Kevyn Adams’ fourth offseason as the Sabres’ general manager was headlined by the additions of Connor Clifton and Erik Johnson.
Neither defenseman has performed up to expectations, but they have bolstered the Sabres’ blue-line depth and aided the team’s ailing penalty kill. Adams didn’t add a forward, though.
The approach has backfired. Internal improvement hasn’t occurred at the rate the Sabres were expecting. Dylan Cozens and Peyton Krebs have combined for five goals. Tage Thompson had six in 16 games. Injuries have drained head coach Don Granato’s depth and prospects from Rochester don’t seem ready to help.
The Sabres will be without Tage Thompson, Jack Quinn, Jordan Greenway, Zemgus Girgensons and potentially Alex Tuch when they host the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday night in KeyBank Center. The unexpected struggles for Buffalo (10-13-2) raised several glaring questions about Adams’ offseason approach, some of which I addressed in my latest mailbag:
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@JSymon86: When will Kevyn Adams admit he made a mistake by not leveraging his tradable assets to help the roster?
Lysowski: Adams has shown level-headed patience through chaotic times, including the Jack Eichel saga and the Sabres’ multiple losing streaks last season. A manager in professional sports can’t be emotional and react in an irresponsible way. He took a calculated risk in the summer by choosing to not sign or acquire a forward once the team learned that Jack Quinn will be out until approximately January. The Sabres elected to monitor the situation and evaluate young players while pursuing Patrick Kane. Victor Olofsson and Tyson Jost were brought back after they were healthy scratches late last season.
Zach Benson, the Sabres’ selection with the 13th pick of the 2023 draft, made a surprising push to make the roster. Though it’s evident Benson is going to be an outstanding NHL player, he only has two goals in 15 games. Matt Savoie, Jiri Kulich and Isak Rosen weren’t ready to be consistent difference-makers in Buffalo. And the Sabres should have added another forward even if Quinn were healthy.
All signs pointed to the 22-year-old winger having a breakthrough this season, but Quinn had only two goals in the final 21 games of 2022-23. They shouldn’t count on him to be in top form when he returns from the Achilles injury. The Sabres need to make a move after missing out on Kane. They can’t afford to be indecisive or hope a prospect suddenly starts producing in the NHL.
Fred Dann: Did Sabres owner Terry Pegula have a role in the decision to not spend more on a forward in the offseason?
Lysowski: We’ve seen since Pegula bought the team in 2011 that he’s willing to spend to build a winner. The Sabres were a cap team, or close to it, prior to the pandemic. He even committed $8 million to bring Taylor Hall to Buffalo for the 2020-21 season. The decision to not sign or trade for another forward was made by Adams.
Matt Cohen: Are the Sabres scouting forwards on struggling NHL teams to try to broker a trade?
Lysowski: They better be. It’s challenging to make a trade in December, especially when sellers know you’re desperate. Other teams are aware of the Sabres’ injuries. They also know Adams can’t afford for this to be a lost season. As a result, the prices might be higher. General managers must make bold, risky moves at times, though. I’m not suggesting he should squander all his cap space and prospect capital, but we’ve seen through 25 games that the roster needs another capable forward. He can’t wait too long to act.
@4starGeneral17: At what point does the blame fall on Don Granato and his staff?
Lysowski: The blame should be shared by management, coaches and players. Granato has said since the start of training camp that every decision will be made with winning in mind, yet the Sabres were experimenting with their practice lines throughout training camp, and you could argue that doing so led to some of their top players struggling. It’s important for this organization to maintain a long-term view while prioritizing winning, but I can’t say I agreed with the decision to sacrifice chemistry with your NHL players so prospects could receive a valuable development opportunity.
Plus, the Sabres are still losing too many faceoffs, and their focus on improved team defense hasn’t worked.
Gabrielor89: Why is there no urgency to end the drought?
Lysowski: Adams is mindful of the drought. He’s expressed his respect and empathy for how it has impacted fans, but, from his perspective, he’s only responsible for a small portion of those 12 years. He won’t compromise his long-term vision to appease the fans. It’s a logical approach. Still, the Sabres must recognize the foundation of this roster is strong enough to make the playoffs if he improves it around the margins. No one is suggesting he hand a lucrative, long-term contract to an aging player. He also can’t wait for a bunch of prospects to save the day, either. Some won’t pan out. And this team will eventually have trouble signing players such as Casey Mittelstadt, Henri Jokiharju and even Alex Tuch. Core players such as Rasmus Dahlin need to experience the playoffs as soon as possible.
@NTSabres21: Do you see the issues with “compete” referenced by Adams and players as any indication of a lack of effort or motivation, or more of an in-game confidence issue?
Lysowski: From my view, the Sabres seem to constantly teeter between overconfident and not confident enough. They will play their best period of the season and, despite obvious challenges, try to execute the same game plan the following night against a different opponent. Or they press to score because, as Granato pointed out Sunday night, they are well-aware of their first-period issues. Riding the highs and lows is a dangerous approach in an 82-game season.
Eric: What is the coaching staff doing to address these slow starts?
Lysowski: Practice time is an issue right now because of their schedule. You can’t overwork guys at a morning skate. So, a coaching staff must rely on individual, group and team-wide meetings. Fans want to see yelling and screaming. Granato has done that behind the scenes. You can’t play that card every day, though. There needs to be a balance. His practices are fast-paced and exhaustive, unlike those run by Ralph Krueger, but it wouldn’t hurt to skate them even harder as a reminder that their play isn’t acceptable.