For the past few seasons, the Toronto Maple Leafs have dominated the rivalry with the Buffalo Sabres. However, this season the two franchises seem to be heading in very different directions.
Earlier this season, the Sabres and Maple Leafs played a back-to-back series where Buffalo took three of four points. At that point in the season, it wasn't clear whether or not the Sabres could compete for a playoff spot, but it gave fans a glimpse into the future.
It took a few more months from those meetings before the Sabres really clicked, but now they have won 18 of their last 22 and sit in third place in the Atlantic Division. Meanwhile, the Maple Leafs have had a nightmarish season that has seen them fire an assistant coach and come into Tuesday's meeting losing four straight and going 4-4-2 over their last 10.
Buffalo Sabres have a chance to send the Maple Leafs into a complete franchise reset before the NHL Trade Deadline
Recently, Craig Button was on Frankly Hockey discussing the Maple Leafs and where they might be going. He believes they could be not only forced into being sellers, but considering some of their franchise players, like Auston Matthews.
"What do they want their future to look like? Do they want their future to look like, okay, we might compete for a playoff spot, we might not. We're not a contender, but we're not at the bottom of the league," Button said.
He went on to say the Maple Leafs need to have the tough discussions about considering trading players like Auston Matthews, William Nylander, and Morgan Rielly.
There is no question it would be shocking to hear the Maple Leafs are considering even trading some of their key players. However, Button's point is a valid one in that the Maple Leafs are not in a position to compete for a Stanley Cup right now and don't look to be in a good spot to significantly improve the roster.
It is a dilemma that the Buffalo Sabres wrestled with almost every season for the better part of a decade. They ended up moving players like Jack Eichel and Sam Reinhart because of it.
The Maple Leafs are certainly closer because they are in playoff contention, but the bar has been much higher for a franchise that has made the playoffs nine straight seasons and had more than 100 points in six of them.
With how the Maple Leafs have tortured the Buffalo Sabres fan base over the years, there is something poetic about the idea that it would be the Sabres that could be the deciding factor for the franchise to decide it is time to think about building for the future versus trying to win a Stanley Cup now.