"Fire Kevyn Adams" "Imagine going there on purpose": Sabres fans react as Conor Timmins signs 2-year, $4.4M contract with Buffalo

The Buffalo Sabres, who ranked 26th last season with a 36-39-7 record, signed defenseman Conor Timmins to a two-year contract worth $4.4 million on Sunday. His average annual salary will be $2.2 million.

Timmins was traded to Buffalo from Pittsburgh on June 28. On July 1, he became a restricted free agent, and negotiations between the two parties have continued ever since. With this agreement, they avoided the salary arbitration process.

The team sees the defenseman as depth for their blue line. His past seasons have been plagued by injuries, limiting him to just 51 games in the 2023-24 season and 17 in the last season.

Soon after the signing was made public, fans reacted to it.

“Fire Kevyn Adams,” one fan said about the Sabres GM. “Imagine going there on purpose,” another fan wrote. "Solid move unless he spends more time in the press box than on the ice again." a fan wrote.

Some fans questioned Conor Timmins' contract, raising doubts and suggesting more appropriate contract numbers.

"That’s a ridiculous overpay, but I guess they need to get to the salary cap floor" a fan mentioned. "He should be on a two way league min - 1.5 max. 2.2 mil is absurd 😂😂" another fan wrote. "I don’t even like chirping the Sabres anymore But this is atrocious lol" a fan said.

Sabres' GM's comment on Conor Timmins' signing

Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams said Conor Timmins is a solid two-way player. He believes Timmins adds depth and support for the future.

"He's a solid two-way player that is big, a right shot, and I think it just really solidifies our (defense) corps moving forward," Adams said, via NHL.com.

In April, after their 14th playoff miss, coach Lindy Ruff said he wants the Sabres to play better and manage the puck more.

“We have work to do. We have work to do as a team, establishing the way we need to play," Ruff said, via The Athletic.

Buffalo had a 13-game winless streak in December, and they stayed in last place in the NHL's Eastern Conference for over three months. The Sabres have not played in the playoffs since April 2011.

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Edited by Krutik Jain