Kevyn Adams will return for his sixth season as the Sabres' General Manager for the 2025-2026 season. This wasn’t the news that Sabres fans were expecting, as this offseason, there was a high chance Adams would be taking on a new role with the team.
Adams has failed to make the playoffs for five years now, and many fans have been calling for his dismissal. There is no doubt his job will be on the line after this season, as it is rare to see a GM last this long with nothing to show for it.
Take the LA Kings, for example, Rob Blake, the former GM, made the playoffs five times in his first eight seasons. However, the Kings never made it past the first round. They announced Monday that Blake and the Kings mutually agreed to part ways.
If Terry Pegula had taken a page out of the Kings' playbook, Adams would have been gone a couple of seasons ago. With a solid team coming back next year for the Sabres, can Adams finally guide them to the playoffs?
What does Adams have planned next?
It will be interesting to see what Adams does with the team moving forward, as there could be some big changes ahead. This will be Adams's last chance to make the Sabres a playoff team, and this is the perfect year to do it.
Returning a top-7 offense, I can see Adams making a big trade to bolster the defense and improving them in a big way compared to last year. The Sabres were one of the worst defensive teams in the league, and it was ultimately their demise.
The Sabres will be playing in a stacked Atlantic Division next year, as five teams made the playoffs from that division. Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Florida, and Tampa Bay were all solid teams this year, and all of them are going to be extra competitive next year. However, this would be the best team Buffalo has had on paper in a long time, and they're going to need it.
The Sabres need to find an edge over those teams if they want to make the playoffs, and it starts with Adams on how he assembles this team. Adams has everything at his disposal: a top minor league system with players ready to be called up, a top offense, and a Hall of Fame coach.
If Adams can’t get the job done, then Pegula will need to start his GM search early next season in order to turn around this franchise.