they have to give Adams time. as in more than 3 years..
they already have two great pieces thats hard to find.

they have to give Adams time. as in more than 3 years..
they already have two great pieces thats hard to find.
- wingz4life

Except one has one more year left on his ELC and the other one is itching for a reason to demand a trade

He doesn't have all the time in the world to right the ship

they have to give Adams time. as in more than 3 years..
they already have two great pieces thats hard to find.
- wingz4life

They've had him around for nine years. If he trends up, which Botterill and Murray couldn't do, they'll give him more than three. I mean, he's no Paul Fenton..

Except one has one more year left on his ELC and the other one is itching for a reason to demand a trade

He doesn't have all the time in the world to right the ship
- Stripes77

I can't disagree. This team needs to get out of the mud this year, it's really that simple. If he's as smart as he sounds, he knows that.

All I care about is hitting on this years pick and hoping he can get some good deals done on our impending RFA’s.

Move one of Risto/Montour for a forward is all I ask. Don’t spend stupid money on UFA.
- Pegullaville

If Adams can somehow solve the gaping #2C hole without getting fleeced, I think he will earn a bit of slack from the fans. Having said this, I am not hopeful for this outcome. Adams is GREEN. IMO - he will either be afraid to make a move or he will get fleeced badly.

I am expecting mostly the same line-up as this past season. Ralph will come out and say that "they are close". We will finish next year behind Ottawa.

Except one has one more year left on his ELC and the other one is itching for a reason to demand a trade

He doesn't have all the time in the world to right the ship
- Stripes77

theyll be alright. if the ownership can shutup and let everyone do their jobs.
its never gonna work if they interfere.

theyll be alright. if the ownership can shutup and let everyone do their jobs.
its never gonna work if they interfere.
- wingz4life

It's never going to work...

It's never going to work...
- Stripes77

Well he's got some time to set things up with his Pro department's. Bad thing is what to do with the prospects that will be here, but with possibly no AHL.

It's based on his successes in the hockey business, him exceeding expectations in the roles he's been inserted into, and his philosophy of surrounding himself with highly driven, ego-at-the-door, intelligent people to assist him. He all but told us he's hiring a staff around him.

I understand I'm taking the optimistic approach. I understand it's the minority approach. But there's some interesting things that he's saying, and has done, that suggests he is capable of this job.

We've had guys in here with all the credentials that have flopped. You get the right people in place and the sky's the limit.
- TheSabresTaco

I get what he said, all the corporate speak and platitudes, efficiency, teamwork, check the ego, etc., it all sounds great...it does. And yes, he has been successful in past roles for the most part...but the biggest part of his history is running a hockey rink and an academy for training kids.

Has he evaluated players? Does he even know how? Does he know what the trade values should be? Does he even know how to put that together? FA values?
Those are now his responsibilities. Seeing how the marketing budget works for 3 months is a bit different.

Can he learn and execute? Absolutely. But who is he going to learn from?...they're all gone.
He needs to hire help, except 24 teams will be tied up from now until into Sept.

Also, consider for a moment that guys who came in, were highly regarded, had years and years of experience in AGM roles working for some smart people with a history of success in the big chair...yet, they ultimately failed when in the big chair.
Can he learn and execute, Absolutely, yes!

It is an enormous challenge that lies ahead of him building a complete Hockey Ops team in Buffalo and Roch, preparing for the Draft which is critically important, and evaluating existing players, negotiating contract for those you wish to retain, and then negotiating trades and FA signings.

This isn't like setting the schedule for a hockey rink.

I get what he said, all the corporate speak and platitudes, efficiency, teamwork, check the ego, etc., it all sounds great...it does. And yes, he has been successful in past roles for the most part...but the biggest part of his history is running a hockey rink and an academy for training kids.

Has he evaluated players? Does he even know how? Does he know what the trade values should be? Does he even know how to put that together? FA values?
Those are now his responsibilities. Seeing how the marketing budget works for 3 months is a bit different.

Can he learn and execute? Absolutely. But who is he going to learn from?...they're all gone.
He needs to hire help, except 24 teams will be tied up from now until into Sept.

Also, consider for a moment that guys who came in, were highly regarded, had years and years of experience in AGM roles working for some smart people with a history of success in the big chair...yet, they ultimately failed when in the big chair.
Can he learn and execute, Absolutely, yes!

It is an enormous challenge that lies ahead of him building a complete Hockey Ops team in Buffalo and Roch, preparing for the Draft which is critically important, and evaluating existing players, negotiating contract for those you wish to retain, and then negotiating trades and FA signings.

This isn't like setting the schedule for a hockey rink.
- IonSabres

Pardon my self bump:

It's imperative Adams hires bright hockey minds. The world knows, and he seems intelligent enough to also know, that he's not a talent evaluator, like most GMs. He doesn't need to be, as long as he surrounds himself with people who are.

Tim Murray, the guys was all hockey, all the time, lived in his car watching prospects as much as humanely possible. He was so good at it that after Reinhart, the 2014 Sabres draft should be purged from existence. Yes, Olofsson came from 2014, but that was not Murray's pick what so ever. He rubber stamped it.
- TheSabresTaco

In the end, and I think this entire board can agree, is that the challenge is astronomical.

Pardon my self bump:



In the end, and I think this entire board can agree, is that the challenge is astronomical.
- TheSabresTaco

Enormous challeges.
All with a hostile fanbase and media licking g their chops to paste it on Kerry and Tim Puglia.

It matches the narratives they're establishing and all that crap. Know the guy, good player developer. I'd be mildly surprised if he was hired as a head coach without being an assistant anywhere.
yes I know they took this approach with Adams. Not sure they feel the same about Mair being capable of the role like they did Adams for GM.

Who the (frank) knows.
- TheSabresTaco

i have no clue what is going on right now.. without interviewing they hired a guy with no experience to be the GM after two massive failures at GM.. the only thing i can say is that Kevyn can't be worse...... or can he?

Well he's got some time to set things up with his Pro department's. Bad thing is what to do with the prospects that will be here, but with possibly no AHL.
- Buff36

buy out a swiss elite league team and send them all there..

Except one has one more year left on his ELC and the other one is itching for a reason to demand a trade

He doesn't have all the time in the world to right the ship
- Stripes77

its hard to right this ship

i have no clue what is going on right now.. without interviewing they hired a guy with no experience to be the GM after two massive failures at GM.. the only thing i can say is that Kevyn can't be worse...... or can he?
- SabresFaninIndiana

Guess we will find out, he has a lot on his plate.

buy out a swiss elite league team and send them all there..
- SabresFaninIndiana

Could be a huge problem, going overseas might be the only option for some of these kids.

Pardon my self bump:



In the end, and I think this entire board can agree, is that the challenge is astronomical.
- TheSabresTaco

The problem is that even if he’s great, I don’t know if the owners will allow his vision to come to fruition.

The problem is that even if he’s great, I don’t know if the owners will allow his vision to come to fruition.
- sbroads24

They've known him for a long time. They know how he operates, so my guess is that they will let him as long as he stays within the bounds of the conversation that got him hired in the first place.

They've known him for a long time. They know how he operates, so my guess is that they will let him as long as he stays within the bounds of the conversation that got him hired in the first place.
- TheSabresTaco

As has been said, supposedly been grooming him for this, so like you said Taco hopefully that trust over the 9yrs that has been built will let them leave him alone to build his vision.

i have no clue what is going on right now.. without interviewing they hired a guy with no experience to be the GM after two massive failures at GM.. the only thing i can say is that Kevyn can't be worse...... or can he?
- SabresFaninIndiana

No. Botterill will go down as one of the worst Sabres GM's of all-time, strictly for for O'Reilly trade alone. There will never be a worse Sabres GM from here on out.

No. Botterill will go down as one of the worst Sabres GM's of all-time, strictly for for O'Reilly trade alone. There will never be a worse Sabres GM from here on out.
- kritter65

Well bad trade but again the owners take some responsibility for that to.

No. Botterill will go down as one of the worst Sabres GM's of all-time, strictly for for O'Reilly trade alone. There will never be a worse Sabres GM from here on out.
- kritter65

Based on what was said about getting leaner...I don't know how you can't believe that T-Pegs wanted him gone before the bonus was paid out

They've known him for a long time. They know how he operates, so my guess is that they will let him as long as he stays within the bounds of the conversation that got him hired in the first place.
- TheSabresTaco

I’m hoping. Adams seems like a smart dude.

This offseason is HUGE

No. Botterill will go down as one of the worst Sabres GM's of all-time, strictly for for O'Reilly trade alone. There will never be a worse Sabres GM from here on out.
- kritter65

Raw deal was just as bad. Botts is just the most recent