Hank Balling: Jerry Forton Crushed It

Nice to see how much people care.

Hank Balling: Jerry Forton Crushed It
- Hank Balling

Great blog, but I think it was the collective group that crushed it. Forton without Ventura and co batted well below the Mendoza line

Great blog, but I think it was the collective group that crushed it. Forton without Ventura and co batted well below the Mendoza line
- Michael Ghofrani

Still hoping for GM Ventura soon.

Still hoping for GM Ventura soon.
- Lunaion

Don’t give me hope like that. Very dangerous drug for us

Don’t give me hope like that. Very dangerous drug for us
- Michael Ghofrani

Just think about how much more you would have liked this draft with him making the calls.

Nice Hank!! It was good to see, obviously some growth within the Organization up top. But it ain't all Lollipops and cotton candy. They have a lot of work to do with the Organizations perception around the league. Today should have been a eye opener to people. And I don't want to hear that bullsh!t about it was the player's right with his contract, cause that's just a excuse and having blinders on.

Just think about how much more you would have liked this draft with him making the calls.
- Lunaion

I would have gone to the draft if he were making the calls (with dom)

Nice Hank!! It was good to see, obviously some growth within the Organization up top. But it ain't all Lollipops and cotton candy. They have a lot of work to do with the Organizations perception around the league. Today should have been a eye opener to people. And I don't want to hear that bullsh!t about it was the player's right with his contract, cause that's just a excuse and having blinders on.
- Buff36

But it was.

You can blame the last decade all you want, and you wouldn't be wrong, but it WAS the player's right and choice(s) not to accept a trade here.

There's nothing anyone in the Sabres brass can do about it, though, but move forward and hope that they can change things for the better.

I know for a fact that NO ONE in that management group thinks one second about what's happened before they got there. Why do we, as fans, dwell on it? It's unhealthy.

But it was.

You can blame the last decade all you want, and you wouldn't be wrong, but it WAS the player's right and choice(s) not to accept a trade here.

There's nothing anyone in the Sabres brass can do about it, though, but move forward and hope that they can change things for the better.

I know for a fact that NO ONE in that management group thinks one second about what's happened before they got there. Why do we, as fans, dwell on it? It's unhealthy.
- Powerslave

The point is he did it because of how bad we are and have been. Jesus Christ if he doesn't get traded he might not even be playing in the NHL with Ottawa. This is the last I will bring this up. Losing breeds losing and are fan base has blindly followed me included. I am done giving this team breaks and waiting for next year.

According to league sources, Kirill Kaprizov was turned away from returning to the United States.
Kaprizov has reportedly been mixed up in a political situation regarding his military requirements, but there hasn't been much in the way of information or confirmations about his status. According to Michael Russo of The Athletic, it's "something that is privately sending shivers down the spines of everybody in the Wild organization even if they’re publicly saying otherwise."

According to league sources, Kirill Kaprizov was turned away from returning to the United States.
Kaprizov has reportedly been mixed up in a political situation regarding his military requirements, but there hasn't been much in the way of information or confirmations about his status. According to Michael Russo of The Athletic, it's "something that is privately sending shivers down the spines of everybody in the Wild organization even if they’re publicly saying otherwise."
- SABRES 89

Oh Boy

According to league sources, Kirill Kaprizov was turned away from returning to the United States.
Kaprizov has reportedly been mixed up in a political situation regarding his military requirements, but there hasn't been much in the way of information or confirmations about his status. According to Michael Russo of The Athletic, it's "something that is privately sending shivers down the spines of everybody in the Wild organization even if they’re publicly saying otherwise."
- SABRES 89

Didn't the Wild come out earlier and say he was in the States.

The point is he did it because of how bad we are and have been. Jesus Christ if he doesn't get traded he might not even be playing in the NHL with Ottawa. This is the last I will bring this up. Losing breeds losing and are fan base has blindly followed me included. I am done giving this team breaks and waiting for next year.
- Buff36

I think last season showed that the fans actually were fed up. But as soon as they showed a pulse in the second half, they started trickling back.

According to league sources, Kirill Kaprizov was turned away from returning to the United States.
Kaprizov has reportedly been mixed up in a political situation regarding his military requirements, but there hasn't been much in the way of information or confirmations about his status. According to Michael Russo of The Athletic, it's "something that is privately sending shivers down the spines of everybody in the Wild organization even if they’re publicly saying otherwise."
- SABRES 89

Holy cow.

Didn't the Wild come out earlier and say he was in the States.
- Buff36

I wonder if he was denied access cause he doesn't have his visa yet. I think certain euros were given an exception to play without one during the pandemic.

Appreciate the post Hank. I am not sure the bar has been set comically low. Assuming you've had some s*tty people leaders in your career, whose micro managing incompetence has destroyed morale from top down. Why would it be any different for an NHL franchise? People don't quit jobs, they quit bosses. Hell, I've been through it too in my career. Why would an NHL franchise be immune to what many of us deal with on a daily basis. My thoughts are that we hold our sports teams to a different standard, perfection, but in the end a business is a business.

What I saw from Fortin today was an employee whose been through some poop, seen some poop, dealt with plenty of bullpoop and finally feels empowered and trusted to bring about meaningful change in the organization. This is a credit to KA and the culture he's created, which absolutely means something and can't be overlooked. I know we joke about PWWTBH, but after watching this clip, how can we question that approach?

Anyway, Appreciate you!

I think last season showed that the fans actually were fed up. But as soon as they showed a pulse in the second half, they started trickling back.
- Powerslave

Not talking about going back to the Arena. Well I hope the team on the ice keeps showing there pulse and growing and improving. Because if it doesn't next year what happened today will keep happening. And the fan base will say Well we got a lot of good prospects had a good draft, next year will be the Year for FA or Trades, but nobody will come, because we are stuck in GroundHog day and we still suck.

I wonder if he was denied access cause he doesn't have his visa yet. I think certain euros were given an exception to play without one during the pandemic.
- Michael Ghofrani

I don't know, thanks for that info though

Appreciate the post Hank. I am not sure the bar has been set comically low. Assuming you've had some s*tty people leaders in your career, whose micro managing incompetence has destroyed morale from top down. Why would it be any different for an NHL franchise? People don't quit jobs, they quit bosses. Hell, I've been through it too in my career. Why would an NHL franchise be immune to what many of us deal with on a daily basis. My thoughts are that we hold our sports teams to a different standard, perfection, but in the end a business is a business.

What I saw from Fortin today was an employee whose been through some poop, seen some poop, dealt with plenty of bullpoop and finally feels empowered and trusted to bring about meaningful change in the organization. This is a credit to KA and the culture he's created, which absolutely means something and can't be overlooked. I know we joke about PWWTBH, but after watching this clip, how can we question that approach?

Anyway, Appreciate you!
- The_Inkwell

Things have been fubar in Buffalo for a long time. The fact that someone running this team normally reduced Forton to tears is a testament to how bad it's been.

I'm thrilled that someone in the Sabres organization came out and showed some emotion. We sat here for years wondering if anyone actually cared about this team. They were seemingly on autopilot.

Congrats to Jerry and the entire team on the draft. It's great to know that they actually care and they seemingly did a good job.

I wasn’t sure - after this decade of misery - if anyone in the organization cared anymore

https://www.nhl.com/news/...f-free-agency/c-334901174

Nice Hank!! It was good to see, obviously some growth within the Organization up top. But it ain't all Lollipops and cotton candy. They have a lot of work to do with the Organizations perception around the league. Today should have been a eye opener to people. And I don't want to hear that bullsh!t about it was the player's right with his contract, cause that's just a excuse and having blinders on.
- Buff36

Now get a goalie

Now get a goalie
- Hank Balling

Not to many left. Think it's Holtby or one of the SJ goalie's. Or the Cook at Dinosaur Barbecue

Not to many left. Think it's Holtby or one of the SJ goalie's. Or the Cook at Dinosaur Barbecue
- Buff36

Rhinofan hasn't popped in recently. Maybe he's training...

Rhinofan hasn't popped in recently. Maybe he's training...
- Hank Balling

Could be, maybe that's who Biron has been pushing. Code name: Rhinofan