The Sabres started the offseason with the idea that bolstering the front office would help the team. Day by day, no news is bad news. The thinking makes sense on paper. Surround general manager Kevyn Adams with experienced minds who could offer guidance and, ideally, help push the team across the playoff line. But here we are in late May, and outside of one notable hire, the silence has become deafening.
Buffalo Sabres Front Office Off-Season Decisions
The Sabres made a splash in hiring Eric Staal to be the “Special assistant to the general manager” role on May 7th. Since then, there have been almost no updates to the Sabres front office.
Staal is a well-respected voice with over 1,000 NHL games and a Stanley Cup ring to his name. His presence adds credibility, and perhaps a player’s perspective that can benefit Adams. Still, a special assistant is just that, an assistant. Not a shot-caller. Not a culture-changer.
It’s clear the Sabres are still looking for a “Senior advisor” to serve with Kevyn Adams to give him some support . Names like Ken Holland and Lou Lamoriello were circling in rumours throughout last week. Holland accepted an offer to be the general manager of the Kings . And despite Lou Lamoriello appearing in the Buffalo airport, he is seemingly out on the position.
Uncomfortable Conversation
Hopefully more names start appearing as more teams are eliminated from the playoffs and executives feel comfortable searching for a new job. However, it may be time to consider the idea that nobody wants that role in Buffalo.
Lets put you in this role. You have to:
- Serve under/with a General Manager that still has a job after five seasons of not making the playoffs
- Report to an owner that seems to be overly involved in the decision making
- Work within an organization that will not grant you autonomy to make decisions
But also your qualifications must be an experienced NHL executive that would outrank Kevyn Adams in everything except for title alone. Would you take a senior advising job in Buffalo if you had those qualifications? There’s 32 NHL General Manager positions in the world, someone would definitely want to have one of those roles. But honestly, why would anyone genuinely want to be a Senior Advisor in Buffalo with qualifications to be the GM in Buffalo?
This is a massive offseason for Buffalo. There are many players that need new contracts, and the pressure is on to win. Any additions to the front office will be welcomed with open arms. But right now it seems like the organization is hamstringing themselves keeping Kevyn Adams as the general manager.
A new general manager would be encouraged to bring fresh ideas, new assistants and scouts, and potentially a different culture in Buffalo. Limiting yourself to hiring a senior sdvisor that has to have more qualifications than the current general manager limits all of those things.
The Sabres were eliminated from playoff contention on April 8th. So far, the only change has been Eric Staal. No senior advisor. No new direction. Just the same Sabres front office, still searching for help, still waiting on answers. And the longer this drags on, the more it feels like the Sabres are preparing for another season of more of the same. And in Buffalo, that’s the last thing fans want to hear.
