If you’re looking for Sabres/Red Wings coverage from last night, I don’t have much to add as there was a different Buffalo game being played which drew considerable attention. And hoo boy, that was *definitely* worth watching.

Elsewhere in the Sabresphere, Andrew Peters dropped a wonderful, cryptic nugget on his “After The Whistle” podcast with Craig Rivet that has also drawn considerable attention. Here is what Peters had to say:

“I’ll end on a little text message I got from a friend today,” Peters said. “I’d call this person a friend. And the text… went a little something like this: ‘Just giving you a heads up; you can throw this on your podcast. Expect major changes in the Sabres organization between now and the end of the year.’” Peters then continued by saying “I don’t know what that means.”

Well that’s a juicy little tidbit so let’s consider some possibilities as to what it could mean.


1.) Player Trades:

This doesn’t seem incredibly likely. Now certainly the Sabres will cast off some of their expiring UFAs at the trade deadline, as is customary for teams to do when they aren’t in a position to make the post-season at the trade deadline, but I don’t think trading Mark Pysyk or Vinnie Hinostroza for midround picks would qualify as major changes. Likewise, it seems very unlikely that the Sabres would trade a player a player of major significance such Dylan Cozens or Rasmus Dahlin in season – or at all for that matter.

Could the Sabres bring in a major name via trade? This too seems unlikely. Kevyn Adams has been adamant that this team will build the organization quote-unquote the right way by drafting (high) and developing their talent properly. For a trade to be seen as a major deal, one would have to think that they’d be trading their own first round pick between now and the end of the season and that just doesn’t feel like a realistic possibility.


2.) Firings:

Here too, it makes little sense that there would be significant firings which would merit the designation of “major changes.” Kevyn Adams has a mantra and (probably) a directive to build things slowly and methodically. There was no reason to believe that this was a playoffs-or-bust type of year like it was last season. The Sabres just traded three franchise cornerstones over the past half year; simply put they were never going to compete for anything this year and everyone knew it.

Likewise, it makes little sense to fire Don Granato who is basically employed to do the same thing that Ted Nolan was hired to do nearly a decade ago: lose a lot of games, get a high pick and develop some players. He’s checking all those boxes. Young players like Dahlin, Tage Thompson, Dylan Cozens and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen are coming along, while established vets who were left for dead like Kyle Okposo and Jeff Skinner are enjoying renaissance seasons. They’re not firing that guy.


3.) Hiring a President of Hockey Operations:

Now we’re starting to get to possibilities that seem realistic. Sabres owner Kim Pegula has been President of the Sabres since Russ Brandon resigned from his title of President of both the Buffalo Bills and Buffalo Sabres in 2018 under somewhat murky circumstances. Fans have often vented their frustration that the Sabres organization has not hired a President of Hockey Operations to guide the rudderless franchise and has instead opted to install the owner as President.

Bringing in a hockey-based President would count as a major change.

There are plenty of names worth speculating about, but it’s always seemed like Lindy Ruff would be the perfect person for the job because he spent parts of 25 seasons as a Buffalo Sabre, both as a player and a coach. Ruff is currently employed as the head coach of the New Jersey Devils, but they’re having somewhat of a disappointing season and it’s definitely possible that he gets the boot if they don’t make the post-season. Now, certainly, he’s not the only candidate who would be considered. There are plenty of imminently qualified candidates who could capably fill the position.


4.) Ownership Changes:

I need to put this disclaimer out there early: I do not make a claim to be an insider of any kind. I never have. But, around May of last year, I did hear from a credible source that there were rumblings of an ownership change of some sort. I believe the source to be solid, and the person would have some genuine insight into the situation. That source was further corroborated by a secondary source who had heard similar things. The Sabres subsequently denied the rumors and it’s been radio silence since, though I still believe that the rumors were based in something resembling truth.

Now, an ownership change could mean a lot of different things. It could mean bringing in a minority owner to be managing partner like Larry Quinn was back in the day with Tom Golisano’s ownership group, or it could mean a total change in ownership. I didn’t specifically hear what direction those talks were heading. I do believe that there was credible chatter in either direction, and that this source that Petey was talking about could be referencing that possibility.

Again, I do not claim to be an insider or to have any recent knowledge of conversations on this topic. I do believe, however, that this is a realistic possibility for the Sabres, and perhaps the most realistic possibility other than hiring a different President of the Sabres.

Time will tell.

Join the Discussion: » 746 Comments » Post New Comment

» Introducing New Sabres Writer: Bradley

» That’s All, Folks!

» Tracking the Sabres: Devon Levi

» Levi Shines in Debut, Sabres Top Rangers

» Storylines To Watch As The Season Winds Down