Buffalo Sabres and NHL 2024-2025

[BADOLBILZ]

15 hours ago, Simon said:

 

I don't believe that there is a single human being that has ever tried on a pair of skates that could individually overcome the utter stank that organization has exuded over the last decade.

 

At the time of the McDavid lottery the Oilers were a much worse organization than Buffalo.   Buffalo had picked in the top 10 just the prior two years.   The Oilers had already had the #1 overall pick 3 times in the previous 6 years.   They were the bottom of the barrel.   It took work for McDavid to supersede their massive culture issues but he did it because players of that magnitude don't lose for long.     

 

And can you imagine the Bills if Allen had been a bust?   McBeane get fired and Pegula never gives up full control of football operations again.    Those Bills and the current Sabres would have been on parallel paths.

[BillsFan4]

I am kind of shocked they actually added a significant piece to the front office.

 

 

 

[Walking Tall]

40 minutes ago, BillsFan4 said:

I am kind of shocked they actually added a significant piece to the front office.

 

 

 

Adams has his heir apparent on staff. Just watch….next year Adams gets bumped to President and Kekalainen is the new GM.

[Jauronimo]

1 hour ago, BillsFan4 said:

I am kind of shocked they actually added a significant piece to the front office.

 

 

 

As am I.  Especially after they hired Staal who was the only eligible person in NHL circles who couldn't help the organization in any way.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jarmo_Kekäläinen

 

A little background on Jarmo for others who didn't know much about him beside a long stint in Columbus.

[AlCowlingsTaxiService]

2 hours ago, Walking Tall said:

Adams has his heir apparent on staff. Just watch….next year Adams gets bumped to President and Kekalainen is the new GM.

Rather see him bumped to chief zamboni driver 

[Mike in Horseheads]

20 minutes ago, AlCowlingsTaxiService said:

Rather see him bumped to chief zamboni driver 

Rather see him bumped to a fry chef

[Mr. WEO]

Why not fire Adams.  He was hired to turn things around.  It’s been years and he hasn’t moved the needle.  
 

Oegula should just sell this team to an owner with more savvy.  He killed this franchise. 

[BillsFan4]

46 minutes ago, Mr. WEO said:

Why not fire Adams.  He was hired to turn things around.

I think that’s where you’re mistaken. Jason Botterill wasn’t fired due to his job performance. He was fired because he wasn’t willing to fire almost the entire hockey ops (assistant GMs, scouts, coaches in Buffalo and Rochester, etc.).

 

Kevyn Adams was hired because:

 

- he was willing to fire all those people, run with a bare bones front office staff and field an NHL team well below the salary cap ceiling, and in his first couple/few years even at or below the salary cap floor. “Efficient and economic” like Pegula wanted.

- he was willing to give Terry + Kim a much bigger voice in hockey ops.

- he was someone Terry trusted.

 

I honestly think that’s about it.

 

Go back and listen to what Terry said during the press conference where they announced Adams would be the GM (without even interviewing a single other person).

 

 

it’s horrifying. 
 

here’s a good summary from the Buffalo news (if you can read it w/o hitting a paywall…)

 

https://buffalonews.com/opinion/columnists/article_83182297-4504-5091-9a15-e4d889a82704.html
 

Maybe things have changed since that press conference. They are spending a bit more than they were back then. But I have little reason to believe that winning is their #1 priority until more evidence starts showing that it is. Hiring Jarmo is a nice first step if he’s actually going to be in Buffalo full time (not just someone Adams can call when he needs him) and actually have a voice.

[QCity]

A real NHL GM with actual experience from outside the organization is definitely something. I would feel a lot better if Adams reported to him but it's a start.

Edited Friday at 10:50 PM by QCity

[Mike in Horseheads]

I guess I'm underwhelmed by this whole thing. At first I thought Terry was hiring the position and it would be advising Adams, NOT that Adams was hiring a gopher. Plus ya heard names like Ken Holland, Lou Lamarielio, Brendan Shanahan thrown around and they hire Jarmo Kekalainen.  meh

[Mr. WEO]

19 hours ago, BillsFan4 said:

I think that’s where you’re mistaken. Jason Botterill wasn’t fired due to his job performance. He was fired because he wasn’t willing to fire almost the entire hockey ops (assistant GMs, scouts, coaches in Buffalo and Rochester, etc.).

 

Kevyn Adams was hired because:

 

- he was willing to fire all those people, run with a bare bones front office staff and field an NHL team well below the salary cap ceiling, and in his first couple/few years even at or below the salary cap floor. “Efficient and economic” like Pegula wanted.

- he was willing to give Terry + Kim a much bigger voice in hockey ops.

- he was someone Terry trusted.

 

I honestly think that’s about it.

 

Go back and listen to what Terry said during the press conference where they announced Adams would be the GM (without even interviewing a single other person).

 

 

it’s horrifying. 
 

here’s a good summary from the Buffalo news (if you can read it w/o hitting a paywall…)

 

https://buffalonews.com/opinion/columnists/article_83182297-4504-5091-9a15-e4d889a82704.html
 

Maybe things have changed since that press conference. They are spending a bit more than they were back then. But I have little reason to believe that winning is their #1 priority until more evidence starts showing that it is. Hiring Jarmo is a nice first step if he’s actually going to be in Buffalo full time (not just someone Adams can call when he needs him) and actually have a voice.

 

I had read that--that Terry hired him so he could "be heard".  Obviously that was a problematic reason to hire someone immediately, as it was already clear that Pegula's management of this team has been a total disaster since he bought it.  Now he hires this guy to prop up the guy who was hired to listed to Pegula.

 

It is to laugh.....Terry should be barred from the building.

13 hours ago, Mike in Horseheads said:

I guess I'm underwhelmed by this whole thing. At first I thought Terry was hiring the position and it would be advising Adams, NOT that Adams was hiring a gopher. Plus ya heard names like Ken Holland, Lou Lamarielio, Brendan Shanahan thrown around and they hire Jarmo Kekalainen.  meh

 

I wonder if Lou even waited to hang up before he started laughing