The Sabres suffered another disappointing conclusion to the end of the 2024-25 campaign, failing to make the playoffs for the 14th straight season, an NHL record. Instead of firing general manager Kevyn Adams, which owner Terry Pegula could have done either in-season or when hockey games wrapped, Pegula chose to keep Adams at the helm for another year.
The decision for most fans was incomprehensible, but Pegula had the final say. Many observers believe the franchise’s seemingly perpetual losing ways are causing talented players to want out. Forward JJ Peterka was reportedly unhappy in Buffalo and asked to team to trade him, which unfortunately happened at the end of last month.
Back in March, when it was clear the Blue and Gold weren’t making it to the NHL postseason yet again, Sabres’ captain Rasmus Dahlin denied reports he wanted a trade. No. 26 stated he “never said I want out of here.” However, he added, “I’m not happy with where we’re at. I don’t want to lose. We have to get better.”
Matthew Fairburn of the New York Times pointed out the fears Buffalo fans felt about the possibility, using the worst-case scenarios that did pan out in the recent past with Ryan O’Reilly, Jack Eichel and Sam Reinhart. All three former Sabres hoisted Stanley Cup trophies since leaving Buffalo behind, while the Sabres struggle to accumulate enough points each season to crawl out of the bottom of the Atlantic Division’s standings.
So far, those apprehensions have been unfounded and Dahlin is in the second year of an eight-year, $88 million contract. Any rival that wants to snap up Dahlin would have to take a huge cap hit and eat his long-term contract if they want to land the veteran defenseman. That reality no doubt deters many a NHL GMs who might otherwise covet him.
Even so, former Buffalo forward Eichel signed a similar eight-year, $80 million deal with the Sabres on Oct. 3, 2017, and he was off to Vegas a little over four years later. Nothing is set in stone, even with contracts, something Sabres fans learned over the past 14 years.
Let’s hope the team’s lackluster leadership and losing trajectory won’t cause Dahlin to join Eichel, Reinhart, Peterka and O’Reilly as an ex-Sabre.