Buffalo Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams has done a remarkable job in reshaping the Blue and Gold. Something one major outlet has admitted.
Matthew Fairburn of The Athletic recently reminisced about the Summer of 2020 in a piece regarding Buffalo Sabres general manager, Kevyn Adams. Of course, we know Adams was hired that summer, and, well, the Blue and Gold could have contended for the Most Hopeless Team in Pro Sports award. That’s assuming such an “honor” exists.
All jokes aside, you get the point. Fairburn believed neither Adams nor anyone bestowed with the improbable task of improving arguably the least successful franchise in pro sports throughout the 2010s could even perform remotely well in such a job.
Then came the infamous 2020-21 season, where we finally caught the gist of just how much of a mess Adams walked into. I won’t rehash on the subject; you know what happened, so let’s skip to the good stuff and summarize what led to Fairburn praising Adams for his efforts so far as general manager.
After the season came a small fire sale, as Adams ousted veterans Rasmus Ristolainen, Sam Reinhart, and in November 2021, Jack Eichel. And this is where things get interesting, as Fairburn covered in his piece.
From the Ristolainen trade, Buffalo ultimately got Isak Rosen as a building block for the future. Following the Reinhart deal, Adams acquired the 28th pick that he spent on Jiri Kulich, and he also got the upstart Devon Levi. Finally, the blockbuster Eichel trade netted Alex Tuch, Peyton Krebs, a first round pick that became Noah Ostlund, and a second round pick Adams subsequently traded in 2023 for Jordan Greenway.
Buffalo Sabres general manager exceeding expert’s expectations
Let’s pause here for a second and consider the reality that Kulich and Levi will likely be in a blue and gold uniform next season. Peyton Krebs has become a dynamic player on the bottom six, and Greenway, after some early struggles, has found his groove at times. Then of course, you got Alex Tuch, who is going to be on the first line for quite a while.
Do the math, and that’s five players Adams acquired in those trades alone who are becoming permanent fixtures on the team for the foreseeable future. Oh, and you also can’t forget about Ostlund or Rosen, who could easily join the active roster come 2024-25, or 2025-26 if they stick around the organization.
And this doesn’t even include his drafting of Owen Power, Jack Quinn, and J.J. Peterka, all of whom played in the NHL this season that Fairburn cited in their piece. Fairburn also touched on the fact Adams also locked in the likes of Tage Thompson, Dylan Cozens, and Mattias Samuelsson.
This remarkable turnaround and ultimate roster stability occurred under Adams’ watch, and it’s something Fairburn covers more in-depth in his article linked below this piece. Case in point, it’s good to see staff writers dive into their respective time machines and reflect on their initial thoughts regarding a hiring, draft pick, signing, or anything within the scope of sports.
It’s going to be interesting to see what the Buffalo Sabres will look like under Adams and head coach Don Granato next season, and hopefully, into the far future. We will find out before we all know it.
Source: What I got wrong: How Kevyn Adams exceeded my expectations with the Buffalo Sabres by Matthew Fairburn, TheAthletic.com