Ought to The Buffalo Sabres Have Tried To Get Ken Holland As Their GM?

When the NHL this week announced longtime GM Ken Holland joined the hockey operations department as a consultant, no person was all that stunned.

Holland is as skilled of a hockey lifer as they arrive, and he’s had a slew of success to his credit score, together with 4 Stanley Cup championships with Detroit, and a visit to the Cup remaining final season with Edmonton.

Holland did not get one other GM job after he and the Oilers selected to half methods this previous summer season, however Holland might be a terrific rent for any workforce that is likely to be altering administration quickly – and by that, we imply the Buffalo Sabres.

Related: Former Red Wings, Oilers GM Ken Holland Lands New Job With NHL

As we’ve seen to this point this 12 months, the Sabres are nicely behind the highest of the pack within the Atlantic Division. They’re presently seventh within the division, simply three standings factors forward of the last-place Montreal Canadiens. That, in our opinion, has put Buffalo GM Kevyn Adams on the new seat.

Would Sabres possession take a look at what the Columbus Blue Jackets did final summer season and usher in an skilled hand to run the workforce, the way in which the Jackets did by hiring Don Waddell as their GM? Stranger issues have occurred, to make certain.

Holland doesn’t have something to show to anybody in his Hockey Corridor of Fame profession. However we’d wager that Holland nonetheless has the itch to run a workforce, even one which’s been stunningly unsuccessful the way in which the Sabres have been prior to now decade-and-a-half. And if Holland’s steerage acquired Buffalo into the playoffs and on a deep run as soon as they acquired there – the identical manner he did when he took the Oilers’ job in 2019, Sabres followers could be overjoyed with him.

Like all skilled GM, Holland has had his highs and lows within the expertise acquisition division. Oilers observers can be fast to inform you he made some errors in Edmonton, however only a few groups and GMs can boast they acquired inside one win of profitable a Cup the way in which the Oilers and Holland did final season. Holland’s pedigree could be the tonic Sabres supporters are looking for proper now.

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Adams could have a little bit of touchdown strip left to attempt to get Buffalo on the best course and right into a playoff spot, but when he doesn’t, there can be no scarcity of GM candidates for Sabres possession to contemplate. Adams already modified the coach twice, they usually nonetheless have not been overly spectacular on offense or protection.

Holland can level to his success constructing a profitable workforce if he chooses to pursue Buffalo’s job if and when it opens up. Edmonton’s protection group and offensive efficiency improved underneath his watch by bringing in Zach Hyman, Mattias Ekholm and Adam Henrique, for starters. And the Pink Wings have been defensively accountable for years underneath Holland.

There’s a cause Holland is considered a “advisor” with the NHL and never a job title that feels extra everlasting. Holland is aware of full nicely he possible received’t get extra kicks on the can as a GM, and identical to Waddell did with Columbus, he’d possible leap on the alternative to steer one other group of gamers towards their final purpose.

Holland could also be 69 years outdated, however Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello is 13 years older than Holland, so there’s extra time on the clock for Holland if the best scenario have been to pop up. If the Sabres do not enhance, possibly that might be the best scenario.