If the TSN article is true, almost all the teams will have some type of a lower cap mandate. Too bad Botts screwed us over and the Pegulas are cheapening out at the wrong time. There are going to be some amazing players made available at bargain prices. Financially sound teams like the Leafs and Rangers will be able to take advantage.
- SabreWest

I thought this as well. If you wanted to get good players on the cheap this is the year to do it. There might be one more year of a flat cap and then it should come back. Couldn't they suck it up for a year and lost 10 or 15 mill in order to get good players? I mean we are talking about billionaires here. Then again, the Bruins are talking about the same thing and their owner has even more cash. I guess it shows you where the priorities are.

Name 4 more.

Edit: Scratch that, Dudley was never a president.
- Lunaion

Does a President absolutely require experience at that position, or is it possible for someone with extensive experience be promoted into the position?
If previous experience as a President is required, why, and how do you explain all the promotions in the world of hockey, and in all other industries?

I'd submit that holding of such a title is not in fact a requirement.

Just a note of reference - he changed his formula from last year to this year and that was the big reason for the jump.

I still think Tage is a better prospect than Mitts.
- Slump Buster

interesting take

Based on a $72 mill spend:

Olo - Jack - Tage
Skin - Mitts - Rhino
Mojo - Cozens - Kahun

Flip Mojo and Cozens as required. And hope to God that both Mitts and Tage are ready for the show.
- SabreWest

So your saying that the 2021-1st is expected to be a top5 pick eh?

So your saying that the 2021-1st is expected to be a top5 pick eh?
- IonSabres

tank till 2023 itll be awesome we'll have like a million cups after that emirite

FIFY
- Wetbandit1

thank you

I thought this as well. If you wanted to get good players on the cheap this is the year to do it. There might be one more year of a flat cap and then it should come back. Couldn't they suck it up for a year and lost 10 or 15 mill in order to get good players? I mean we are talking about billionaires here. Then again, the Bruins are talking about the same thing and their owner has even more cash. I guess it shows you where the priorities are.
- Slump Buster

Lot's in here...
Financially:
It has been reported that the Sabres have been estimated to have lost between $10m and $30m a year for many years...although as a private business, official financial statements aren't published. Some of that loss is offset by the increasing value of the team...but that increase isn't realized in actual cash until the team is sold, as we know.
Couple that with the significant decrease in gas and oil prices... the empire isn't what it was a year or so ago.
It's easy to spend other people's money, right?

Roster:
Sabres are closer to finishing last that they maybe to making the playoffs.
If they are banking on the youngins to pull them through, the Sabres could have another high draft selection in 2021. There are many holes to fill to bring this roster to a playoff level caliber ... 2C, 2RW, 3C or 3RW depending on Cozens, 1RhD, 2LhD, G...5 or 6 positions.
They have redundancy at 2RhD with Risto, Montour, Miller and Joker...which amounts to ~$14m ...of which about $8m - $9m is unnecessary...assuming they can trade 2 of Risto, Monte, Miller.
Only problem is, it is a tough year to try to trade big contracts...
That said, it is a great year to weaponize the Cap Space in an effort to bring in better talent and plug those holes.
To your point, it will be an opportunity missed if they decide to turtle and cut $9m or so in the Roster Budget.

Some are choosing to ignore what the Pegulas have alluded to, to our HB insiders, to NHL insiders and local reporters who have all indicated they heard of an internal budget.
The only source who disputes that is a kid on an internet hockey blog that has 7 years of Freshman and Sophmore college classes under his belt...a Blutarski so to speak! Did we give up when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?

We're 5th because he changes the rating system from 'prospects' (I think less than a season of NHL experience) to 22 and under.
- TheSabresTaco

Yes. I was providing additional context because I know Gerbe will never pay for something like The Athletic.

And I think the new system is more useful. Why penalize a team's organizational depth for having recent draft picks already contributing in the NHL?

So your saying that the 2021-1st is expected to be a top5 pick eh?
- IonSabres

I’ll say
Olo. Jack. Okposo
Skinner. Haula Sam
Mojo. Kahun. Casey
Tage. Casey. Simmonds

IF true then what's that say about the owners, he'd be working in his own backyard and still turned it down. Could it be that the word is out that they are meddling owners and no one wants part of it. It's shocking that after all this time owning the team they continue to hire first time GM's which hasn't worked to this point and they are at the crossroads with their superstar center yet continue the same type of hirings.
They got lucky with the Bills bc they hired a coach who is strong willed who brought his choice for GM with him and they let them do their thing and it turned out ok. The ROR trade will forever define Botts stay here as GM but it's not that ROR was traded but the garbage he accepted in return that set the Sabres back three years.
To quote Martin Hall "If you keep doing what you've been doing, you'll keep getting what you've been getting. Make the effort, make the change, it's worth it"
- Leninthebuff

rookie gms

coaches nobody else wanted (disco sucks dan and ralph) or rookie coaches


not one nhl gm with experience signed to come here


not one decent vet nhl coach that was on in demand signed to come here



hell last gm search was done internal



but money is no object

I’ll say
Olo. Jack. Okposo
Skinner. Haula Sam
Mojo. Kahun. Casey
Tage. Casey. Simmonds
- Camel

One Casey is more than enough for me 😉

rookie gms

coaches nobody else wanted (disco sucks dan and ralph) or rookie coaches


not one nhl gm with experience signed to come here


not one decent vet nhl coach that was on in demand signed to come here



hell last gm search was done internal



but money is no object
- navinrjohnson

Most of what you posted has nothing to do with money, you know that, right?

Lot's in here...
Financially:
It has been reported that the Sabres have been estimated to have lost between $10m and $30m a year for many years...although as a private business, official financial statements aren't published. Some of that loss is offset by the increasing value of the team...but that increase isn't realized in actual cash until the team is sold, as we know.
Couple that with the significant decrease in gas and oil prices... the empire isn't what it was a year or so ago.
It's easy to spend other people's money, right?

Roster:
Sabres are closer to finishing last that they maybe to making the playoffs.
If they are banking on the youngins to pull them through, the Sabres could have another high draft selection in 2021. There are many holes to fill to bring this roster to a playoff level caliber ... 2C, 2RW, 3C or 3RW depending on Cozens, 1RhD, 2LhD, G...5 or 6 positions.
They have redundancy at 2RhD with Risto, Montour, Miller and Joker...which amounts to ~$14m ...of which about $8m - $9m is unnecessary...assuming they can trade 2 of Risto, Monte, Miller.
Only problem is, it is a tough year to try to trade big contracts...
That said, it is a great year to weaponize the Cap Space in an effort to bring in better talent and plug those holes.
To your point, it will be an opportunity missed if they decide to turtle and cut $9m or so in the Roster Budget.

Some are choosing to ignore what the Pegulas have alluded to, to our HB insiders, to NHL insiders and local reporters who have all indicated they heard of an internal budget.
The only source who disputes that is a kid on an internet hockey blog that has 7 years of Freshman and Sophmore college classes under his belt...a Blutarski so to speak! Did we give up when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?
- IonSabres

So in a battle of Terry “the fan boy” Pegula and Kim “dont f with my lifestyle” Pegula, who wins?

If an internal cap of say $70 mil (actual dollars out) is the budget.... but the “fan boy” has a chance to bring in a $6 million dollar contract.... who wins the battle? Does the internal cap get pushed to make the fan boy happy? Or does “the lifestyle” keep her cabin boy Croom?

It’ll be an interesting battle...

One Casey is more than enough for me 😉
- Powerslave

Good point

One Casey is more than enough for me 😉
- Powerslave

they need to double shift him in order to work off the baby fat so that gerbe can approve of his BMI

Yes. I was providing additional context because I know Gerbe will never pay for something like The Athletic.

And I think the new system is more useful. Why penalize a team's organizational depth for having recent draft picks already contributing in the NHL?
- JetpackJesus

You don't need to cater to the guy willing to make $3000 bets with his dad's money.

rookie gms

coaches nobody else wanted (disco sucks dan and ralph) or rookie coaches

not one nhl gm with experience signed to come here

not one decent vet nhl coach that was on in demand signed to come here

hell last gm search was done internal

but money is no object
- navinrjohnson

was there even a search.. i don't know why they didn't just name Kim the GM and get it over with

was there even a search.. i don't know why they didn't just name Kim the GM and get it over with
- SabresFaninIndiana

Of COURSE there was a search. They interviewed the Zamboni driver, Adams, Matt f-ing Ellis and Andrew Peters. Rob Ray was rumored to be in the running but showed up with a hotdog in each hand.

So in a battle of Terry “the fan boy” Pegula and Kim “dont f with my lifestyle” Pegula, who wins?

If an internal cap of say $70 mil (actual dollars out) is the budget.... but the “fan boy” has a chance to bring in a $6 million dollar contract.... who wins the battle? Does the internal cap get pushed to make the fan boy happy? Or does “the lifestyle” keep her cabin boy Croom?

It’ll be an interesting battle...
- Gr8daygo

I'm not going to get too worked up about this just yet. The article said they were "considering" an internal cap of $70 million. That could mean they are working under that plan, or that someone merely put the idea on a list while brainstorming.

Of COURSE there was a search. They interviewed the Zamboni driver, Adams, Matt f-ing Ellis and Andrew Peters. Rob Ray was rumored to be in the running but showed up with a hotdog in each hand.
- Gr8daygo

Don’t sleep on the Zamboni driver. They typically are better than the Toronto maple leaves

Don’t sleep on the Zamboni driver. They typically are better than the Toronto maple leaves
- IndianaSabresFan

They haven’t named an assistant gm yet... or maybe he’s taking Adams old job and being groomed to replace Adams already?

I'm not going to get too worked up about this just yet. The article said they were "considering" an internal cap of $70 million. That could mean they are working under that plan, or that someone merely put the idea on a list while brainstorming.
- buffalofan19

I tend to agree. I’m sure teams are going to do everything they can to tighten the belt for at least a year. Or whenever the new tv deal is in place.

And I still think the RFA and UFA terms are going to be very interesting. I’m not sure you can say it’ll be “business as usual” on that front.

So who will be the first few RFAs signed and will those deals set a market.

It would be interesting to see a number of 1 year deals with a slight increase in pay. I’m just not sure the players take that risk...

I thought this as well. If you wanted to get good players on the cheap this is the year to do it. There might be one more year of a flat cap and then it should come back. Couldn't they suck it up for a year and lost 10 or 15 mill in order to get good players? I mean we are talking about billionaires here. Then again, the Bruins are talking about the same thing and their owner has even more cash. I guess it shows you where the priorities are.
- Slump Buster

What people forget sometimes that owning a hockey team or any sports team is a business. It needs to be run as such. Most of these owners got to being owners by not taking loses on businesses. It goes against their nature to allow it. Fans don't think of it that way. Just food for thought

What people forget sometimes that owning a hockey team or any sports team is a business. It needs to be run as such. Most of these owners got to being owners by not taking loses on businesses. It goes against their nature to allow it. Fans don't think of it that way. Just food for thought
- SDSabre

And there in lies the difference between Terry and Tom...

Tom the businessman - “breakeven, call me in Rochester if you need anything”

Terry the fan boy - break the bank for mediocre players, throw good money after bad and never put the money where it could do the most good for the team (experienced management). And when he finally lost enough money And drilling another well wouldn’t help, now it’s the “lean” approach.

I guess we will just have to wait and see what happens, we can female dog all we want. Even if they cut the payroll doesn’t mean changes can't be made. Most UFA's and RFA's weren't gonna get the big paydays like they were expecting when the Cap was announced anyways. Know they are gonna have to bet on themselves, take a shorter deal for a few years and play good hockey and then cash in when the Cap goes up. Unfortunately for some of the older players, this flat cap will hurt them.