Aug 19, 2020
Sabres GM Adams: 'We need to be better'
Buffalo Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams said Tuesday he plans to ensure the team takes a step forward after missing the playoffs for the ninth consecutive season.
TSN.ca Staff
Buffalo Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams said Tuesday he plans to ensure the team takes a step forward after missing the playoffs for the ninth consecutive season.
"You need to win the day, right? Like, that's how I try to focus every day on, first of all, win the moments, right? Every moment that you're in try to get better and better, and then win the day and then win the next day and do it again. … That's how we want to move forward," Adams said, per NHL,com. "I understand in this position there's urgency, our fan base wants to see us succeed. So do I and so do all of us, and we need to be better.
"We need to put a better team on the ice, and I understand that. That's what we're doing right now, we're working every day to win those moments that will hopefully translate across the board to on-ice success."
Adams, who took over the GM position in June when the Sabres fired Jason Botterill, said that changes could come to the roster this off-season as he looks to create better chemistry on the ice.
"Our team right now has a lot of really good players," Adams said. "What maybe hasn't been exactly right is how they all fit together. I'm working on that, I'm thinking a lot about that, I'm talking to a lot of different people.
"I'm just trying to find out how we put that together, not just how the lineup looks on paper but then how they ultimately sync up together. I think if you watch the playoffs, you see chemistry within lines, within [defence] pairs, just that kind of natural flow that some of the top-end teams build throughout their lineups."
The Sabres have seven players who are scheduled to hit restricted free agency, including Sam Reinhart, Victor Olofsson and Brandon Montour, and five players slated for unrestricted free agency. Of the team's forwards from this season, only Jack Eichel, Jeff Skinner, Kyle Okposo and Marcus Johansson have a contract in place for next season.
Buffalo is projected to have $34.5 million in cap space for next season with just 10 players under contract, according to CapFriendly.