The Buffalo Sabres won only 44 games in the past two seasons.
That's an average of just 22 wins per season.
Come to find out, it wasn't by accident. It was the plan.
The Sabres finished the 2014-15 season with just 54 points and they are not about to apologize for it now.
"Mission: Tank" concluded on June 26 when Sabres GM Tim Murray selected Hobey Baker Award winner Jack Eichel second overall at the EichDavid draft.
Business First panelists ready for sports panel discussion pic.twitter.com/NV7EWDdKcb
— James Fink (@BfloBizJimFink) July 30, 2015Buffalo Sabres owner Terry Pegula said today that the last two losing seasons were big successes for his NHL team.
Pegula said that the "wins" didn't appear in the "W" column of thevNHL standings.
Pegula made the comments during a breakfast panel group discussion that included Pegula with his wife, Kim, as well as Boston Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs, Buffalo Bisons owners Bob and Mindy Rich, and NHL commish Gary Bettman.
When asked whether success is measured differently for his sports business than his corporate enterprises, Pegula offered the example of the Sabres' recent struggles, which were celebrated by fans who wanted the team to "tank" for the first overall pick.
Pegula on the two tank seasons:
"Two of the most successful seasons we've ever had".
The Sabres finished 30th overall in each of the past two seasons.
All of the losing yielded Sam Reinhart and Jack Eichel with the number two overall picks in each of the last two drafts.
Murray will surround Eichel and Reinhart with newly acquired veterans Evander Kane, Zach Bogosian, Ryan O’Reilly, Jamie McGinn, and Robin Lehner in trades while moving other players like Ryan Miller, Steve Ott, Thomas Vanek, Chris Stewart, Brian Flynn, and Torrey Mitchell to get future assets, including first round picks. WINNING!