Post-Game Talk: Jerry Forton Post Draft Interview

[HaNotsri]

I think Forton always has great answers and goes into detail with everything. Pretty much none of the fluff you are tired of hearing "it's a situation" etc.

You can tell that he's tired and that he's been through a lot over the years with the Sabres. Especially when asked about Adams at the end. Imagine working for Botts AND Murray?

On phone and struggling to share the video, it's worth watching and he explains the goalie pick really well:

Click to read more...

 

[old kummelweck]

Not sure if this has the part at the end where he breaks down a little, but this guy has gone through some hell in the Sabres org and it seems like Adams was the guy who heeled the org. Kinda choked me up to see someone get so emotional.

 

[Ace]

Getting emotional that Adams listens to everyone and lets everyone do their jobs sure feels like a window into what it was like before Adams

 

[ValJamesDuex]

Not sure if this has the part at the end where he breaks down a little, but this guy has gone through some hell in the Sabres org and it seems like Adams was the guy who heeled the org. Kinda choked me up to see someone get so emotional.

very honest and his mark is all over the last couple drafts. I believe he has Adam's trust explicitly.

 

[old kummelweck]

Interesting to hear about pavel datsyuk going to have a hand in Neuchev's development next year.

 

[HaNotsri]

Not sure if this has the part at the end where he breaks down a little, but this guy has gone through some hell in the Sabres org and it seems like Adams was the guy who heeled the org. Kinda choked me up to see someone get so emotional.

It's there. I choked up as well. It's easy to identify with victims of bad management. We are extremely frustrated with all the dumb picks and wasted opportunities, imagine actually being a good scout and then have Murray throwing away the 2015 draft picks for his favourite psychos.

 

[Gabrielor]

Love Forton.

Man, f*** Tim Murray and Jason Botterill.

One's smug-ness gave us the worst era of Sabres hockey. The tank and failed quick rebuild.

The other was a total moron who mismanaged almost every component of the organization.

 

[jc17]

It's there. I choked up as well. It's easy to identify with victims of bad management. We are extremely frustrated with all the dumb picks and wasted opportunities, imagine actually being a good scout and then have Murray throwing away the 2015 draft picks for his favourite psychos.

Yeah I would guess it wasn't direct mistreatment, but a pretty large sense of unfulfillment and banging your head against the wall, which will certainly weigh on people who put the time and effort, like these guys do.

 

[HaNotsri]

Yeah I would guess it wasn't direct mistreatment, but a pretty large sense of unfulfillment and banging your head against the wall, which will certainly weigh on people who put the time and effort, like these guys do.

Mismanagement and laziness among bosses leads to a higher burn out rate than bosses that actively bully their employees. It sort of leaves people drifting in a sea of hopelessness and they don't even have a clear enemy to direct their anger towards. Leadership limbo and incompetence is worse than being mistreated.

 

[Fjordy]

Forton awesome

 

[Ace]

Some tidbits….he said all three first round picks were in their top 15 and that Neuchev was the third highest Russian on their board. The latter makes me think Miro was off their board due to medicals...but maybe they did like Neuchev more than Gleb. But I’d have thought they would like Gleb so I dunno.

as for all three being in the top 15 on their board…I believe it. They have a type they like and all three have high end of all of it. They’d have taken Cooley over Wright…I’m convinced. Of course this would have meant a bit more before it happened irl…but still.

 

[Der Jaeger]

Leadership is a thing. And it doesn’t require subject matter expertise.

Transitioning from military to civilian life, the weirdest thing is see is promoting good workers to leadership roles because they did their job well. Often with little to no leadership education or experience.

Eg: just because you’re a good salesman doesn’t mean you’re qualified to lead a sales team.

Murray was a great scout but a crappy leader. Botterill was a great assistant GM but not the guy to be the leader.

Adams may not have the best background to be a GM, but he’s a leader. He lets people do their job and gives them the ability to succeed.

I imagine a guy like Fortin is having a bigger impact and it shows. He was probably tired of the way Murray treated people, and Botterill overruling everyone because he thought he was the smartest guy in the room.

 

[old kummelweck]

It's there. I choked up as well. It's easy to identify with victims of bad management. We are extremely frustrated with all the dumb picks and wasted opportunities, imagine actually being a good scout and then have Murray throwing away the 2015 draft picks for his favourite psychos.

The whole experience was probably very emotional for everyone there. They couldn't do this in person for two years and this must feel like a bookend to whatever period of history you want to call that.

 

[Dingo44]

I'm going to quote myself from the draft thread

I think that's one reason the Pegulas picked Adams as GM. The team was NOT in a good place and was fractured all over the organization. Adams appears to have the leadership and demeanor that really has helped revamp the entire team from top to bottom to get on one page to feel valued, trusted, and excited about the plan and where it is going. I'm a very emotional guy myself so I feel Forton there.

 

[Club]

 

[The Blunder Years]

It hits more at home when you consider he’s from Buffalo and likely was a fan before being hired as a scout. Brings me so much joy seeing management building so many good qualities in the organization.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

I thought the part before he choked up was much more interesting - most importantly, they’re giddy with the draft they just had.

Got 3 players in their top 15, and got guys in the second and third rounds that they had as 1st rounders. Pour the man a stiff one!

 

[CaliSabresfan24]

When you think back to how sabre fans reacted to the hiring of Kevyn Adams and than to see what the front office and organization as a whole has turned/turning into is quite amazing

 

[Fezzy126]

Pham was on wgr this evening and said that a big part of his emotions had to do with Kim's health and how hard it's been on the front office over the past month.

 

[TheMistyStranger]

I feel a lot better about the goalie pick hearing this

 

[elchud]

Of course they love the draft they just executed. It would be daft for them to not love their draft right?

My best case scenario for all of what's going on is we end up in a year or two with a team on the brink, like the post lockout team. Except with Dahlin and Power.

I'm hopeful. I also don't like the Rosen and Poltapov and Ostlund and that goalie picks but whatever of course I hope it all turns out roses

 

[WeDislikeEich]

All I could think watching this is that it must have been waayyyyy worse behind the scenes with previous GMs than any of us realized.

 

[TheMistyStranger]

Of course they love the draft they just executed. It would be daft for them to not love their draft right?

My best case scenario for all of what's going on is we end up in a year or two with a team on the brink, like the post lockout team. Except with Dahlin and Power.

I'm hopeful. I also don't like the Rosen and Poltapov and Ostlund and that goalie picks but whatever of course I hope it all turns out roses

I'm referring to the explanation of their pick. Kotyk having tons of European contacts, including the kid's goalie coach on Finland, is something you hope for. Hearing confirmation of that feels good

 

[Buffaloed]

Getting emotional that Adams listens to everyone and lets everyone do their jobs sure feels like a window into what it was like before Adams

I think it becomes absurdly devisive when incoming management is forced to keep people brought in by outgoing management.

 

[jc17]

I feel a lot better about the goalie pick hearing this

He explained things pretty thoroughly