The Buffalo Sabres had a great weekend, winning the draft lottery and the chance to select Rasmus Dahlin first overall. Their week isn’t going quite so smoothly though, as today Pegula Sports & Entertainment (PSE) has accepted the resignation of Russ Brandon, President of the Buffalo Sabres and Buffalo Bills. Tim Graham of the Buffalo News reports that the decision comes after an internal investigation into allegations of personal misconduct. Kim Pegula will take over duties as President of the Sabres, Bills and PSE.
Brandon has long been connected to the Bills, but was named President of the Sabres in 2015 when the two franchises came under similar ownership. Though he was not directly involved in hockey decisions, his leadership was behind their marketing programs and brand building.
It’s unclear if the Pegulas intend on hiring a new President after some time, but there is certainly some changes coming with Brandon’s departure. The team has a chance to turn around their on-ice product with the acquisition of Dahlin and development of Jack Eichel, and needs to find a way to secure a level of competitiveness over the next few years.
How lucky for Terry Pegula that the most qualified person to run both his hockey and football teams just happened to be his wife.
This should go well.