Ruff. Ruff’s job is to talk to Terry

[xzy89c1]

17 hours ago, SwampD said:

I just don't care anymore.

Sell. The. Team.

I feel the same way about Pegula now that I did about Eichel when he left.

Eichel - is he a good hockey player,… probably,… don't care. Just go away.

Pegula - could he be a good owner,… probably,… don't care. Just go away.

Would sell team tomorrow if he could. If he sells, sabres leave...

[Pimlach]

48 minutes ago, Stoner said:

Also Terry didn't grow up a Sabres fan. It's even very debatable he was a fan (or much of a fan) after he dropped his season tickets and moved his company to Pittsburgh.

But he loves Gil?   

[GoPuckYourself]

All Pegula has to do is hit on a GM even by accident. 1 of these years! 

[R_Dudley]

2 minutes ago, GoPuckYourself said:

All Pegula has to do is hit on a GM even by accident. 1 of these years! 

Yeah even a blind squirrel can find a nut but does he know what to do with it ? 

[Flashsabre]

5 minutes ago, GoPuckYourself said:

All Pegula has to do is hit on a GM even by accident. 1 of these years! 

How? They don’t even do real searches to interview outside candidates for positions.

[That Aud Smell]

21 hours ago, Archie Lee said:

If the GM and HC are going to the owner with different visions on the coaching staff or roster, then it seems like a recipe for disaster. 

Or, in this case, a recipe for getting rid of Adams.

2 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

Seriously, someone use a reason that isn't based on Lindy Ruff nostalgia to justify him being good as a POHO or a GM. He's been marginally successful at his other NHL stops. Other than that, he's kinda mediocre at coaching. Why would he be good in a higher role? Because Adams is so bad so anything is better? 

I mean ... he's at least got a legitimate resume.

36 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

But he loves Gil?   

"Where's Perreault? ..."

[Pimlach]

2 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

Seriously, someone use a reason that isn't based on Lindy Ruff nostalgia to justify him being good as a POHO or a GM. He's been marginally successful at his other NHL stops. Other than that, he's kinda mediocre at coaching. Why would he be good in a higher role? Because Adams is so bad so anything is better? 

I am not using nostalgia in this response.  

What can Lindy bring to the FO in an Exec position?  

Lindy as a GM lacks the contracts side of the business, contracts and cap management are a big part of it.  He also lacks scouting experience and that could impact his ability to draft.   Both of these things can be overcome by the use of AGMs and other FO staff members (Scouting Directors, Analytics staff, Pro Personnel Directors)  that specialize and advise.   Because Lindy was an NHL coach for decades he is certainly qualified to assess both players and coaches, to have say in NHL roster construction, and a say in a pipeline of players needed to support an NHL team.  How good he is at it is TBD.  So he has some of the tools a GM has right out of the gate, but he is not looking to be the GM at this point.   

POHO is more a strategic position that selects the GM and AGMs, assign roles and responsibilities, and advises them.  It is a less hands on position than the GM and AGMs.  

Many former players get into coaching (usually juniors or minors first) or scouting.  Either path can take you to a GM and POHO position down the road.  Scouting might be a more logical path to pursue if you want to be a GM but the NHL is filled with people who did one or the other or both.  Lindy is too old to go down the scout path.  

No one has any idea what role beyond coaching that Lindy has right now, if any.   Know one knows if Lindy will be good at FO work either.  But he does have some of the qualifications needed and he fills a few gaps that Adams has.   

In summary, by virtue of his long coaching career he has some skills that relate to FO work, but he lacks real experience in that area   If we are stuck with Adams and Lindy another year, and I think we are,  then I prefer that Lindy has some say in his roster and in his coaching staff, and that he has Pegula's ear.  Yes, some of this is based on how bad Adams has been, clearly Adams needs help.  

I would not pick him to replace Adams or be the POHO at this point, that is another conversation.   

 

 

 

[SwampD]

49 minutes ago, xzy89c1 said:

Would sell team tomorrow if he could. If he sells, sabres leave...

Do you actually know something, or just speculating?

[sabremike]

1 hour ago, xzy89c1 said:

Would sell team tomorrow if he could. If he sells, sabres leave...

Ask the Blackberry guy how easy that would be. 

Anyone buying the team would be doing so under the same terms Tom Dundon was allowed to buy the Canes under: You will be allowed to relocate on the 10th of Never.

[erickompositör72]

Lindy Ruff in a higher role would serve one purpose (and well, IMO):

People around the league respect Lindy. He has relationships around the league. That in itself could be one big missing piece of our puzzle.

[MISabresFan]

22 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

My guess is McD has a direct line to Terry regarding the Bills as well.

I said when Lindy was hired that I thought Lindy would get kicked upstairs after his stint as coach.  I wouldn't be at all surprised if Lindy becomes the team president over Adams or his replacement.  I honestly don't see this is a negative.  Terry needs to hear from someone other that the worm tongue that is Adams, especially someone that owes no allegiance to Adams.  Hopefully Lindy is telling TP that this team needs guys like Lydman and Tallinder and Terry tells Adams to go find such players.  

Can you imagine that Regier acquired Lydman for a 3rd? https://www.espn.co.uk/story/2143037/utils

 

LOL, yes what a great move - move a guy up to admin who has a lower point total than the last two coaches.  Makes perfect sense for this organization.