14 years is a long time, even in a world that’s existed for hundreds of thousands of centuries. And it feels like it’s been that long since the Sabres last made the playoffs. Heck, it’s been so long that the coach who took them there returned this season as the bench boss.
But what did Lindy Ruff’s Sabres accomplish this season? One rough stretch that saw the team go 0-10-3, and that was it. It was Bills football and Bandits lacrosse from then on out. Because we all knew, about four months ago, that this day would come. The day when the Sabres would see that ugly ‘E’ next to their name in the NHL standings.
Now, it’s official. A year that started off in Prague, against Lindy Ruff’s former team, the New Jersey Devils, will end after 82 games. Again. Terry Pegula will miss the playoffs as the Sabres owner. Again. The Sabres looked like one of the best teams in hockey when they had the puck, but they couldn’t stop even the most anemic offenses. Again. Are we having fun yet?
Sabres drought without a playoff appearance reaches 14 seasons
14 years ago, I was a college student who had no idea what he wanted to do with his life. Enter the fitness field? Teach history? Write for a living? A combo? Hey, my mind may’ve gone back and forth on quite a few avenues, but at least the Sabres were playing decent hockey then.
Okay, I can’t say that this season wasn’t decent, because it seems like the Sabres are scoring goals every time you turn around. Tage Thompson is still threatening to reach a new career high, and Rasmus Dahlin has solidified himself as a perennial Norris Trophy candidate. That’s all great and all, but can this team ever, for once, play decent hockey in all three zones for six straight months?
Yeah, at this point, I’m going to try a new strategy and just keep thinking that they can’t. Even if one horrific stretch cost them a playoff berth this season. As I write this, the Sabres at least look like a 0.500 hockey team, something they’ll be for three years running should they win a few more games. And that’s what makes this season particularly disappointing.
Sabres were a good team with horrific luck in a 13-game span
The Sabres have scored 256 times so far this season and there is no reason such a high-octane team should be denied a playoff berth. Unless that high-octane team happens to be in Buffalo, where those freak, rare oddities that only seem to happen to the Sabres occur.
In 2022-23, it was a one-point differential that kept the Sabres out of playoff contention. Last season, it was fools gold all over again, when the Blue and Gold forgot how to score for half a season. This year, it was a 13-game losing streak that decided their season.
If you want any good news, it’s that this team has roughly more raw talent than any non playoff contender in 2024-25. But it wasn’t enough to end a drought that started getting out of hand a long time ago.