"Roster is worse": NHL fans unanimously predict Buffalo Sabres will fail to make NHL playoffs for record 15 straight seasons

The Buffalo Sabres hold the NHL’s longest active playoff drought, missing the Stanley Cup Playoffs for 14 consecutive seasons since their last appearance in 2011.

The streak is the longest in NHL history and ties with the New York Jets for the longest active postseason drought across major North American professional sports leagues.

The Sabres have also never won a Stanley Cup in their 55-year history, with their closest attempts being Stanley Cup Final losses to the Philadelphia Flyers in 1975 and to the Dallas Stars in 1999.

The Buffalo Sabres are hoping that the new front office and roster additions during the offseason will be sufficient to end their long playoff drought. Here’s what NHL fans on X (formerly Twitter) predicted about whether the club will finally make the postseason next season.

One tweeted:

"No, roster is worse."

Another chimed in:

"When you want to project a team and their playoff hopes look at their centers. Woof."

Here are some of the other top reactions on X:

"If Dahlin plays 80 games, Tage scores 50 and one of the goalies makes a save or two they will be right there," a third fan posted. "Less than 5% chance. KA will get a 3-5 year extension and Sabres will be at 20 years without playoffs before he’s fired. Pathetic management," one fan posted. "#Sabres Players don’t mind losing as long as they aren’t required to do any physical training off the ice & have no responsibility on the ice. Softest team in league is satisfied collecting paycheck as long as no effort is expected from them," another fan wrote. "Some teams will have to really drop off, as of now the only team in their division that I can see them finishing ahead of is maybe the red wings," another chimed in.

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Eric Staal aims to move Buffalo Sabres organization forward with his experience

The Buffalo Sabres hired Eric Staal as a special assistant to general manager Kevyn Adams in May.

In this front-office role, Staal will support all aspects of the hockey department, including scouting and working directly with players and prospects.

The former NHLer aims to advance the Buffalo Sabres organization by drawing on his experience, having played on numerous successful teams throughout his career.

“Throughout my career, I was fortunate to be on so many successful teams, and I hope I can lean on some of those experiences to help the organization moving forward,” Staal said (via NHL).

Eric Staal had a long 18-year career in the NHL, playing for the likes of the Carolina Hurricanes, Minnesota Wild, Florida Panthers, Buffalo Sabres, Montreal Canadiens and the New York Rangers, appearing in 1,365 games and scoring 1,063 points through 455 goals and 608 assists.

He won the Stanley Cup with the Hurricanes in 2006.

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Edited by Abhishek Dilta