Hopes were high in Western New York when Terry Pegula, a lifelong Buffalo Sabres fan, purchased the NHL franchise in 2011. Fourteen years later, however, the organization has become a league-wide laughingstock amid a record-setting playoff drought.
Adam Gretz of Bleacher Report took aim at the Sabres on Wednesday by stating, "realistically speaking, this is not a playoff team." And, if the postseason absence does extend to 15 years, he believes it'll be time for a complete organizational overhaul next summer.
"Ideally, a new owner, because the common denominator in this entire run of futility has been Terry Pegula," Gretz wrote while discussing each team's 2025-26 season outlook. "If the Sabres fail again and don't do something drastic, then that would absolutely be the worst-case scenario."
At minimum, Gretz thinks another playoff-less campaign would mark the time to move on from general manager Kevyn Adams while also starting a full roster rebuild yet again.
Would the Buffalo Sabres be better off if team owner Terry Pegula sold the NHL franchise?
Some sports fans in the City of Good Neighbors are baffled by the fact two sports organizations, the Buffalo Bills and Sabres, can be owned by the same person (Pegula) but still deliver results that couldn't be any different.
The Bills are a perennial Super Bowl contender with a realistic shot at finally delivering a major championship to the city following a 3-0 start to the 2025 season.
Yet, much of that success can be attributed to Pegula taking a far more laissez-faire approach to ownership with the NFL team. He's allowed general manager Brandon Beane and head coach Sean McDermott to handle all of the important decisions.
Sure, Pegula deserves credit for hiring Beane and McDermott, who in turn drafted MVP quarterback Josh Allen to transform the franchise into a serious title threat, but putting the right people in place and then getting out of the way is an owner's entire job.
That simply hasn't been the case with the Sabres. The 74-year-old Pennsylvania native has been an ever-present force within the hockey team's front office.
His lack of understanding about the team's place within the NHL hierarchy became clear in 2020, when Buffalo signed free-agent winger Taylor Hall.
"We sign this guy, we're not only trying to make the playoffs, we're trying to win the Cup," Pegula said at the time.
Hall scored just two goals in 37 games for the Sabres, and the team wouldn't have been a legitimate Stanley Cup hopeful even if he played better.
That said, while the idea of Pegula selling the Sabres to someone who's willing to spend to the NHL's salary cap every year is attractive on the surface, there are also some harsh realities Buffalo sports fans have to consider.
Most importantly, any entity who pays over $1 billion for the Sabres — their value was estimated at $1.15 billion by CNBC in late 2024 — and doesn't have direct ties to Western New York will bring concerns of relocation into play.
Attendance has predictably dropped in Buffalo amid the long-term playoff absence, and the lack of postseason revenue also plays a key role in the team's financial bottom line.
So, even though Pegula has his faults as an owner, his longtime Sabres fandom combined with his ownership of the Bills ensures the NHL team is in safe hands. At the end of the day, keeping the organization in the 716 is the most vital element of the conversation.
Ultimately, the Sabres are certainly facing a make-or-break season. If they miss the playoffs, it's highly probable Adams and beloved head coach Lindy Ruff will be let go, and there will likely be significant roster changes by the new front office next summer.
When it comes to ownership, however, Buffalo sports fans should be careful what they wish for. The ice isn't always fresher on the other side.