The Buffalo Sabres’ 0-3 start has fans already pushing the panic button. The offseason moves by Kevyn Adams have done little to boost the team’s overall ability to compete.
The biggest offseason faux pas was jettisoning JJ Peterka to the Utah Mammoth. Now, you can’t blame Peterka, as he was adamant about this unwillingness to remain in Buffalo. We won’t question his motives, but we will state his reasons.
Beyond that, the Sabres didn’t really do much to address scoring. The signing of Bowen Byram was a good move, but he wasn’t an addition. So, the top of the Sabres’ blue line depth chart essentially remained the same beyond the addition of Michael Kesselring, who's hurt to open the season.
Where things got interesting was the flurry of goalies the Sabres accumulated during the offseason. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is the default starter. However, his uncertain status after an up-and-down 2024-25 likely prompted Adams to add Alex Lyon as his backup. It was an insurance move in case Devon Levi wasn’t quite ready to step in after all.
The Sabres also claimed Colten Ellis from the St. Louis Blues. He’s the current backup to Lyon as Luukkonen remains sidelined by injury. But the move that left fans scratching their heads, especially insider Jeff Marek, was the signing of Alexandar Georgiev.
The former Ranger, Avalanche, and Shark sat unsigned all summer. He didn’t land an offer from anyone until the Sabres called. And here is where Marek seems incensed. He questioned: Why was this a contract and not a PTO?
Marek’s reasoning pointed to the Sabres signing Georgiev and then waiving him at the end of training camp. If the club didn’t plan to keep him around, why not sign him to a PTO and leave it at that?
Check out Marek’s rant here:
“Why was this a contract and not a PTO?”@JeffMarek questions Buffalo’s decision to sign Georgiev — and @ColbyCohen36 doesn’t hold back on what might really be going on.
— Daily Faceoff (@DailyFaceoff) October 13, 2025
Presented by @SportsOnPrimeCA pic.twitter.com/UPSqIpDiRj
Georgiev signing symptomatic of Sabres’ lack of direction
The signing of Georgiev to a contract and not a PTO is symptomatic of a managerial dysfunction in Buffalo. Anyone who’s studied business understands that effective management focuses on getting the right people in the right spots.
James C. Collins, author of Good to Great, offered this analogy. He stated that companies were like a bus. It didn’t matter who was on the bus as long as they were in the right spot. Companies could have the most talented people. But if they were in the wrong seat, they wouldn’t have an impact.
That seems to be the case with the Sabres. Kevyn Adams is akin to the driver. While he may know how to drive the bus, he doesn’t know where he’s going. Imagine taking a bus with a driver who has no clue where he’s going. You’ll eventually get somewhere, but it may not be where you want to go.
Similarly, Lindy Ruff as coach was wishful thinking. The club brought him back for the same reasons couples get back together after breaking up. They believe there’s still a spark there. They hope to rekindle the passion that once burned.
But then, they realize that, sadly, that passion is nothing more than fond memories.
The bus analogy is perhaps the most poignant at this point for the Sabres. Until the club figures out where it’s going, there won’t be much progress. In the meantime, there are desperate passengers praying for the next stop so they can jump off.