Sabres Radio Host Revives Tanking Debate Amid Franchise Struggles

As the Buffalo Sabres continue to struggle, with a 5-5-4 record that has them sitting in last place in the highly competitive Eastern Conference, the team's radio host Jeremy White is reviving the tanking debate. White, who was a vocal proponent of the Sabres' efforts to land Connor McDavid or Jack Eichel in the 2015 NHL Draft, is now laying the groundwork for "Operation Gavin McKenna."

McKenna, a dynamic forward at Penn State, is viewed as the likely No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 draft class. White's cheeky message on social media, which spells out "TANK," comes as the Sabres face a difficult stretch of games against the Carolina Hurricanes, Utah Mammoth, Colorado Avalanche, and Detroit Red Wings.

The idea of tanking to secure a top prospect like McKenna is a divisive one in Buffalo, as the Sabres have never fully recovered from their previous efforts to ensure the best odds in the McDavid/Eichel sweepstakes. While some argue that the strategy was successful in landing Eichel, a franchise cornerstone, others contend that the culture of losing created by the tank has haunted the organization for the past 14 years.

As the Sabres weigh their options, the potential to land a game-changing talent like McKenna may be too tempting to ignore, especially with the team's current struggles and a lack of immediate paths to becoming a legitimate Stanley Cup contender.