It didn’t take long for the wheels to come off of the Buffalo Sabres’ 2025-26 season. After a brief run of optimism, the Sabres entered Wednesday night’s matchup with the Utah Mammoth having garnered just a single win in its last seven games.
Looking at the lineup, it’s hard to feel like the Sabres can be competitive at this stage. After jumping out to a 2-0 lead, you could almost believe in them. But it didn’t take long, and the Mammoth easily won 5-2. Let’s get to the takeaways from yet another disappointing effort.
It’s Almost Comical at This Point
Full disclosure: this writer has been a Sabres fan for about 35 years. There have been a lot of disappointing teams in that time, but this might be the most disappointing yet. Despite that, it’s hard to even get mad anymore. People who can muster the emotion to really care about this team are only doing themselves a disservice.
The Sabres led 2-0 thanks to a pair of goals from Isak Rosen, but the game never felt even close to secure. When Nick DeSimone cut the lead to one midway through the second, it felt inevitable that the Sabres would blow things.
Giving up four goals in the third period – and five unanswered – is surprising to no one. This just isn’t a competitive NHL team anymore. The lineup is absolutely decimated, and the news only seems to get worse. Pointing the blame at any single entity is pointless at this stage; the entire franchise is poison.
The Fight is Already Gone
If there is one thing to get angry about when talking about the Sabres’ ineptitude, it is the lack of fight they show. This has been a problem for the past 15 years. The knowledge by both players and fans that, as soon as adversity arises, this team will fold like a house of cards.
Related: NHL Morning Recap – November 13, 2025
Surrendering the lead and falling behind within the first 3:22 of the third period is bad enough. Mustering a pathetic three shots in the third period is the worst of it. The entire roster looks defeated at this stage, and the fan base is right there with them.
It has been said ad nauseum, but this would be more acceptable in year three of a rebuild. Maybe even year five. But in year 15 (and counting), every loss and poor performance is rightfully magnified. Outrage has long gone out the window. The fan base is largely apathetic and on the verge of finding another team to root for. Who can blame them?
This is a Total Teardown
Forget anymore takeaways from this specific game because there aren’t any. The Sabres are out-manned, out-classed, and there is zero chance that they suddenly figure it out with this core group. Whatever potential they had seemed to have died after the 2022-23 season.
The only solution is a teardown. Management has to be gone after this season. Lindy Ruff will likely follow. Do Rasmus Dahlin a favor and trade him to a better franchise. He has enough to worry about without having to lead this God awful team.
Deal Tage Thompson. Don’t worry about extending Alex Tuch. Move on with everyone from this core and rebuild around the youngsters like Josh Doan, Zach Benson, Jiri Kulich, and Noah Ostlund. The franchise has been tainted from the very top to the very bottom. This core will never be more than vaguely competent and, worst of all, they aren’t even fun to watch.
This is Going to be the Toughest Season in a Long Time
We’re 16 games into the season. What more can even be said about this group anymore? Injuries have decimated an already thin core, and everyone looks ready to give up. There are 66 games left of this.
At best, they will show brief flashes where they play inspired, tenacious hockey. Unfortunately, those stretches will be few and far between, with frustration being the preeminent theme for the 2025-26 season.
