Buffalo Sabres and the NHL: 2025 - 2026. Changes are needed. Don't we say that every year?

[davefan66]

Hockey is the one sport you can have a complete overhaul of the front office and coaching staff, and not set the franchise back a few years, but possibly excel.  It’s been done in the NFL, but NHL teams are more likely to do better after an overhaul. 

 

It can’t be about money. It has to be stubbornness, or worse incredibly inept ownership.

 

Sabres were purchased for 189 million and now  are worth a staggering 1.42 billion.  Which so happens to be just a smidge above what he paid for the Bills!  For comparison, the average NHL team is now worth 2.1 Billion.  The Bills are worth 6 billion.  That means he’s made close to 6 BILLION dollars on both franchises.  He has a net worth of 9 billion, and still has the ability to pull money from his oil/natural gas company so money isn’t an issue.

 

Just looking at the teams finances, the Sabres operating expenses are 98 million, with revenues at 176 million.  Dude has plenty of money to pay multiple fired head coaches and GM’s to pound salt and maybe get this franchise headed in the right direction.

 

Problem is…does anyone trust him to choose the right tandem? To choose a real hockey guy to make those decisions?  
 

Is Jarmo the guy?  Interesting that he was brought on in May this year and we are now hearing whispers of a change.  Maybe he’s behind that?

[AlCowlingsTaxiService]

Well, they won two straight on the road which means four more years of Adams 😂

[Fleezoid]

2 hours ago, AlCowlingsTaxiService said:

Well, they won two straight on the road which means four more years of Adams 😂

 

Odd to say, but the Sabres have a wierd talent to win their way to stay in last place. 

[ChevyVanMiller]

8 hours ago, AlCowlingsTaxiService said:

Well, they won two straight on the road which means four more years of Adams 😂

They beat Vancouver, worst team in the NHL, with just 15 shots on goal last night. They were outshot by more than 2-1.
 

A change needs to be made now. Kevyn Adams cannot be the one to make trade deadline and Alex Tuch decisions for this team.

[The Jokeman]

16 minutes ago, ChevyVanMiller said:

They beat Vancouver, worst team in the NHL, with just 15 shots on goal last night. They were outshot by more than 2-1.
 

A change needs to be made now. Kevyn Adams cannot be the one to make trade deadline and Alex Tuch decisions for this team.

I'm not a KA fan but not sure what else we can do unless a bonafide #1 goalie comes available that's the only trade think will move this team out of doldrums. Yet at what cost? UPL, Tuch and prospects? I mean I'd love to try to get Saros from Nashville yet not sure he'd want to come here.

[UConn James]

Articles out there saying that a discussion about replacing KA will take place after the road trip and return to Buffalo. Most likely, Kekalainen becomes acting GM. See how it goes rest of the season and gauge interest on who'd be willing to step into the breach here.
 

Without TPegs stepping back into the shadows and really opening the purse strings, I doubt anyone who could bring change would even consider the job. The change needs to be wholesale. They need to be allowed to cut bait on bad signings like UPL, stop making 🌴&🌞 excuses and actually make things happen, change the culture of losing / air out the stale fart smell that's been hanging around the franchise for SO effing long. 

[Mike in Horseheads]

Darren Dreger

@DarrenDreger

Confirming. Vancouver Canucks Trade Quinn Hughes to Minnesota Wild for Minnesota Wild’s 1st round pick in the 2026 NHL draft, Marco Rossi, Liam Öhgren and Zeev Buium.

[QCity]

1 hour ago, Mike in Horseheads said:

Darren Dreger

@DarrenDreger

Confirming. Vancouver Canucks Trade Quinn Hughes to Minnesota Wild for Minnesota Wild’s 1st round pick in the 2026 NHL draft, Marco Rossi, Liam Öhgren and Zeev Buium.

 

That is quite the bold move. Guerin must really feel confident he can re-sign him this summer.

[Mike in Horseheads]

2 hours ago, UConn James said:

Articles out there saying that a discussion about replacing KA will take place after the road trip and return to Buffalo. Most likely, Kekalainen becomes acting GM. See how it goes rest of the season and gauge interest on who'd be willing to step into the breach here.
 

Without TPegs stepping back into the shadows and really opening the purse strings, I doubt anyone who could bring change would even consider the job. The change needs to be wholesale. They need to be allowed to cut bait on bad signings like UPL, stop making 🌴&🌞 excuses and actually make things happen, change the culture of losing / air out the stale fart smell that's been hanging around the franchise for SO effing long. 

... I saw Adams out, Lindy to front office, Kekalainen to GM and Peter Deboer as HC.  It was on Twitter must be true

Edited 1 hour ago by Mike in Horseheads

[BillsFan4]

1 hour ago, Mike in Horseheads said:

Darren Dreger

@DarrenDreger

Confirming. Vancouver Canucks Trade Quinn Hughes to Minnesota Wild for Minnesota Wild’s 1st round pick in the 2026 NHL draft, Marco Rossi, Liam Öhgren and Zeev Buium.

Whoa!! That’s a massive trade.

 

Hughes is easily one of the top 3 defenseman in the NHL. He can almost single handedly take over games.

 

Vancouver got a huge haul for him. If he wasn’t going to re-sign they did good. But he’s not even eligible to negotiate a new deal until July 2026. I guess they just not have felt good about him staying.

Vanvouver got:

 

Rossi - #9 overall pick in 2020

Ohgren - #19 overall in 2022

Buium - #12 overall in 2024 

unprotected 2026 1st round pick 

 

Buium is definitely the big get. He’s one of the top D prospects in the league.

Rossi is a nice addition for them too. Not sure he’s really a #1 C but he’s definitely a top 6 center, which is a big need for the Canucks. Ohgren I’m not as familiar with but he’s definitely at least looks like he has potential.

 

 

I’d say the Wild win this trade for now, but they need to re-sign Hughes. He can’t just be a (less than) 2 year rental at that price.

 

Vancouver has a chance to do well from this longer term if Buium develops into a star and Rossi does well for them. Hughes looks like he could end up being an all-time great though, so it’s tough to win a trade when you trade away a player of that caliber. 

4 minutes ago, Mike in Horseheads said:

... I saw Adams out, Lindy to front office, Kekalainen to GM and Peter Doeber as HC.  It was on Twitter must be true

Don’t get my hopes up like that! 😂

 

For real though, that would be incredible. But I’d be pretty shocked if DeBoer took this job, and if Pegula paid what it would take to hire him. He’d have to be really fed up with losing to do it.

 

It would instantly bring back a big portion of the fan base though! 

[Mike in Horseheads]

9 minutes ago, BillsFan4 said:

Whoa!! That’s a massive trade.

 

Hughes is easily one of the top 3 defenseman in the NHL. He can almost single handedly take over games.

 

Vancouver got a huge haul for him. If he wasn’t going to re-sign they did good. But he’s not even eligible to negotiate a new deal until July 2026. I guess they just not have felt good about him staying.

Vanvouver got:

 

Rossi - #9 overall pick in 2020

Ohgren - #19 overall in 2022

Buium - #12 overall in 2024 

unprotected 2026 1st round pick 

 

Buium is definitely the big get. He’s one of the top D prospects in the league.

Rossi is a nice addition for them too. Not sure he’s really a #1 C but he’s definitely a top 6 center, which is a big need for the Canucks. Ohgren I’m not as familiar with but he’s definitely at least looks like he has potential.

 

 

I’d say the Wild win this trade for now, but they need to re-sign Hughes. He can’t just be a (less than) 2 year rental at that price.

 

Vancouver has a chance to do well from this longer term if Buium develops into a star and Rossi does well for them. Hughes looks like he could end up being an all-time great though, so it’s tough to win a trade when you trade away a player of that caliber. 

Don’t get my hopes up like that! 😂

 

For real though, that would be incredible. But I’d be pretty shocked if DeBoer took this job, and if Pegula paid what it would take to hire him. He’d have to be really fed up with losing to do it.

 

It would instantly bring back a big portion of the fan base though! 

Who knows, maybe Kim is getting a little better and said to him WTF have you done with my Sabres?