5 mistakes the Buffalo Sabres and Kevyn Adams must avoid this offseason

Botching the head coaching hire

This is the most important item on the list, and if Kevyn Adams messes this up, his days in the Sabres front office are and should be numbered. We already talked about three established coaches ready-for-hire, including the most popular name on a contingent of fans’ list, Lindy Ruff. 

But Ruff and the other two coaches mentioned in that piece aren’t and shouldn’t be the only ones Adams needs to target. In fact, he must act as though he knows his job’s on the line here and take his time with this one, or else he’s increasing the odds of calling the wrong name. 

We already know he’s looking for someone with hordes of experience coaching in the NHL, so that’s at least a step in the direction he needs to be heading. He must also narrow down his list of coaches to include someone who can A, relate to a young team like Don Granato, but B, someone who can also bring out an edgier side to this group, something Granato never did consistently. 

Granato never did a good job holding players accountable, and while that’s acceptable to a degree, it also seemed like nobody cared about learning from their mistakes. The next coach needs to be more of a hard-liner, and if they can get the best out of this team, the Sabres will be playoff-worthy.

Update: The Sabres won't botch the coaching hire, as Lindy Ruff has returned to the City of Good Neighbors.