Confirmed with Link: End of year press conferences: Adams to have one at 3pm on Tuesday after Granato firing

[Dubi Doo]

Definitely. But if he's realizing that was a mistake and is going to make good on fixing the holes that are there, well it's better later than the never we thought may happen.

This is the big thing for me. Beane had a bunch of misfires early on in his tenure, but he was quick to fix most of those mistakes. Adams took longer than I'd like, but he atleast has shown he can MAKE the tough yet obvious move.

I wouldnt say Im optimistic, but there's atleast that to hang my head on for now. Let's see who he hires and what he does this offseason. Im glad he called the players out, though. They need a bit of humbling. They were petty losers most of the season.

He chose to run it back in the belief the team's natural growth would propel them over the playoff line, he was wrong; and owned up to it today. People can get things wrong you know; I highly doubt Adams would do the same thing last offseason had he known the result it would bring.

I'll reserve my opinion until after FA, but I do agree with the gist of this post.

 

[DJN21]

Yes.. because it was a rebuild... it makes sense.

As far as weaponizing cap space there was nothing spectacular to be had for taking bad contracts.... especially considering all the draft capital we have had.

I think this was the plan. I think they have done well in some respects and bad in others. This year was a mistake.

I disagree. Your job as a GM to weaponize everything to help your team. Adding a 2nd or 3rd or maybe more and being able to then flip them for character players to supplement the roster is what a winner would do. I hate the leafs so so much but they did this well for a few years churning money and signing guys then spinning them for picks. Which they then used or spent for nothing but money lost.

As a GM you need the greenlight to make those moves tho and that's the difference between Buffalo ownership and Toronto.

 

[CaliSabresfan24]

Here's the full presser if anyone missed it.

 

[Ace]

I don’t want to get into this on the best day of Adams’ GM career…but you can’t tell me spending at the bottom while your best players are paid little is ok because you’re rebuilding…and then also say there’s no evidence it’s ownership directed when they never weaponized cap space at all. No retention on a team you claim is rebuilding? For three years? No. You had Tage, Dahlin, Power and Cozens in career years last year making less total than Dahlin makes next year. They spent the least in the league. And didn’t do one thing that bought assets anywhere with cap. They weren’t rebuilding or competing. They were nothing. Nothing but cheap.

 

[Selanne00008]

I don’t want to get into this on the best day of Adams’ GM career…but you can’t tell me spending at the bottom while your best players are paid little is ok because you’re rebuilding…and then also say there’s no evidence it’s ownership directed when they never weaponized cap space at all. No retention on a team you claim is rebuilding? For three years? No. You had Tage, Dahlin, Power and Cozens in career years last year making less total than Dahlin makes next year. They spent the least in the league. And didn’t do one thing that bought assets anywhere with cap. They weren’t rebuilding or competing. They were nothing. Nothing but cheap.

Well. It's one or the other right? if it's true that TP would approve any kind of retention in a trade or be the 3rd party in a trade to retain, then that means it's piss poor GM'ing by Adams if they didn't weaponize it. If he really couldn't cause TP wouldn't approve, then he's lying for ownerships sake

 

[RefsIdeas]

Well first off. I think the whole "maintaining family lifestyle" was never actually a thing. Disgruntled employees who didn't like being laid off. Even the greediest mf' ers around would never put that out in any sort of business meeting. Covid had no bearing on the Peguals at all financially there was never a threat that their family lifestyle was ever in jeopardy lol.

Pegula has been stating for years that the upgrades to KBC would be after the Bills Stadium was taken care of. Pretty up front about that.

The front office took a hit during Covid and they have been building it up ever since. Slow process but it's better than just hiring people to hire them. I have always got the impression they want the right people over just hiring whoever is available.

It’s been reported by very reputable people that this was indeed said.

 

[Sabre the Win]

Ruff/Berube/Boudreau/Quenneville

Not sure Quenneville can coach in the NHL anymore unless Gary Bettman allows it. When he got called into NHL offices to explain his situation in the whole Kyle Beach situation, it wasn't a good enough story to earn him a pass. The NHL was nice enough to let him hand in his resignation and walk away from the Panthers.

I don't want to speculate on what happened but it was bad enough to force a 3x Stanley cup head coach winner, 1x assistant coach Stanley cup winner and 700+ win coach to lose his place in the NHL and probably the Hall of Fame.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

I felt that I didn't learn much from that presser except that we're going to be getting a HC with previous NHL head coaching experience, which is good to hear.

Everything else was just stock footage from a failing GM. I liked that he wants to put a stop to using youth as an excuse, but the fact is, youth is a big reason why they are so inconsistent. I would've liked to hear him take more responsibility for the roster and for the coaching choice but I'm just glad he made the right move here, and seems confident about being able to find the right guy.

I'm coming around to Ruff as a transition coach for a year or two.

 

[TehDoak]

So I watched most of it, a few thoughts:

- Said some good things, accepted SOME blame
- Essentially doubled down on not adding a forward last year because 'well we didn't know Quinn was going to get re-injured' and got real snippy on the fact
- Really does sound like they've already zero'd in on someone and expect to move quick.
- Jumped to Terry Pegula's defense when asked about his buy in, wasn't hearing any challenges to the owners commitment to the team.
- Claimed multiple times it was HIS decision

Overall, liked some of what was said, like we are getting a veteran coach.

The 'claiming responsibility' seemed a lot more like lip service and didn't like when he was challenged on individual decision.

In the end those, these are just words. Actions matter. As a team we had a 7M forth line we could only get a sixth round pick for at the deadline and spent well under the cap (and had dead cap sitting in Rochester). These were all his additions.

We'll see, he's always been talented at telling fans what they want to hear and reading the room (mostly). But...if he's serious about this, we need to be spending in the top 10 next year. Aggressively adding and being within a hair of the cap ceiling. That's what "window open" means especially if you have an owner who will do "anything" to bring a cup to the the city.

The proof will be in the pudding

 

[joshjull]

It’s been reported by very reputable people that this was indeed said.

Who cares? Its always been an incredibly stupid talking point.

The very first season after those comments were attributed to them, what did our ownership do? Did they penny pinch as @BuffaloMango assert? No they didn’t.

They spent to the upper limit during the Covid season. The season that had almost no revenue. Thus ensuring they lost 15+mil more than they would have spending to the lower limit. They also allowed Adams to fire Krueger which cost them another 4-5mil since he had another year left on his deal.

So they ate 20mil or so more than they had to. Does that sound remotely like penny pinching? Of course it doesn’t. Yet here we are seeing the same fever dream conspiracies getting posted.

 

[Chainshot]

The Yotes took on LTIR cap that was covered by insurance, they werent the team eating cap on 3 way trades for a late pick.

That was Guerin taking micodoses err, microtransactions that undercut what others have done 2 years ago for sure.

 

[Chainshot]

"Didn't make this decision last night on the plane" so he's been thinking about that a while.

 

[WeDislikeEich]

I’m encouraged to see what Adams does after that press conference. He covered pretty much every major complaint I’ve had about the Sabres.

He made it sound like the country club atmosphere is over and that there is going to be a standard set the players need to meet. I think that’s been missing for quite a while now. Sounds like he’s going to challenge the players to step it up starting this offseason.

Sounds like he has a very specific type of coach in mind. I’m interested to see who his first couple/few interviews are.

 

[RefsIdeas]

Who cares? Its always been an incredibly stupid talking point.

The very first season after those comments were attributed to them, what did our ownership do? Did they penny pinch as @BuffaloMango assert? No they didn’t.

They spent to the upper limit during the Covid season. The season that had almost no revenue. Thus ensuring they lost 15+mil more than they would have spending to the lower limit. They also allowed Adams to fire Krueger which cost them another 4-5mil since he had another year left on his deal.

So they ate 20mil or so more than they had to. Does that sound remotely like penny pinching? Of course it doesn’t. Yet here we are seeing the same fever dream conspiracies getting posted.

What happened the next 3 years?

 

[joshjull]

What happened the next 3 years?

They chose to do a mini tear down and rebuild from within. With heavy emphasis on drafting and developing, particularly at the NHL level.

Anything else?

I absolutely love that you’re going to pretend they waited a year to implement their newly declared penny pinching ways

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

They chose to do a mini tear down and rebuild from within. Using drafting and developing, particularly at the NHL level.

Anything else?

I absolutely love that you’re going to pretend they waited a year to implement their newly declared penny pinching ways

They did penny pinch once they decided they're in the rebuild. Now that they feel they're done with the rebuild, they should be reversing course -- and very well may do just that. But so far they really haven't. Still need more pro scouts, still not spending to the cap.

Your arrogance on this topic is really out of line. You act like a schoolyard bully all year, it gets tiresome.

 

[Beerz]

It’s been reported by very reputable people that this was indeed said.

Like I said.. disgruntled employees. I don't buy it..even a little bit.

 

[RefsIdeas]

They chose to do a mini tear down and rebuild from within. With heavy emphasis on drafting and developing, particularly at the NHL level.

Anything else?

I absolutely love that you’re going to pretend they waited a year to implement their newly declared penny pinching ways

I absolutely love you choose to ignore the three years where they undoubtedly did penny pinch.

 

[Chainshot]

Sounded really hot about Pegula - the mentioning of dealing with personal stuff makes it sound like Terry is staying near Kim in her convalescence.

 

[sabres4ever]

Wait a minute - Appert has "experience," doesn't he?

Did anyone else get the impression from what Adams said that the coaches they kept could be replaced depending on who they hire for HC?

 

[Dingo44]

I wonder if Adams still has another press conference Friday after he talks to all the players.

 

[joshjull]

They did penny pinch once they decided they're in the rebuild. Now that they feel they're done with the rebuild, they should be reversing course -- and very well may do just that. But so far they really haven't. Still need more pro scouts, still not spending to the cap.

When you decide to rebuild with a heavy focus on drafting/development and ensure your youngsters have spots on the NHL roster. Your roster will cost a lot less, especially with the amount of young talent we had on hand for the NHL roster. It has nothing to do with choosing to cut costs and everything to do with how they approached the rebuild. The end result of a less expensive roster is the same. But the reason it came about is different.

Your arrogance on this topic is really out of line. You act like a schoolyard bully all year, it gets tiresome.

I’m definitely being snarky as hell about this topic. But you might want to hold off on the sanctimonious white knighting. Since you’ve personally attacked me twice in the last few days. It doesn’t really bother me but the hypocrisy is a bit much. I also haven’t done the same to you.

 

[Chainshot]

Wait a minute - Appert has "experience," doesn't he?

Did anyone else get the impression from what Adams said that the coaches they kept could be replaced depending on who they hire for HC?

Sounds like they will let the next HC talk with them. My impression is that they may keep some of them in their development group. Bales is the only assistant I would want retained for the work he did with the goalies this year, though prior to this year I was not a fan. Wilford I don't like. *shrug*

 

[sabres4ever]

Personally, I don't want Lindy back as HC. Maybe if it's for a couple years, but not long term.

Let's say Adams is serious about making impactful changes this summer e.g. trading young prospects/players for good vets. He's still up against prospective trades not wanting to come here.

One thing I would have asked is, during last summer, how many players did you try to bring in, but were told no because Buffalo?

 

[Beerz]

Personally, I don't want Lindy back as HC. Maybe if it's for a couple years, but not long term.

Let's say Adams is serious about making impactful changes this summer e.g. trading young prospects/players for good vets. He's still up against prospective trades not wanting to come here.

One thing I would have asked is, during last summer, how many players did you try to bring in, but were told no because Buffalo?

I wouldn't expect him to answer that...nor should he... especially if it's true