SabresFan26
Registered User
For most of Buffalo Sabres hockey history, It has been generally positive. An organization that won more often than it lost, and although didn't win a cup ever, made the playoffs pretty consistently.
Coming off a competitive late 90s surge, a slight dip early in the 2000s and after the lock out, a President trophy winning season, back to back conference finals appearances, we were starving for a Cup.
Heart broken by Drury and Briere leaving the Sabres never replaced that talent and asked Vanek, Roy, Pominville and others to replace that core. As fans, frustrated by the yearly fight to make the playoffs and lose in the first round, we became obsessed with the idea of needing a Patty Kane or Sidney Crosby or Alex Ovechkin, all whom were 1st overall picks to lead us into a new era. New ownership with endless money promised Hockey Heaven and finally ceded this was the way to do it.
We became obsessed with acquiring a number 1 pick nd traded everything to ice the worst possible hockey team to secure a bottom pick. We lost out to Florida but got Sam Reinhart in a weaker year. Then stripped down even more because of the Eichel/McDavid sweepstakes. We lost out on McDavid but secured surefire Jack Eichel. After securing Eichel, we acquired few players and spent a lot of draft capital to do it and had no depth after that and couldn't climb in the standings again. We acquire more top picks, Rasmus Dahlin. In 2019, we had 3 top 2 draft picks in Eichel/Reinhart/Dahlin and we still were 6-games under 500.
Since 2010, we've lost more than any other team in the NHL. It's been since April of 2011 since we played in a playoff game. Terry Pegula bought the team in February of 2011. We thought tanking and securing high draft picks was the answer to it all. Yes there would be some suffering as alluded by Darcy Regier but it would be worth it.
A few of the things I've learned from the Sabres:
- It starts at the top, you are a representation of your leadership
- Leaders build culture, culture drives behavior, behaviors achieve results
- We've created a culture of losing, that we can't overcome, we lack leaders who build winning behaviors in the group and demand it
- You need smart people and need to allow them the resources to be successful
- You need to draft and develop - It doesn't matter where you draft, it matters that you draft smart and have elite development
- You can't sacrifice the short-term for the long-term benefits of the program
- The best organizations don't rebuild, they reload because their leadership allows and supports it
In summary, I am sorry that we tanked. Winning is an all the time thing and we've built a losing culture. I would never support it again in any sport. We need a complete overhaul and it may start at the top or for Pegula to realize he has failed, admit it, learn, and hire someone who's qualified and give them the full green light.
Here's hoping that they get it right.
Coming off a competitive late 90s surge, a slight dip early in the 2000s and after the lock out, a President trophy winning season, back to back conference finals appearances, we were starving for a Cup.
Heart broken by Drury and Briere leaving the Sabres never replaced that talent and asked Vanek, Roy, Pominville and others to replace that core. As fans, frustrated by the yearly fight to make the playoffs and lose in the first round, we became obsessed with the idea of needing a Patty Kane or Sidney Crosby or Alex Ovechkin, all whom were 1st overall picks to lead us into a new era. New ownership with endless money promised Hockey Heaven and finally ceded this was the way to do it.
We became obsessed with acquiring a number 1 pick nd traded everything to ice the worst possible hockey team to secure a bottom pick. We lost out to Florida but got Sam Reinhart in a weaker year. Then stripped down even more because of the Eichel/McDavid sweepstakes. We lost out on McDavid but secured surefire Jack Eichel. After securing Eichel, we acquired few players and spent a lot of draft capital to do it and had no depth after that and couldn't climb in the standings again. We acquire more top picks, Rasmus Dahlin. In 2019, we had 3 top 2 draft picks in Eichel/Reinhart/Dahlin and we still were 6-games under 500.
Since 2010, we've lost more than any other team in the NHL. It's been since April of 2011 since we played in a playoff game. Terry Pegula bought the team in February of 2011. We thought tanking and securing high draft picks was the answer to it all. Yes there would be some suffering as alluded by Darcy Regier but it would be worth it.
A few of the things I've learned from the Sabres:
- It starts at the top, you are a representation of your leadership
- Leaders build culture, culture drives behavior, behaviors achieve results
- We've created a culture of losing, that we can't overcome, we lack leaders who build winning behaviors in the group and demand it
- You need smart people and need to allow them the resources to be successful
- You need to draft and develop - It doesn't matter where you draft, it matters that you draft smart and have elite development
- You can't sacrifice the short-term for the long-term benefits of the program
- The best organizations don't rebuild, they reload because their leadership allows and supports it
In summary, I am sorry that we tanked. Winning is an all the time thing and we've built a losing culture. I would never support it again in any sport. We need a complete overhaul and it may start at the top or for Pegula to realize he has failed, admit it, learn, and hire someone who's qualified and give them the full green light.
Here's hoping that they get it right.
