Buffalo Sabres and NHL 2024-2025

[muppy]

what a  DEBACLE. This news is indeed very sad. It was not supposed to be this way. Frustrating.

 

These are pro athletes who I hope can keep their heads Up and not fall into the losing abyss even further than has already happened.

 

Uncle.

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

9 hours ago, oldmanfan said:

Get rid of every defenseman on the roster and get guys who aren’t afraid to play hockey

 

Hanson brothers? 🤔

Might be a bit 'long in the tooth', but they're chippy! 😁

[May Day 10]

5 hours ago, Jauronimo said:

Which is why I posed the question upthread, what changes do people reasonably want to see?  Mostly I've seen demands for human sacrifice or to send every player to bed without dinner and call up the entire AHL squad.  I don't see any realistic moves that change the trajectory of this season by firings or trades.  Trading while free falling down the standings isn't exactly a position of strength. 

 

We have one bad long-term contract on the books in Cozens. Sammy's contract isn't great but its not huge.  Our long term commits are Tage on a nice deal, Dahlin and Power on big deals that Power has yet to live up to but the talent is there.  There are a decent amount of pieces that have value between Kulich, Quinn, Benson, Tuch, and Peterka that can be used to re-work this team.  The results are the same this year but a few years ago we were tied to Okposo and Skinner and the prospect pipeline was looking pretty dry.  

 

Firing Adams or moving Tuch at the deadline seem like potential moves.  

 

 

 

I answered too

 

Hire a credible and experienced team president who would build an actual pro sports front office (and hire a gm).  Terry pegula goes away with his communication, collaboration, and daily phone calls.  

 

It's a mickey mouse pre sports franchise who made the jr sabres guy general manager and have like an assistant coaches from buff state as the director of scouting

 

 

The rot is so deep and extensive in this franchise, no moves (coach, player, half measure hire of a gm is going to change anything.  Internally and perceptions in the hockey world, the sabres are poison.  They need to essentially rebrand with a new credible leader.

 

I actually believe that players would respond on the ice and you would see immediate improvement.  Expectations and standards would immediately be raised across the board.  The team got worse after adams' presser about how nobody wants to play here and no help is coming.

As long as I remember, management speaks and acts like they are perpetually on year 1 or 2 of a 4 year rebuild.  It's all a stall tactic and bleeds into the lockerroom

Edited December 18 by May Day 10

[The Jokeman]

5 hours ago, Jauronimo said:

Which is why I posed the question upthread, what changes do people reasonably want to see?  Mostly I've seen demands for human sacrifice or to send every player to bed without dinner and call up the entire AHL squad.  I don't see any realistic moves that change the trajectory of this season by firings or trades.  Trading while free falling down the standings isn't exactly a position of strength. 

 

We have one bad long-term contract on the books in Cozens. Sammy's contract isn't great but its not huge.  Our long term commits are Tage on a nice deal, Dahlin and Power on big deals that Power has yet to live up to but the talent is there.  There are a decent amount of pieces that have value between Kulich, Quinn, Benson, Tuch, and Peterka that can be used to re-work this team.  The results are the same this year but a few years ago we were tied to Okposo and Skinner and the prospect pipeline was looking pretty dry.  

 

Firing Adams or moving Tuch at the deadline seem like potential moves.  

 

 

Why move Tuch? He's one of the few leaders we have in that locker room, in fact I feel he should be wearing the C not Dahlin. That said it all starts at the top with me and personally I think Kevyn Adams been one of worst GMs we've had in recent years. I agree fully that Cozens and Power contracts are sus at best. Then there's Samuelsson who's another guy we're over paying for. 

[Jauronimo]

1 hour ago, The Jokeman said:

Why move Tuch? He's one of the few leaders we have in that locker room, in fact I feel he should be wearing the C not Dahlin. That said it all starts at the top with me and personally I think Kevyn Adams been one of worst GMs we've had in recent years. I agree fully that Cozens and Power contracts are sus at best. Then there's Samuelsson who's another guy we're over paying for. 

Hes got a season and a half left on his deal.  Time to pay him or deal him.  Is Tuch someone you can build a team around?

[Fleezoid]

At this point, this is where I'm at with this team....

 

[The Jokeman]

21 minutes ago, Jauronimo said:

Hes got a season and a half left on his deal.  Time to pay him or deal him.  Is Tuch someone you can build a team around?

He's not elite but a good secondary type player, I feel he's a Peca type in that will never be elite but still a very good player. 

[BillsFan4]

“When we were in detailed discussions with Jason and how we felt we needed to move forward — effectively, efficiently and economically running this franchise — we felt that there were too many differences in opinion,” Pegula said then.

He then added, “I’m not going to sit here and, you know, dish on Jason Botterill, but we have a vision and we want to see our vision succeed.”
 

——

 

Terry Pegula is the root of the problems with this team. Nothing will change until he does.

[May Day 10]

28 minutes ago, BillsFan4 said:

“When we were in detailed discussions with Jason and how we felt we needed to move forward — effectively, efficiently and economically running this franchise — we felt that there were too many differences in opinion,” Pegula said then.

He then added, “I’m not going to sit here and, you know, dish on Jason Botterill, but we have a vision and we want to see our vision succeed.”
 

——

 

Terry Pegula is the root of the problems with this team. Nothing will change until he does.

 

Yup.  This team/franchise will never get better until he is gone.  Guys in their 70s dont change.

Nobody should buy a ticket or spend a dime on the Sabres moving forward.

[Gregg]

27 minutes ago, BillsFan4 said:

“When we were in detailed discussions with Jason and how we felt we needed to move forward — effectively, efficiently and economically running this franchise — we felt that there were too many differences in opinion,” Pegula said then.

He then added, “I’m not going to sit here and, you know, dish on Jason Botterill, but we have a vision and we want to see our vision succeed.”
 

——

 

Terry Pegula is the root of the problems with this team. Nothing will change until he does.

 

I guess we really should be thankful for Beane and McDermott. They must be running the Bills without any meaningful input from Terry. I know Terry can do what he wants being the owner but seeing the results he must not be involved with the Bills decision making process and let Beane and McDermott do their thing. He needs to find that leadership for the Sabres that the Bills currently enjoy.

[BillsFan4]

4 minutes ago, Gregg said:

 

I guess we really should be thankful for Beane and McDermott. They must be running the Bills without any meaningful input from Terry. I know Terry can do what he wants being the owner but seeing the results he must not be involved with the Bills decision making process and let Beane and McDermott do their thing. He needs to find that leadership for the Sabres that the Bills currently enjoy.

I remember reading/hearing years back (I think maybe Tim Graham reported it iirc) that in order to hire McDermott/Beane, Pegula had to put a clause in their contract that they got final say over football operations and it was also reported that was something Pegula regretted giving them (even with all the Bills success…). 

[Jauronimo]

3 minutes ago, BillsFan4 said:

I remember reading/hearing years back (I think maybe Tim Graham reported it iirc) that in order to hire McDermott/Beane, Pegula had to put a clause in their contract that they got final say over football operations and it was also reported that was something Pegula regretted giving them (even with all the Bills success…). 

I was just about to post the same thing but I can't find the quote.  The fact that years later and so much success on the football field he says he would not make the same decision today is just horrifying.

[Gregg]

1 minute ago, Jauronimo said:

I was just about to post the same thing but I can't find the quote.  The fact that years later and so much success on the football field he says he would not make the same decision today is just horrifying.

 

That is horrifying. He has nothing to complain about with the Bills. If he can find the right people (BIG IF) to run the Sabres then he should do the same thing and stay out of the way. The Bills are proof that it works when he isn't involved.

[May Day 10]

I just hope that McDemott and Beane's tenure out-lasts Terry Pegula

 

Or we will be subject to whack pack dysfunction of boat ride trades, Marrone quitting, 'dont let him leave the room', the Rex Ryan posse, throwing Anthony Lynn in front of a locomotive, and Doug Whaley's confusing press conference where he said he wasnt 'privy' to who the coach was. 

 

We got a nice taste before McDermott came in with his iron will.

 

[BillsFan4]

20 minutes ago, Jauronimo said:

I was just about to post the same thing but I can't find the quote.  The fact that years later and so much success on the football field he says he would not make the same decision today is just horrifying.

Glad I’m not the only one who remembers that!

 

It was such an eyebrow raising comment that it just stuck in my head and I’ve never forgotten it.

[Jauronimo]

40 minutes ago, BillsFan4 said:

Glad I’m not the only one who remembers that!

 

It was such an eyebrow raising comment that it just stuck in my head and I’ve never forgotten it.

I was really doubting my own memory so glad to see there are at least two of us living in the reality where Terry has some regrets over the best decision he has made in his tenure in professional sports.

[\GoBillsInDallas/]

[US Egg]

Famous Sabres wreck of yore:

 

[Rockpile233]

Somewhere along the way Terry obviously became hyper focused on limiting operating losses by the Sabres. They aren’t going to invest in serious candidates or the organizational structure needed to support and develop prospects. They’ve gotten their share of high end prospects the results have been a joke. Come to Buffalo to fall short of your potential.

 

Adams strikes me as lacking any real authority and recently failed miserably at being a basic ambassador for the city with his dumb comments. He should at least be shown the door to show the fans some sort of action and it should be relatively easy to do so. Terry doesn’t seem at that point, which again is evidence the primary goal is not winning hockey games. 

 

 

 

Edited December 18 by Rockpile233

[BillsFan4]

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6006850/2024/12/19/predators-disappointment-barry-trotz/
 

Quote

But the idea of trying to trade Stamkos before March 7, as some people have wondered in the sphere of spitballing speculation? That’s not a thing, according to Trotz.

 

“There’s no chance,” Trotz said of even considering that. “I believe that you have to have good players that compete in this league. This league is too good. You need the veteran players to carry the way. They have to carry a good piece of the load so that your young guys can be slotted correctly and have success and grow.”

I wish our GM + owner understood this…