As the 2024-25 NHL season wound down in Buffalo, many hopeful supporters and observers, including this writer, felt that even though the Sabres blew yet another campaign, at least there’d be change coming at the front office once the final horn blew on the last game.
There were changes, but not the ones long-suffering fans wanted or the franchise desperately needed. Instead of firing GM Kevyn Adams for his ineptitude, lack of action and overall failure to end the NHL’s longest playoff drought, even though he had five seasons to do it, the team announced they were sticking with Adams for another year.
Imagine having a top job where the company owner refuses to replace you, even though you’re in charge and each year the business loses more money. How many large or small operations would run that way? But that’s how Sabres’ owner Terry Pegula seems to see Adams, as someone who can do no wrong and gets more chances than Charlie Brown gave Lucy to pull the football away from him so he’d fall flat on his back in Peanuts.
Any number of adjectives could describe this situation, including baffling, puzzling, incomprehensible, perplexing, confounding, bizarre, absurd, outlandish, preposterous, ridiculous and outrageous. However, here we are. Realizing the boneheadedness of such a decision, but unwilling to make the obvious move, that is find a different GM, the Sabres recently hired Eric Staal to be “special assistant to the general manager.” Staal will advise Adams, but it’s still Adams who makes the final calls, which based on his five-year track record, doesn’t seem promising.
The Blue and Gold also hope to find a senior advisor to act as a sounding board for Adams. Two names that were floated included Ken Holland and Lou Lamoriello. Despite their interest, both prospects didn’t want the job unless they had day-to-day control over the Sabres. Since the team refused to do that, one candidate balked and the other still might. The L.A. Kings sinced hired Holland to be their vice president and GM, while Lamoriello could have an advisory role with the New York Islanders, though some sources believe he hasn't passed on Buffalo. As is usual in Sabreland, potential talent frequently goes elsewhere while stupidity stays at the helm.
The sad part is, the situation could be different, if only ownership was more willing to cut dead weight. Maybe Staal and the new senior advisor will make some moves that get the Sabres to the playoffs next spring. The problem is, Adams has proven he doesn’t have what it takes to make it to the postseason and he’s still the one with the final say.