• HOME
  • NHL Teams
    • North Division
      • Calgary Flames
      • Edmonton Oilers
      • Montreal Canadiens
      • Ottawa Senators
      • Toronto Maple Leafs
      • Vancouver Canucks
      • Winnipeg Jets
    • East Division
      • Boston Bruins
      • Buffalo Sabres
      • New Jersey Devils
      • New York Islanders
      • New York Rangers
      • Philadelphia Flyers
      • Pittsburgh Penguins
      • Washington Capitals
    • Central Division
      • Carolina Hurricanes
      • Chicago Blackhawks
      • Columbus Blue Jackets
      • Dallas Stars
      • Detroit Red Wings
      • Florida Panthers
      • Nashville Predators
      • Tampa Bay Lightning
    • West Division
      • Anaheim Ducks
      • Arizona Coyotes
      • Colorado Avalanche
      • Los Angeles Kings
      • Minnesota Wild
      • San Jose Sharks
      • Seattle Kraken
      • St. Louis Blues
      • Vegas Golden Knights
  • Headlines
  • NHL Rumors
  • NHL Prospects
  • World Juniors
  • Archives
  • Podcast Network
  • More…
    • CHL
      • Ontario Hockey League
      • Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
      • Western Hockey League
    • Columns
    • Women’s Hockey
    • Other Leagues
    • NHL Entry Draft
    • Books
    • NHL History
  • Log in
The Hockey Writers
  • Site Index
  • NHL Salary Caps
  • Hockey 101: A Beginner’s Guide
  • Join Our Team
  • Free Newsletter
  • Store
  • Log in
The Hockey Writers
  • HOME
  • NHL Teams
    • North Division
      • Calgary Flames
      • Edmonton Oilers
      • Montreal Canadiens
      • Ottawa Senators
      • Toronto Maple Leafs
      • Vancouver Canucks
      • Winnipeg Jets
    • East Division
      • Boston Bruins
      • Buffalo Sabres
      • New Jersey Devils
      • New York Islanders
      • New York Rangers
      • Philadelphia Flyers
      • Pittsburgh Penguins
      • Washington Capitals
    • Central Division
      • Carolina Hurricanes
      • Chicago Blackhawks
      • Columbus Blue Jackets
      • Dallas Stars
      • Detroit Red Wings
      • Florida Panthers
      • Nashville Predators
      • Tampa Bay Lightning
    • West Division
      • Anaheim Ducks
      • Arizona Coyotes
      • Colorado Avalanche
      • Los Angeles Kings
      • Minnesota Wild
      • San Jose Sharks
      • Seattle Kraken
      • St. Louis Blues
      • Vegas Golden Knights
  • Headlines
  • NHL Rumors
  • NHL Prospects
  • World Juniors
  • Archives
  • Podcast Network
  • More…
    • CHL
      • Ontario Hockey League
      • Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
      • Western Hockey League
    • Columns
    • Women’s Hockey
    • Other Leagues
    • NHL Entry Draft
    • Books
    • NHL History
Home
Buffalo Sabres

Sabres Season Ends by Missing Playoffs Again

By Jeff Seide May 27th, 2020

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp

It’s almost fitting that the Buffalo Sabres 2019-20 season ended this way. With the pandemic blurring days together, with little difference between a Tuesday and a Friday, it feels like Groundhog’s Day. And once again, same day, different year, the Sabres have missed the playoffs.

Even with this season’s special 24-team playoff format, where more than three-quarters of the teams in the league make the postseason, the Sabres will once again conclude their season on the outside looking in. It’s the team’s ninth straight season failing to qualify for the playoffs, the longest active drought in the NHL.

A silver lining to the coronavirus was that it put a merciful end to yet another disappointing season for the Blue & Gold. Fan frustration–worse yet–apathy was creeping back in, even for diehards.

Botterill Will Be Back

Despite finishing 31st, 27th and 25th, general manager Jason Botterill will be returning for his fourth season. In a statement, Team President Kim Pegula said that the former Sabre forward will once again be leading the front office as soon as play resumes for the team.

“I realize, maybe it’s not popular with the fans, but we have to do the things that we feel are right,” she said. “We have a little bit more information than maybe a fan does, some inner workings that we see some positives in.”

Buffalo Sabres Terry and Kim Pegula
Owners Terry and Kim Pegula have found success with the Bills, but not the Sabres. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack, File)

“This isn’t how any of us envisioned our 50th season coming to a close,” the organization said in a statement. “Our promise to Sabres fans is that we will come back stronger as a team and as a community. We cannot thank you enough for your loyalty. We can’t wait to get back on the ice.”

Sabres fans have heard that song before. And they’re not falling for it again.

Related: Sabres’ Problems Run from Top to Bottom

Record of Futility

Hired away from the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2017, Botterill has revamped and overhauled nearly the entire roster. Among notables, he’s moved on from Evander Kane, Ryan O’Reilly, and Robin Lehner. He’s brought in Jeff Skinner, Brandon Montour, Henri Jokiharju and Colin Miller. Not to mention Patrik Berglund, Vladimir Sobotka. Salt, meet wound.

The team has won 88 games out of a possible 233. During that three-year span, only the Detroit Red Wings and Ottawa Senators have lost more and won less than the Sabres.

Related: Sabres Welcome Botterill: The Anti-Murray

After a hot start, the Sabres fell back to mediocrity and then some. They finished 2019-20 campaign with a record of 30-31-8 record and 68 points. Three points separated them from the Montreal Canadiens who were the last team from the Eastern Conference to qualify for the expanded 24-team dance. Looking back, they finished this season by losing six of their last seven games.

Buffalo Sabres general manager Jason Botterill
Buffalo Sabres general manager Jason Botterill has built three losing teams. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes, File)

This summer will mark Botterill’s fourth draft with the Sabres. Once again in the lottery, the franchise will have a 6.5% chance to win the first overall pick. They do not have a third-round pick or a sixth-round pick, but have an extra seventh-rounder courtesy of the Dallas Stars.

Even after three years at the NHL Draft, only two of Botterill’s 18 total draft picks–2018 first overall pick Rasmus Dahlin and 2017 eighth overall pick Casey Mittelstadt–have skated in the NHL.

Poorly Constructed

The Sabres have fallen and can’t get up. For a franchise that had never missed the postseason more than three straight seasons, they’re now closing in on double digits. To make matters worse, their lineup is poorly constructed, their prospect pool isn’t exactly flush with prospects, and they’re tight to the salary cap.

The sting continues when considering the season captain Jack Eichel was having. He was eighth overall in goals and tenth in points and playing elite-level hockey. Linemate Victor Olofsson, a Calder Trophy candidate as the league’s top rookie, had already hit the 20-goal marker to go with 22 assists in 54 games.

Olofsson Eichel Buffalo Sabres
The Sabres bright spots included forwards Victor Olofsson and Jack Eichel (THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP/Jeffrey T. Barnes)

“Believe me, I don’t think anyone knows the frustrations more than Terry and I do,” said Kim Pegula. “Coach and Jason know they’ve got to show not only us, but they’ve got to show it to the fans. And they know that. They understand that.”

Related: Sabres Sign Trio of Prospects

With no secondary scoring and abysmal special teams, the Sabres were going nowhere. Now, with businesses slowly opening up, at least they can hit the golf course.

  • Tags
  • Jack Eichel
  • Jason Botterill
  • Kim Pegula
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp

Get theScore App Now!
Recent Posts
Jan 15th 6:25 PM
Montreal Canadiens

Canadiens’ Romanov Fired Up to Face Oilers’ McDavid and Draisaitl

Jan 15th 6:00 PM
San Jose Sharks

Sharks’ Second Line Shines in Season Opener

Jan 15th 5:50 PM
Toronto Maple Leafs

Maple Leafs’ Marner Looking to Add Goals to His Stats

Jan 15th 5:35 PM
Buffalo Sabres

Three Takeaways from the Sabres’ Season Opener

Jan 15th 4:50 PM
Edmonton Oilers

Oilers News and Rumors: Smith, Barrie, Forsberg, Puljujarvi, More

Jan 15th 4:40 PM
Edmonton Oilers

Oilers Have Rough Season Opener but No Need to Panic

Jan 15th 4:20 PM
Column

Jets News & Rumors: Scheifele, Laine, Hellebuyck, Lewis & Quicksand

Jan 15th 4:10 PM
New York Rangers

Rangers Bring More of the Same in 2020-21 Opening Night

Jan 15th 3:45 PM
Column

Red Wings News & Rumors: Ryan, COVID, Markstrom & More

Jan 15th 3:30 PM
Boston Bruins

2020-21 Season Openers: Flames Lose Again, Islanders & Capitals Excel

Editor’s Picks
World Junior Championship All-Time Leading Scorers

World Junior Championship All-Time Leading Scorers

2021 Guide To the World Junior Championship

2021 Guide To the World Junior Championship

Masthead

Newsletters

RSS Feeds

Privacy Statement

Contact Us

About THW…

Founded in 2009, The Hockey Writers is a premier destination for news and information on everything hockey. Updated daily with news and features from over 130 writers worldwide. Over 2 million monthly readers now come to THW for their hockey fix.

© The Hockey Writers 2020. All rights reserved.
logo
  • HOME
  • Hockey Headlines
  • NHL Rumors
  • North Division
    • Calgary Flames
    • Edmonton Oilers
    • Montreal Canadiens
    • Ottawa Senators
    • Toronto Maple Leafs
    • Vancouver Canucks
    • Winnipeg Jets
  • East Division
    • Boston Bruins
    • Buffalo Sabres
    • New Jersey Devils
    • New York Islanders
    • New York Rangers
    • Philadelphia Flyers
    • Pittsburgh Penguins
    • Washington Capitals
  • Central Division
    • Carolina Hurricanes
    • Chicago Blackhawks
    • Columbus Blue Jackets
    • Dallas Stars
    • Detroit Red Wings
    • Florida Panthers
    • Nashville Predators
    • Tampa Bay Lightning
  • West Division
    • Anaheim Ducks
    • Arizona Coyotes
    • Colorado Avalanche
    • Los Angeles Kings
    • Minnesota Wild
    • San Jose Sharks
    • Seattle Kraken
    • St Louis Blues
    • Vegas Golden Knights
  • World Juniors
  • CHL
    • Ontario Hockey League
    • Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
    • Western Hockey League
  • THW Podcast Network
  • Store
  • FREE Newsletter
  • Search THW
  • More…
    • Join Our Team
    • The THW Archives
    • Prospects
    • The Goalie Page
    • NHL Salary Cap Information