At some point, with the Buffalo Sabres riding a 14-year playoff drought and no light emerging at the end of the tunnel, it all starts to feel like an endless rerun.
That was certainly the case after the team's recent 6-2 loss to the Calgary Flames. Recycled quotes about not working hard enough or not giving the opponent, in this case the NHL's last-place team, enough respect on the ice.
WGR's Paul Hamilton, who's covered the Sabres for over 30 years, has heard it all before and he delivered some harsh criticism in wake of Buffalo's recent slide down the standings.
"This team is at the bottom of the Eastern Conference on merit. It's not a fluke. They're there because they truly are the worst team in the East," Hamilton wrote. "When comments like that are coming out of that dressing room more times than they should be, you don't need me to tell you this is a flawed team and a flawed hockey department. It's flawed from the very top on down."
It's hard to argue with that assessment when the Sabres are already closer to last place in the league (three points) than they are to the final playoff spot in the East (six points).
Will returning players save the Buffalo Sabres' season or is it already too late?
The Sabres final opportunity to right the ship may be on the horizon. A barrage of injuries severely weakened the club's lineup over the final 20 games, but reinforcements are finally on the way.
Wingers Jason Zucker and Zach Benson are both expected to return imminently, while center Josh Norris is also trending closer to game action after a long-term absence.
While Buffalo will remain without a couple other key contributors, namely forward Jiri Kulich and defenseman Michael Kesselring, the infusion of talent up front is sorely needed. The team ranks 26th in goals scored (58) so far in 2025-26 after finishing eighth in the category last season.
Getting back three members of its projected top-six forward group should help, but the Blue and Gold can't wait much longer to begin a sustained turnaround.
The Sabres' playoff odds are already down to 3%, which is the lowest figure in the NHL, according to MoneyPuck.
As it stands, the Washington Capitals hold the final playoff spot in the East with an 11-8-2 record (24 points), which puts them on a 93.7-point pace for the campaign. To reach 94 points, the Sabres would need to play at a 100.5-point pace for their remaining 62 games.
By no means is that impossible, but it's going to require cutting out the losing streaks that have really crushed their postseason dreams in recent years.
The Sabres have shown the ability to elevate their game, as evidenced by a dominant 5-1 win over the Edmonton Oilers, but keeping their compete level that high for more than one or two contests in a row has felt virtually impossible.
Perhaps the returning players combined with the wake-up call against the Flames are exactly the ingredients necessary to spark a Buffalo surge, though.
Otherwise, the criticisms will continue to grow louder as another season sits on the brink.