Mike Harrington: What would Terry Pegula say about the last three days in Pegulaville?
True leaders come forward in times of crisis, but Terry Pegula believes in that about as much as he believes in having a president of hockey operations on board, Mike Harrington writes.
Oh, to get inside the mind of Terry Pegula right about now. The mostly invisible hockey owner was seen, as usual, on the sidelines at that mishmash of a Bills game Thursday in Houston.
It was a pretty chaotic three days in Pegulaville. The Sabres entered crisis mode − a land they're very familiar with − via Wednesday's 6-2 disaster against Calgary. On Thursday, Josh Allen spent most of the night running for his life but still nearly pulled a game out before the Bills finally fell, 23-19, at Houston's NRG Stadium, which has been their house of horrors for many years. On Friday, Pegula finally got some good news via the Sabres' 9-3 crushing of a Chicago team ground down by a late-night arrival from the Windy City after a third-period collapse at home against Seattle.
The Sabres have won three out of four but are still last in the East by one point. Somehow, they entered Saturday's play only four points out of the last playoff spot in the conference. The Bills remain sixth and teetering in the AFC.
Buffalo Bills owner Terry Pegula, center, heads for the field with GM Brandon Beane, left, prior to the Bills' game against the New England Patriots in Highmark Stadium on Oct. 5, 2025.
Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin, a guest that day, is behind Pegula in the white hoodie. Harry Scull/Buffalo News
If Pegula could talk, he's probably say he's got faith in Lindy Ruff and Sean McDermott, as well as Kevyn Adams and Brandon Beane. We've seen his history. When he stops trusting you, you're gone. And if you don't listen, you get the exit ticket swiftly too. Just ask Jason Botterill.
(For those of you properly crabbing about Beane, you really have to stop. If Pegula hasn't shown Adams the door by now, how in the world can you expect him to send Beane packing? That's not happening).
I'd really like to know what Pegula thinks about the rollercoaster ride both of his teams seem to be on. I bet a lot of you do, too. Alas, the billionaire owner has long ago chosen to go silent, and penny-for-his-thoughts wishes are going to go unheeded.
I've long been outraged by Pegula's lack of accountability to the media and thus to the fans. True leaders come forward in times of crisis, but Pegula believes in that about as much as he believes in having a president of hockey operations on board.
Some disclaimers: Many owners across sports regularly talk to the media, many others do not. In the NHL, it is not mandated they hold any news conferences like it is with coaches and general managers. And the same applies to the NFL, although most traditionally speak at league owners meetings in the spring.
Pegula goes against the grain there and has not spoken to Bills reporters since a 2019 chat in Phoenix. That NFL Network lovefest about the new stadium a couple of years ago doesn't count either. Sorry, state-run media doesn't ask very probing questions.
The last time he took any questions from the Buffalo media on anything was a 2020 video call with his wife, Kim, when they discussed the surprise firing of Botterill and the hiring of Adams as the new GM. Of course, what reporters didn't know at the time was that the Pegula had ordered Adams to fire 22 team employees as the capper of his first day. That news didn't leak out until several hours after the video call.
There are those of you quick to say Pegula is not very good at public speaking. I don't agree. He more than capably spoke at the KeyBank Center naming rights extension last summer, the Highmark Stadium "topping off" ceremony in April, last year's hiring of Ruff and the Highmark groundbreaking ceremony in 2023. Notably, he did not take questions at any of those events.
And I don't care if Pegula's remarks were crafted in whole or in part by team PR personnel. He still had to deliver them and he did fine.
We constantly hear you don't need to hear from the owner and don't care if he speaks or not. For a guy in his position − who just got $850 million of public money to build a football stadium − why exactly is he not subject to the same standard as players, coaches and GMs? That's goofy.
How might Pegula have spent these three days? Here are some possibilities.
Wednesday: I could picture Pegula saying, "Let's get through this disaster because Friday is
Sabre night and that will make people happy." As he tuned in on the way to Houston, was Pegula thinking, "This is a disgrace to be losing to Calgary. They've got the only shoddier arena in the league than we do"? Was he slyly snickering about Alex Tuch's no-show and saying, "The deal is starting with an 8, my man."
Buffalo Sabres right wing Alex Tuch (89) moves the puck ahead of Chicago center Colton Dach in the first period at KeyBank Center on Friday, Nov. 21, 2025.
Joed Viera/Buffalo News
Thursday: Forget about Beane's job status. When that football game was over, you can be assured the GM, McDermott and offensive coordinator Joe Brady were fine. Frankly, I was wondering if Pegula was going to be so mad at the Bills for the loss that he would fire Adams in response. Was he going to head into the locker room and tell Dion Dawkins, "Give back the key to the city, Big Guy" for that soul-sucking false start penalty on 4th and 1?
As he reached for whatever BBQ was in his suite and got some final nibbles of brie and crackers, I could picture Pegula saying, "Did Brady lose his mind with that hook and ladder play? Where was that all night?"
Friday: Pegula had to be wondering the same thing as the rest of us: "What's an Arvid Soderblom?" The poor Blackhawks backup didn't have a chance as the Sabres went all 2007 on the low-flying Connor Bedards to put up a season high in goals.
(Aside: I wonder how many more times this season Pegula's hockey video group will put people on the scoreboard hideously chugging full drinks out of the
Babres. Are they trying to impress the boss by giving him warm fuzzies akin to an Orchard Park parking lot?)Tuch had a four-assist night. Ultimately, he needs more of these to cash in. After just four points in the previous eight games, this outburst got him to 20 points in 21 games. His 78-point pace would be one off his career high. Cha-ching.
"I felt more like myself. I felt like I had some good jump," Tuch said after Friday's game. "My work with the puck was a little bit better. I was holding on to it and hanging on pucks and ragging it a little bit which i think helps my game and creates a lot of space for my linemates."
Said the if-he-could-talk version of Pegula: "Do it again, Big Guy. And again. But it's not starting with a 10."
The Bills don't play Sunday, so I suppose there's a chance Pegula might check out his hockey team in person. Just don't expect him to have much of anything to say.