The Sabres have a historic playoff drought. Here are 3 leadership lessons from their struggles
Editor's Note: This story is a part of Peak, The Athletic's desk covering leadership, personal development and success through the lens of sports. Follow Peak here.
It's natural to try to learn from the winners. We study John Wooden's pyramid of success to see if anything in there can offer a glimpse at how Wooden helped UCLA's men's basketball team win 10 national championships. The sports section of the bookstore is filled with titles authored by the greatest achievers.
Advertisement
But what if we could also learn from those who have failed? If it's true that you either win or you learn, those who lose should have plenty of lessons to share.
Over the last 14 seasons, the Buffalo Sabres have failed to reach the NHL playoffs. No team in the history of the NHL has gone through a playoff drought this long. And there are plenty of lessons we can extract from the Sabres' decade-plus of struggling. During that time, the Sabres have had seven coaches and four general managers. Some have come closer than others to getting the Sabres back to the playoffs, but all have come up short for different reasons.
Based on The Athletic's story about Terry Pegula's ownership, Kevyn Adams' rise to general manager and the 'hamster wheel' of the Sabres' playoff drought, here are three key leadership lessons we can learn from the Sabres' struggles.
Early in his ownership, Pegula was a willing spender. He boldly declared there would be no financial mandates on the Sabres' hockey operation. He spent freely on big-name free agents such as Christian Ehrhoff and Ville Leino. He poured money into the scouting staff and travel budgets. But he quickly found out that spending your way to a winner has its limits.
The Sabres missed the playoffs in his first two seasons as owner, and that's when he tried to take another shortcut.
Starting in 2013, the Sabres began a two-season tank toward the bottom of the NHL standings. Then-general manager Darcy Regier warned fans that there would be some 'suffering' on the way to the team's ultimate goal of being Stanley Cup champions.
Buffalo stripped the roster of aging veterans in an effort to get the highest draft pick possible. In the process, Regier was fired, and so was coach Ron Rolston. Buffalo got the No. 2 pick in consecutive drafts, in 2014 and 2015, selecting Sam Reinhart and Jack Eichel. The two were supposed to be franchise cornerstones who would lead the Sabres back to being a Stanley Cup contender.
Advertisement
The problem is that the Sabres then hit fast forward again, swinging aggressive trades under new general manager Tim Murray that created a volatile environment around their two top draft picks.
By tanking, the Sabres wiped out their culture. Eichel became the captain of the team before he was fully ready for the role. Too much of the pressure to get Buffalo back to the playoffs was squarely on Eichel and Reinhart.
'Jack Eichel and Sam Reinhart were able to run the show there at a young age when they hadn't won anything,' one Sabres scout from that era said.
The crux of the most recent plan under Adams is to build the Sabres through drafting and developing their own talent. But the problem is that so many players have been inserted into big roles or signed to big contracts before fully earning them. Mattias Samuelsson got a seven-year contract worth more than $4 million per season after just 54 games. Owen Power got a seven-year deal worth more than $8 million per year after one full NHL season. The Sabres tried to make Devon Levi their starting goalie as a rookie in 2023-24 before he had ever played a game in the AHL.
The list goes on. The lesson: It's hard to create a culture of competition and accountability when young players are thrust into critical roles before they're ready.
'Make them earn the right to be a Buffalo Sabre,' one former scout said. 'Don't just give it to them.'
During this playoff drought, the Sabres have made 10 top-10 draft picks. They've picked first twice and second twice.
Eichel and Reinhart have both won the Stanley Cup with other franchises. Both finished in the top five of the voting this season for the Selke Trophy, awarded to the league's best defensive forward. Linus Ullmark, drafted by the Sabres, won a Vezina Trophy as the league's best goaltender after leaving Buffalo. Five of the last six Stanley Cup champions have had drought-era Sabres players on their roster. There are multiple former Sabres on the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers, the two Stanley Cup finalists this year.
Advertisement
Last season, when asked about the Panthers' culture and why players thrive in it, Reinhart pointed to 'a very clear sense of direction' that starts with the coaching staff and the team's core players.
That's something that's been lacking in Buffalo. There is no single reason players find more success once they leave the Sabres, but the lesson is that environment matters. Culture matters.
You need to have the patience and vision to set players up for success. Growth, both personal and professional, is not guaranteed just because of talent. And development is rarely a straight line. The Sabres haven't stuck to one single plan for long enough, and that's part of why they've been stuck on the hamster wheel.
When the Sabres hired Adams as general manager in 2020, they did so without running a search or interviewing other candidates. They then had the first-time general manager fire more than 20 people and take over a front office with no assistant general managers. Over the last five years, Adams has slowly built out a bigger staff that is more in line with other NHL teams, including the recent hires of Jarmo Kekäläinen as senior adviser and Eric Staal as special assistant to the general manager.
But when Pegula hired Adams, he did so because he wanted to be heard. Prioritizing that over finding the right candidate and surrounding him with an experienced staff hurt both Adams and the team, as he's gone through the predictable ups and downs as an inexperienced general manager.
The lesson is that leaders should always make an effort to surround themselves with people who are smart and experienced enough to challenge them. That competition and accountability are how you grow individually and as an organization.
You could also extend this to Buffalo's roster, which has been among the youngest in the NHL each of the last three seasons. How are young players supposed to learn about winning or how to build a culture when so few players in the locker room have experienced what that looks like in the NHL?
Advertisement
In December 2024, while the Sabres were in the early stages of what would become a 13-game winless streak, Adams delivered a quote that has come to haunt him. After saying that Buffalo was not a destination city for outside free agents, Adams said the Sabres would need to become a perennial playoff team to change that narrative.
He then added, 'We don't have palm trees. We have taxes in New York. Those are real. Those are things you deal with.'
He wasn't wrong when he said it, but the timing of the comment angered an already frustrated fan base. It was a comment Adams needed to address with the team. The players and others had preached accountability all offseason, and that comment felt like excuse-making to a fan base that had heard one too many excuses during the postseason drought.
Part of the job of any leader is effective messaging. Pegula has not answered questions about the Sabres since 2020, when he said the goal of the organization was to be 'effective, efficient and economic.'
Since then, Adams has operated with a smaller budget than many NHL teams and been the one to answer for the Sabres' shortcomings. There have been times when he's let his words get ahead of his actions. After the Sabres came up one point short of the postseason in 2022-23, Adams said the team's window was open. But Adams wasn't aggressive in free agency, left cap space on the table and again put out one of the youngest rosters in the league.
When the team underperformed based on expectations, it was coach Don Granato who took the fall, with Adams pointing to 'accountability' as a key issue with his team.
When Adams and Pegula hired Lindy Ruff for his second stint as the franchise's head coach, the message became that the Sabres were in a 'win-now' situation. The roster changed more than it did the previous season, but cap space was still left unspent, and the Sabres were still among the youngest teams in the league. The outside expectation of a slow and patient rebuild became warped by inconsistent messaging.
That's how you end up with way more 'suffering' than Regier intended when he uttered that now-infamous line.
(Illustration: Dan Goldfarb / The Athletic; photo: Tony Ding / Icon Sportswire / Getty Images)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Forbes
30 minutes ago
- Forbes
How Wealthy Families Build And Preserve Generational Wealth
Building wealth that lasts across generations isn't just about making money—it's about instilling the right principles and systems that ensure prosperity endures long after the wealth creators are gone. While market volatility and economic uncertainty can erode financial assets, the families that successfully transfer wealth across multiple generations share common foundational principles that transcend individual investment strategies. Education as the Ultimate Investment The most enduring family principle among generationally wealthy families is their unwavering commitment to education. This extends far beyond traditional academic achievement to encompass financial literacy, emotional intelligence, and practical life skills. Wealthy families don't just send their children to elite schools; they create comprehensive learning environments that prepare the next generation to be responsible stewards of family resources. Financial education begins early, with children learning about budgeting, investing, and the responsibilities that come with wealth. Many families establish junior investment accounts where children can practice making financial decisions with real consequences on a smaller scale. This hands-on approach demystifies money management and builds confidence in handling larger sums later in life. The Power of Patient Capital Generational wealth builders think in decades, not quarters. They resist the temptation of get-rich-quick schemes and instead focus on sustainable, long-term growth strategies. This patience manifests in multiple ways: holding quality investments through market cycles, building businesses with enduring competitive advantages, and making decisions based on their impact on future generations rather than immediate gratification. This long-term perspective also influences how they structure their investments. Rather than chasing the latest investment fad, they focus on diversified portfolios that can weather economic storms while providing steady growth over time. Real estate, established businesses, and blue-chip stocks often form the backbone of their wealth preservation strategy. Governance and Family Structure Successful multigenerational families establish clear governance structures that prevent wealth from being dissipated through family conflicts or poor decision-making. This includes creating family constitutions that outline shared values, mission statements, and decision-making processes. Regular family meetings ensure open communication and alignment on major financial decisions. Many families establish family offices or work with trusted advisors who understand their long-term objectives. These structures provide professional management while maintaining family oversight and control. Clear succession planning ensures that leadership transitions are smooth and that the family's wealth management philosophy continues across generations. Work Ethic and Purpose Contrary to stereotypes about trust fund children, families that maintain wealth across generations typically instill strong work ethics in their offspring. They understand that purpose and productivity are essential for personal fulfillment and wealth preservation. Many require family members to work outside the family business before joining family enterprises, ensuring they develop skills and perspectives that benefit the entire family unit. This principle extends to teaching children that wealth comes with responsibility—both to the family and to society. Many generationally wealthy families have strong philanthropic traditions that give family members a sense of purpose beyond personal accumulation. Risk Management and Diversification Wealthy families understand that preserving wealth is often more challenging than creating it. They implement sophisticated risk management strategies that protect against various threats: market downturns, inflation, political instability, and family disputes. This includes geographic diversification of assets, multiple income streams, and appropriate insurance coverage. They also diversify across asset classes and industries, avoiding the common mistake of keeping all wealth tied to the business or industry that created it. This diversification helps protect against sector-specific downturns that could otherwise devastate concentrated family wealth. Communication and Transparency Open communication about money matters helps prevent the family dysfunction that often destroys inherited wealth. Regular family meetings, clear financial reporting, and honest discussions about challenges and opportunities keep everyone aligned and engaged. Transparency about family finances helps prepare the next generation for their eventual responsibilities. This communication extends to difficult conversations about money, including discussions about potential conflicts of interest, spending expectations, and the responsibilities that come with inherited wealth. LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - DECEMBER 13: (L-R) Chase Koch, Liz Koch and CEO of Koch Industries Charles Koch ... More attend the Fontainebleau Las Vegas Star-Studded Grand Opening Celebration on December 13, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo byfor Fontainebleau Las Vegas) Building Systems, Not Just Wealth The most successful families focus on building systems and institutions that outlast individual family members. This includes establishing family foundations, creating educational trusts, and developing investment philosophies that can guide decision-making across multiple generations. These systems help ensure that the family's wealth management approach remains consistent even as leadership changes and new challenges emerge. They provide stability and continuity that helps preserve both financial assets and family unity. Generational wealth isn't built overnight, and it requires more than just financial acumen. It demands a commitment to principles that prioritize long-term thinking, education, communication, and responsible stewardship. Families that embrace these principles create legacies that extend far beyond their bank accounts.
Forbes
30 minutes ago
- Forbes
3 Key Issues Surrounding Zohran Mamdani's New York City Tax Increase
New York City mayoral candidate and Democratic State Representative Zohran Mamdani campaigns in New ... More York City on April 16, 2025. Voters will head to the polls on June 24, 2025, to vote in the Democratic primary in the New York City mayoral election. (Photo by ANGELA WEISS / AFP) (Photo by ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images) As reported by Forbes, Zohran Mamdani won the New York City Mayoral Democratic Primary and is poised to become one of the most powerful mayors in the US. What makes his campaign unique is that Mandani ran on a more socialist-type platform, which raises taxes on some to pay for enhanced services. This article discusses who Mamdani is, what Mamdani proposes to alter the tax landscape of New York City, and three key issues with his plans to increase taxes on New York City taxpayers. Who Is Zohran Mamdani? Mamdani is a 33 year old politician. He was born in Uganda, and his family moved to South Africa before moving to New York City at the age of seven. Mamdani spent much of his life in New York City before attending Bowdoin College in Maine. Following college, Mandani started a hip-hop music career. According to Rolling Stone, he first appeared under the stage name of Young Cardamom and later changed it to Mr. Cardamom. The article also discusses that he did not become a rap sensation, but that Mamdani had many funny moments that showed that he was not taking himself too seriously. After his time as a hip-hop artist ended, Mamdani campaigned to become a representative in New York's 36th State Assembly district. He won in 2020, defeating a four-term incumbent, and was re-elected without opposition in 2022 and 2024. According to the New York State Assembly records, Mamdani was the primary sponsor on 20 bills, three of which have become laws. In 2024, Mamdani announced his candidacy for mayor of New York City in the 2025 election. He has defeated former Governor Andrew Cuomo for the Democratic nomination. As of the morning of June 25th, Polymarket estimates his lead over incumbent Mayor Eric Adams to be 52%. Mamdani's Tax Plan According to Mamdani's campaign website, he has big ambitions to alter New York City's socio-economic landscape. These plans include freezing rent, making bus transportation free, building dedicated priority lanes for busses, creating a new department focusing on community safety, providing free childcare at no cost for every New Yorker between six weeks and five years old, creating city-owned grocery stores designed to keep prices low, building new affordable housing, and many more. Mamdani estimates these spending increases will cost $10 billion annually. This marks a staggering increase relative to the city's $115 billion annual budget. The New York Times reports that his socialist-leaning platform has drawn promotion from the likes of Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez and Bernie Sanders, both of whom have openly endorsed his candidacy. Mamdani is also very transparent about how he plans to pay for these large spending increases. In his platform, he clearly lays out where $10 billion can come from. His two main funding sources are: 3 Key Issues Surrounding Mamdani's Tax Increase 1) The Numbers May Not Add Up In his platform, Mamdani transparently suggests that at the current corporate tax rate of 9%, New York City collects $6.5 billion annually in corporate income taxes. However, his platform then claims that raising the rate by 2.5% will then increase collections to $11.5 billion. While Mamdani's platform can be applauded for transparency, it does not connect the dots on where the numbers come from. Nationwide, collections from individuals tend to dwarf those from corporations. This notion is because of the simple fact that there are far more individuals and non-corporate owned businesses than corporate entities. Thus, even though major corporations earn significant amounts of money, it is unclear how a small increase in the corporate tax rate of 2.5% can have such a drastic effect on the tax collections for New York City. 2) Most Large-Scale Tax Changes Happen At The State Level Very few cities enforce their own individual and corporate income tax, making comparisons to how this increase will affect taxpayers opaque. In Mamdani's platform, he calls the tax increases 'A Tried and True Approach' and references how Massachusetts, Washington DC, and New York have all raised taxes on the wealthy and done so successfully. Mamdani also cites how state taxation differentially taxes corporations in New York, and how New York has had a history of increasing taxes on its taxpayers throughout the years. However, nowhere in the platform does Mamdani demonstrate a time when cities have done this effectively. As reported by The New York Post, the scale of Mamdani's plans rely on buyoff from the state legislature. In fact, The New York Times Podcast: The Daily discusses that providing free transportation and free childcare requires raising money from the state, and the state is very reluctant to do so at this time. Different from the Federal government, cities and states cannot go into debt. Thus, there is significant pressure on these spending increases to ensure that they are paid for, and the tax increases appear to require substantial state-level support. This notion has led outlets like Forbes to question whether Mamdani understands the realities of governance. 3) Wealthy Individuals And Corporations May Just Leave New York City In an interview with PIX 11, New York Governor Hochul provided a stunning critique over Mamdani's tax plans. Hochul discusses the concerns with raising taxes at a time when affordability is low, as well as the notion that the heightened costs are 'pushing New Yorkers to Palm Beach.' A natural question arises of whether New Yorkers would really leave because of taxes. While providing causal links to the question may be tricky, The Tax Foundation, points to the notion that most studies examining this topic suggest that state and local taxes affect migration. Academic work by Agrawal and Tester published in the American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, provides evidence that this does, in fact, happen and the risk of capital flight has grown over recent years due to increased technology. A particularly problematic concern for New York City is that many of the academic studies in this realm focus on state taxation and how individuals and corporations might face a difficult decision of a physical move to an entirely different state. However, if New York City taxes become too high, the taxpayers might have a less tumultuous choice of simply relocating just outside of the city, a much easier move than moving to an entirely different state. If wealthy individuals and corporations choose to depart New York City due to the tax hikes, then it is unclear where the funds to pay for the increased spending will come from. Despite the substantial transparency provided in his platform, Mamdani does not appear to consider this important notion.
Bloomberg
31 minutes ago
- Bloomberg
Three Mile Island Poised to Deliver Nuclear Power Ahead of Plan
Constellation Energy Corp.'s efforts to restart the Three Mile Island plant are moving faster than expected, with the company now saying the Pennsylvania nuclear site will begin producing power earlier than forecast. The project could restart as early as 2027, the company said in a statement Wednesday. That compares with the original projection of 2028.
