The 2024-25 NHL season hasn’t been kind to new York hockey fans. While the Islanders struggle, a more compelling question emerges: Which team is having a worse season – the New York Rangers or the Buffalo Sabres?
The Rangers, after a promising 12-4-1 start, have substantially slumped, falling below .500 and currently sit outside playoff contention. Thier playoff chances, according to one statistical model, are a mere 16 percent. Simultaneously occurring, the Sabres, despite recently ending a lengthy losing streak, remain at the bottom of the Eastern Conference. Their playoff hopes, according to the same model, are practically nonexistent.
A Season of Disappointment
Table of Contents
- Rangers vs. Sabres: Who Suffers More? A Hilarious Hockey Showdown
- Playoff Hopes and Heartbreak
- A Look Back: Recent and Not-So-Recent History
- Memorable (and Mortifying) Quotes
- behind the Bench: Coaching Quandaries
- Faith in ownership
- Future potential
- Depressing headline from The Athletic
- motivational ploy from the boss that didn’t work
- Stat that feels fake but somehow isn’t
- NHL Misery Index: Buffalo Sabres and New York Rangers Vie for Bottom
- NHL Goalie Battle: Kreider’s Impact and Luukkonen’s rise
Let’s delve into a point-by-point comparison to determine which team’s season has been more disastrous.
Current Standings
Rangers: A significant drop from their strong start leaves them battling for a playoff spot. Their current record places them well outside the playoff picture.
Sabres: Despite snapping a long losing streak, the Sabres remain firmly entrenched at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings.
Verdict: The Sabres’ consistently poor performance throughout the season gives them a clear edge in this category.
Preseason Expectations
The Rangers,fresh off a Presidents’ Trophy win last year,viewed their conference final loss as a major setback. Their goal was clear: a Stanley Cup or nothing.The Sabres, conversely, faced different expectations, making their current struggles less surprising, though still disappointing.
Verdict: The Rangers’ higher preseason expectations make their current underperformance more jarring, giving them the edge in this category.
While both teams face significant challenges, the Sabres’ consistent struggles throughout the season, coupled with the Rangers’ disappointing fall from grace after a strong start, make for a compelling comparison. Ultimately, determining which team has had the “worse” season is subjective and depends on the criteria used. However, both teams have a long road ahead to reach their potential.
Rangers vs. Sabres: Who Suffers More? A Hilarious Hockey Showdown
For NHL fans, the agony of defeat can be a shared experience, but some teams have mastered the art of suffering. This year, the New York Rangers and Buffalo Sabres find themselves in a peculiar competition: which franchise has endured the greater depths of hockey heartbreak?
Playoff Hopes and Heartbreak
the Buffalo Sabres entered the season with a modest goal: make the playoffs, or at least remain competitive until the season’s end. “The goal was to make the playoffs, or (more reasonably) to at least hang around the race long enough to play meaningful hockey into the final months,” one analyst noted. the Rangers,on the other hand,were considered a stanley Cup contender. Their failure to meet expectations makes the Rangers’ struggles arguably more significant.
“in a way, it’s tempting to give it to the Sabres here, if only because they set the bar nice and low and still tripped over it and face-planted.But yeah, when you’ve got a supposed Cup favourite struggling to make the postseason, this is a clear edge to the Rangers,” a hockey commentator observed.
A Look Back: Recent and Not-So-Recent History
Recent success can often ease the pain of a disappointing season. The Rangers boast a recent Presidents’ Trophy win, two appearances in the Conference Finals in the last three years, and playoff success in seven of the last thirteen seasons. The Sabres, however, haven’t seen the postseason since 2011—the longest drought in NHL history.
“It’s close,but we’ll go with the Sabres,” the commentator conceded,acknowledging the Sabres’ extended playoff drought.
Looking further back, the Rangers’ last Stanley Cup victory was in 1994. The Sabres, meanwhile, have never hoisted Lord Stanley’s Cup in their 54-year history.”I’m not sure how to compare 0-for-54 with 1-for-84, other than that a stiff drink helps,” the commentator quipped, ultimately giving a slight edge to the Sabres in this long-term misery contest.
Memorable (and Mortifying) Quotes
For true misery, a memorable, cringe-worthy quote is essential. Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba’s comment upon his trade to Anaheim,”It’s a rite of passage to get fired from MSG,” certainly fits the bill. Simultaneously occurring, Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams’ clarification for the team’s struggles, “We don’t have palm trees,” became an instant classic, albeit unintentionally humorous.
“I actually think the Adams quote was a valid point that just came out wrong at a time when nobody wanted to hear anything resembling an excuse. I’ll give the edge here to the Rangers,if only because Trouba’s quote seemed to be hinting at something more sinister. (But Buffalo fans showing up with inflatable palm trees was legitimately funny),” the commentator stated.
behind the Bench: Coaching Quandaries
The rangers hired Peter Laviolette,hoping he could deliver a Stanley Cup after Gerard Gallant’s successful tenure.The Sabres, meanwhile, opted for Lindy Ruff, a move that evoked nostalgia for some fans. While neither coach has provided a clear path to success, the commentator suggests the Sabres might hold a slight edge in misery due to the longer tenure of their coach, making a change potentially more arduous.
“OK, that was a cheap shot at Ruff, a good coach who was a Jack Adams finalist just two years ago. But with neither guy seeming to have much in the way of answers these days, I’m going to give the misery edge to the Sabres, if only because it would be easier for the Rangers to make a change because their guy has been around longer,” the commentator concluded.
