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Buffalo Sabres and NHL 2024-2025


Draconator

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On 9/5/2024 at 3:58 PM, PetermansRedemption said:

I am a bit surprised there hasn't been any talk of a new arena. KeyBank Center is in rough shape. 

 

There has been a bit of chatter about the arena in Sabres boards, and a few articles written.  

 

The state of the arena is rough.  It is also a poor arena when it comes to today's design innovations.  The concourses are tomb-like and get congested, especially in the 100 level.  The site lines are really bad, the seats all have a gradual incline with little/no overhangs/decks.  That makes them far away from the ice/event.  The bubble roof is terrible and sucks all the ambience out of the place.  Aesthetically, it doesnt look great, and the outside of it is terrible on 3 sides.  The seats themselves are falling apart, stained, and disgusting.  

 

I liken it to those multi-purpose facilities they made in the 60s and 70s like Three Rivers, Riverfront, Jack Murphy, The Vet, and ending with the Skydome.  They pumped out a handful of similar oval hockey arenas in the 90s, just like Keybank Center.  Every one of those has (or is about to) undergone hundreds of millions in renovations and improvements. 

I also add that the downtown arena was built somewhat on the cheap as well compared to its contemporaries, making the need for $ even more.

 

 

Not all the problems can be fixed with reno.  If money werent much of an object, Id be all for razing the thing and building a great arena for the fan experience (I love the new arenas in Detroit and Long Island).  Bring the fans closer to the action, lower the ceiling.  Open up the concourses.   

 

 

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Having just replaced the roof and installing a huge new video board over center ice, it’s going to be *a while* before there’s any talk of razing & replacing. Sounds like a multi-phase spaced out reno. If seating is that bad, I can see that being next. 

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2 hours ago, Draconator said:

 


seems like a bit of an overpay. I was thinking like $1M AAV max. But they have a ton of cap space so it’s not a big deal, and I prefer this to trading him for a mid/late round pick (which is honestly kind of what I was expecting). I’m hoping he can still develop into a useful player for the Sabres.

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3 minutes ago, BillsFan4 said:


seems like a bit of an overpay. I was thinking like $1M AAV max. But they have a ton of cap space so it’s not a big deal, and I prefer this to trading him for a mid/late round pick (which is honestly kind of what I was expecting). I’m hoping he can still develop into a useful player for the Sabres.

Whenever you can overpay for a passer/playmaker turned 4th line grind guy and the league's worst fighter, you do it.  Seems like a decent guy and I admire his willingness to do what it takes to stay on an NHL roster but we can find guys who actually fit that 4th line grinder role and are difficult to play against.  Develop him like a top 6 forward deserving of a first round draft pick or let him walk, in my opinion.  I am not losing any sleep over this move, but I don't get the plan for Krebs. It all seems haphazard. 

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On 9/17/2024 at 12:08 PM, UConn James said:

Having just replaced the roof and installing a huge new video board over center ice, it’s going to be *a while* before there’s any talk of razing & replacing. Sounds like a multi-phase spaced out reno. If seating is that bad, I can see that being next. 

 

Those are fairly small potatoes in the scheme of things.  The roof was an absolute necessity out of safety/functionality.  I wonder if a scoreboard could be transferred to the new arena or sold.  I believe they run somewhere around $10 Million.  A new arena would probably run from $750 million - $1 Billion-plus.

 

However, I will say there is probably little to no appetite for the powers that be to build a new Arena.  The Stadium took a lot of political clout.  An arena would be a tougher sell due this one being only about 30 years old.  Also with the perpetual state of the primary tenant (Sabres).  

 

They are going to have to explore this in the coming couple years.  The lease ends in 2026 I believe (I have heard 2027 elsewhere), and there will need to be something significant in order for the team to sign another 20-30 year lease.  The place probably needs $200 Million in renovations at a minimum (can perhaps subtract the $20 Million just spent).

 

I wonder if Terry, while selling the minority equity stake in the Bills can make a requirement to also buy an equity stake in the Sabres as well?  NHL teams are kissing $1 Billion at this point.  It would raise cash, and also shield Pegula from accepting all the hockey losses (if the team in fact loses money which, IMO may not be factual any more).  

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“In Ruff's world, if you don't play hard, you pay the price

Sprints and pushups were the order of the day during Thursday's practice”

 

https://www.audacy.com/wgr550/sports/sabres/in-ruffs-world-if-you-dont-play-hard-you-pay-the-price

 

Quote

The Buffalo Sabres have only had two practices with Lindy Ruff as head coach, and they’re finding out you’ll either do things his way, or you won’t play.

 

During Thursday's practice, one team had a bad change and he got that team off the bench, made them do down-and-back sprints, and then push ups.


😁👍
 

 

Edited by BillsFan4
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The Jets don’t look half bad this year so far.  With 7 teams now in the playoffs it’s early but I could see them getting in if all holds up.

 

The Sabres better step it up this year!  I remember those years the Bills had the longest playoff drought in the 4 main sports…. it wasn’t nice! 

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15 minutes ago, Gregg said:

Buffalo Sabres on X: "Rasmus Dahlin has been named Captain of the Buffalo Sabres! https://t.co/UGPOt7OcDu | #LetsGoBuffalo https://t.co/3J1JkaGOxB" / X


pretty cool that Josh Allen did the announcement video!

 

It was always going to be Dahlin. He’s their best player AND their hardest worker. I remember reading stories where Dahlin would stop practice and make his teammates do a drill over again if they didn’t do it up to Dahlin’s standards.
 

Really excited to see how he captains the Sabres, especially now that they have a veteran coach and more veteran players backing him up.

Edited by BillsFan4
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