A Bitter Pill for Sabres Fans
The end of the 2024-2025 NHL season brought familiar disappointment to Buffalo Sabres fans. After a season brimming with early optimism, the team once again found themselves on the outside looking in as the playoffs began. While the Sabres regrouped, two former stalwarts of the franchise, Sam Reinhart and Jeff Skinner, found themselves battling it out for hockey’s ultimate prize, the Stanley Cup, albeit on opposing teams, with Reinhart’s Florida Panthers and Skinner’s Edmonton Oilers. Watching this unfold must be a gut-wrenching experience for the Sabres faithful, igniting a wave of ‘what ifs’ and the painful realization of potential unfulfilled. What if Reinhart and Skinner were still wearing the blue and gold, chasing glory in Buffalo? Where would the team be now? It’s a narrative that underscores the harsh realities of the NHL and the sometimes-unpredictable nature of team building and player development.
The Phantom Dynasty: A Tale of Missed Opportunities
Imagine an alternate universe, one where the Sabres were victorious in the 2015 NHL Draft Lottery. Picture Connor McDavid donning a Sabres jersey instead of the Oilers’ iconic blue and orange (no disrespect to Jack Eichel, of course). In this parallel reality, the Sabres aren’t just a team; they are a dynasty, a force to be reckoned with, dominating the league for years. But in our world, the one Sabres fans inhabit, that dream remains just that – a dream. Instead, they can only observe from afar as Reinhart and Skinner pursue their own championship aspirations. It’s a bittersweet feeling, akin to seeing an old flame’s engagement photos on social media. A mix of envy, nostalgia, and a touch of happiness may emerge, wishing them well while perhaps contemplating what could have been. The sting of seeing them succeed elsewhere is real, but the understanding of their individual journeys is just as important.
The Reinhart Trade: A Defining Moment
The 2021 trade that sent Sam Reinhart to the Florida Panthers remains a defining moment for the Buffalo Sabres. At the time, Reinhart was a restricted free agent (RFA), and the likelihood of him re-signing in Buffalo seemed slim. Faced with a tough decision, the Sabres traded Reinhart’s rights to the Panthers, receiving defenseman Devon Levi and a 2022 first-round pick in return. The move was perceived as a salvage operation, an attempt to extract value from a potentially losing situation. The Sabres acquired Levi, a promising goaltending prospect who has shown flashes of brilliance and is an integral part of the team’s future. Levi, despite a less-than-stellar season statistically (4.12 GAA and .872 SV%), is still developing, and at only 23 years old, he has time to grow and become a cornerstone for the Sabres.
The Draft Pick and the Ripple Effect
The first-round pick acquired in the Reinhart trade offered the Sabres a glimmer of hope. It was a top-ten protected pick, meaning the Sabres would only get it if the Panthers’ selection fell outside the top ten. Fortunately for Buffalo, the pick did indeed land outside the top ten, becoming the 28th overall selection in the 2022 NHL Draft. The Sabres used this pick to select Jiri Kulich, a Czech forward who has shown promise. In the 2024-25 season, Kulich played 63 games, scoring 15 goals and adding 24 points. If he maintains this pace, he could become a 20-goal, 40-point player. While this level of production might not be earth-shattering, it is a solid return for a player effectively selected in the second round. The pick has allowed the Sabres to build for the future, finding a promising young player through a trade initially designed to address a different need.
Reinhart’s Rise in Florida: A Different Trajectory
Meanwhile, Sam Reinhart’s career trajectory skyrocketed in Florida. Last season, he surpassed 94 points, adding 81 points this year. His performance earned him an eight-year contract extension with the Panthers, solidifying his status as a key player. There’s speculation on whether he would have reached the same heights in Buffalo. Would the environment, the team structure, and the coaching staff have allowed him to flourish in the same way? Maybe, maybe not. In a different universe, perhaps, he would have become the star the Sabres desperately needed. The contrast between Reinhart’s success in Florida and the Sabres’ struggles highlights the critical importance of surrounding players with the right support system, coaching, and team dynamics to unlock their full potential.
The Everlasting Question: What if?
The story of the Buffalo Sabres and Sam Reinhart is a cautionary tale. It demonstrates the complexities of team building, the impact of player development, and the unpredictable nature of the NHL. While Sabres fans can only watch Reinhart compete for the Stanley Cup with a mixture of wistfulness and pride, the trade serves as a reminder of the ever-present question: what if? What if things had gone differently? What if the Sabres had drafted differently, or built a stronger team around Reinhart? The answers remain elusive, lost in the realm of ‘what ifs’ and alternate realities. For now, Sabres fans must find solace in the present, hoping that the team’s current trajectory will eventually lead them to the promised land, even if it takes a different path.
