Sabres development staff builds trust, relationships with prospects

Now more than ever before, player development departments are establishing themselves as a crucial part of winning organizations. In recent years, teams have been allocating more time and resources into developing young talent to maximize their potential.
While player development looks different from team to team, the Buffalo Sabres have prioritized building trusting relationships to support prospects on and off the ice.
"I think that the main way to create a good relationship with someone is just to show them that you care and that you care about them as an individual and their family," Adam Mair said.
"I think we start there by just getting to know them better because all of us know that we're people and we have a lot of other things going on outside of our sport, our job, our school, and that part is important, too.

Mair played 615 NHL games, including 498 with the Sabres. Once his playing career ended, he spent two seasons as a development coach with Canisius College and five more in the same role with the Sabres. Following a brief stint as an assistant coach with the Rochester Americans, he returned to the Sabres' development staff in 2021 as director of player development.
In his new role, Mair focused on adding coaches who had the ability to create mutually beneficial relationships with prospects and be strong communicators. The team hired Sabres alumni Tim Kennedy and Nathan Paetsch as development coaches under Mair, joining skating development coach Mike Ansell and goaltending development coach Seamus Kotyk on the staff.
"We're in constant contact with our players, whether it's through text message or WhatsApp. At a minimum, we're on the phone with them probably once a week," Mair said. "We also incorporate Zoom calls and video feedback with the players. That extends to their coaching staffs and their support systems where they are, as well. We connect with them and talk to them."
The approach seems to be working for the group as rookies Owen Power, JJ Peterka and Jack Quinn have all found success in Buffalo this season. In the 2022-23 campaign, the trio has combined for 26 goals and 61 assists, forming essential roles in the Sabres' lineup.
At the same time, the organization has also seen promising development in prospects playing for their respective teams outside of Buffalo, including Devon Levi. On March 17, the Sabres signed Levi to a three-year, entry-level contract just days after his junior season at Northeastern University ended in the Hockey East Tournament.

"It is, believe me, very rewarding when a player that you've worked with is contributing for Rochester or Buffalo," Mair said. "I'm lucky enough to be able to see some of those players in the Sabres' lineup nightly, which is exciting. Tim and Nathan, who started not long ago, were very fortunate to work with Owen, who is there now. So, that is something that is a very exciting thing for our group."
The rewarding aspects of the job don't come without a lot of hard work and flexibility from the development staff, especially since many young prospects are ways away from contributing to the Sabres and are working with their own coaches and teams.
To plan effectively, the department meets biweekly over Zoom to ensure all the reporting and paperwork gets done and that the prospects always have resources available to them.
"We typically travel each week to see our prospects. Either one or a number of them, depending on our schedule," Mair said. "We coordinate with each other to make sure our schedules aren't overlapping and we're getting the proper coverage that we need. We'll travel most weeks. Typically, I would say a travel schedule would be like a Wednesday to a Monday or a Thursday to a Sunday, depending on when the players are playing."
In addition to these trips, the group makes time to get on the ice with players in Rochester and watch the Amerks' games to follow up on those players and their development. The department also coordinates with the Sabres' training and performance staff, which includes a strength and conditioning team, nutritionist, dietitian, and mental skills support coach, to support prospects.
"We make sure that we align those resources and identify specific needs for different players," Mair said. "We'll make sure that they get connected and directed to the right outlet for support and resources to follow up on that level.
"They are all important pieces to our development team. We coordinate with them and facilitate that communication so there is a plan in place that meets the needs of the entire person and the entire athlete."
Although on-ice development is key, Mair stresses getting to know the players off the ice in order to build up trust.
"We spend a lot of time one-on-one with the players when we go on our visits," Mair said. "We try to get them away from the rink and show them that we're just here to connect with them on a personal level. Whether it's taking them to lunch or having a coffee, that's a big important piece because those in-person visits and those in-person connections are hard to duplicate and replicate."
Defenseman Mats Lindgren is one of the prospects who has been positively impacted by the Sabres' development staff this year and values his time spent with Mair and crew. The 106th-overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, Lindgren has appeared in 61 games this season for the Red Deer Rebels of the WHL. He has recorded 11 goals and 23 assists, including 20 points on the power play.
"It's been really great," Lindgren said. "It shows that they care a lot and it makes me happy. It gives me confidence when they are coming out and watching me play, going out for dinner, and just talking about the games and what I can improve on.
"I'm really happy with how they do things in Buffalo, and I'm so thankful for Adam, Nathan, and Tim for taking their time to come out and watch me and everything. It's been great so far. Even just sending me video clips of what I can do better, breaking down video, talking with me on the phone. They're always available for me to reach out to them whenever I want, and they've made that very clear. It's amazing to have people like that who you can reach out to."

It is no coincidence that the player development team is readily available when the prospects need something. Mair emphasizes making sure that when players need a member of the staff, that they're available and there for them. While it can be challenging at times, it helps form trust early on in the process.
"Early on, the players tend to be a little bit nervous and tentative," Mair said. "It's natural. You get drafted by an NHL team after it's been your dream to get to that level.
"…But really, we want the guys to feel comfortable and feel a part of the Sabres family. Getting that done as quickly as possible is, for me, one of the most important things and letting them know we're here for support. We're not here to evaluate you, we're here to help you. We've been in your shoes before, and we know how difficult it is. The sooner that we can build that trust, the easier for us it is to help the player."
With diverse skillsets and experiences, Mair, Kennedy, and Paetsch are able to relate to prospects and share their hockey expertise. The trio uses this to meet prospects on their level and then identifies some areas they can improve on to get them ready for professional hockey.
For Lindgren, that means improving his two-way game and making an impact on both ends of the ice.
"I'm working on being a complete player and simplifying some areas," Lindgren said. "I think that's been a huge part that we're trying to build on. Just becoming a two-way player and being really good in the D-zone as well as the offensive zone."
Over time, the player development staff notices the most growth in prospects' physical development while also seeing strides in maturity and the understanding of the importance of daily habits and routines.
With a talented prospect pool and the hard work behind the scenes by Mair and his staff, the Sabres are positioning themselves to be a force in the NHL.
"Being a part of the Buffalo Sabres' prospect pool has been unreal," Lindgren emphasized. "The potential and just how the team is looking right now in Buffalo, it's amazing. It's exciting watching their games and seeing what they're going to be like in a few years, or even next year.
"It's very exciting for me to, hopefully, be a part of that one day."