While the Buffalo Sabers are battling yet another calamitous season, first-year general manager Kevyn Adams said the status of coach Ralph Krueger is being assessed and that frustrated playmaker Jack Eichel has not requested a switch.
The Sabers are in last place in the Eastern Division with a record of 6-12-3. Its percentage of 0.357 points would be the lowest since the 2014-15 season. Buffalo failed to qualify for the playoffs in nine consecutive seasons. MoneyPuck, a hockey odds website, gives Sabers a 3.1% chance of making it to the playoffs, the NHL’s second worst, ahead of Detroit.
“It just isn’t good enough. I’m angry. I hope all of you are angry. I hope all of our fans are angry. Because that means you care, and it’s a good place to start.” Adams said. “I was strengthened by [owners] Terry and Kim Pegula to fix this, and that’s what I’m going to do. “
A widely speculated solution would be to fire Krueger, who made 36-43-11 (0.461) since taking over the Buffalo bench last season. He has been the team’s sixth coach since 2012.
Adams said Krueger, like everything else on the team, is being evaluated as the season continues. Adams said he is looking at decisions that would affect the Sabers in the short and long term, but that the players’ belief in Krueger is something he had to balance in his assessment process.
“We are very honest with each other,” said Adams. “He understands that the situation we are in is unacceptable, that it just isn’t good enough.”
It was speculated whether Adams could even make the decision to fire Krueger, given the organization’s management structure and the power exercised by owners Terry and Kim Pegula over hockey operations. But Adams said he had “total authority” in hockey decisions, although he spoke with “Terry and Kim about everything”.
The other big topic of discussion was Eichel, the player in the 24-year franchise who is battling his worst goal campaign in six NHL seasons, with two goals in 19 games. Eichel has 16 points.
Adams did not confirm whether Eichel was injured.
“I would never get in touch with what a player is dealing with on a daily basis,” he said. “If there are updates, it would certainly always be transparent for those kinds of things.”
In the last off-season, there was a rumor that Eichel was available for an exchange and that he had asked to leave Buffalo. His agent, Peter Fish, told Bob McKenzie of TSN that “Jack wants to win, he’s frustrated, but no, he doesn’t want to leave.”
Adams said that despite Eichel’s frustration, “he didn’t ask for an exchange” from the Sabers.
“Jack is someone I skipped things over,” said Adams. “He spoke to me. We have an open dialogue.”
As for trade negotiations involving Eichel, Adams reiterated what he said in the off-season: The teams are calling him, but he is not buying Eichel.
“Jack is one of the best players in the world,” he said. “If people are going to make a call and ask, of course. But that’s the extension. For me, Jack is someone when you see what kind of dynamic differentiator he can be, there aren’t that many in the league like him.”