BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) Buffalo Sabres owners Terry and Kim Pegula reversed course by firing general manager Jason Botterill on Tuesday as part of a drastic cost-cutting purge of front-office staff and scouts on a team preparing to sit idle for what could be the remainder of the calendar year.

The Pegulas cited a lack of communication and philosophical differences in announcing the decision to fire Botterill, three weeks after saying the GM would be retained.

What also became clear during a Zoom conference call with the owners was their sudden focus on keeping costs in line, with Terry Pegula twice mentioning a need to have an effectively, efficiently and economically run franchise, while adding: "We're going to get leaner."