Tim Murray took a gamble. After the Sabres hired the former Ottawa assistant general manager on Jan. 9, 2014, Murray assessed his roster, identified Connor McDavid as the centerpiece of his rebuild, and put his plan into action.

Murray wanted to lose.

The Buffalo GM initiated his deconstruction project on Feb. 28, 2014, when he traded Ryan Miller, the Sabres’ ace goalie, to St. Louis. Steve Ott, Matt Moulson, and Cody McCormick followed Miller out the door. 

The following season, Murray doubled down on his quest to land McDavid, doing magical things down the road in Erie, Pa., practically in sight with a squint through the GM’s binoculars. Murray traded Luke Adam, Jhonas Enroth, Tyler Myers, Drew Stafford, Joel Armia, Chris Stewart, Torrey Mitchell, and Michal Neuvirth in a teardown not seen outside of “This Old House.’’

The Sabres lost, all right. In 2014-15, the year of The Tank, Buffalo went 23-51-8 for 54 points, 14 behind second-to-last-place Toronto. Everybody knows what happened next. The real loss took place when Murray’s plan blew up in his face. Edmonton slipped in the back door and swiped McDavid out of Buffalo faster than you can say beef on weck.

Murray believed the razing was worth the risk. In hindsight, it was not. Murray was left with Jack Eichel, far from a booby prize, but yet to grow into the generational talent that McDavid has become. What has accompanied Eichel is a culture of losing, unsurprisingly baked into an organization that was built to give away points. 

So after overseeing the unsuccessful Tank and two more seasons of playoff no-shows, Murray was shown the door on Thursday, accompanied by Dan Bylsma, the coach he had hired to oversee what he believed was a rebuild. A day later, Sabres owner Terry Pegula did not do himself or his organization any favors when he dismissed the notion that The Tank ever happened.

“We rebuilt,’’ Pegula said at a news conference at KeyBank Center.

This is not what Pegula envisioned when he bought the Sabres in 2011. Six years later, Pegula’s investment is in tatters, reduced to a punchline. Under the owner’s watch, some good people have come in and been spit out in short order: Pat LaFontaine, Ted Black, and Ted Nolan being three earlier casualties.

It leaves Pegula in search of an executive to punch the reset button and aim a high-powered hose at a room full of losers. In terms of résumé, ex-Kings GM Dean Lombardi has no competition. Lombardi has two Stanley Cup rings and experience building Los Angeles and San Jose into regular contenders. The Ludlow native is a meticulous, no-nonsense, committed builder. Under Lombardi’s watch, LA became a draft-and-develop powerhouse, selecting and grooming players such as Alec Martinez, Dwight King, Drew Doughty, Kyle Clifford, Jordan Nolan, Tyler Toffoli, and Tanner Pearson.

“Experience is going to be key in our search,’’ Pegula said.

The Sabres could also target executives lower on the masthead. Candidates include Jason Botterill (associate GM, Pittsburgh), Julien Brisebois (assistant GM, Tampa Bay), Rick Dudley (senior vice president of hockey operations, Montreal), Paul Fenton (assistant GM, Nashville), Brent Flahr (assistant GM, Minnesota), Norm Maciver (assistant GM, Chicago), and Bill Zito (assistant GM, Columbus).

Whomever is hired as GM will have work to do to fix the culture. It won’t be enough to employ veterans such as Brian Gionta and Josh Gorges. The GM will have to rebuild a defense that is asking too much of Rasmus Ristolainen. Brendan Guhle should develop into a dangerous two-way defenseman, but he is only 19 years old.

The next GM will have, however, a good place to start with strength up the middle. Eichel is a legitimate No. 1 center. Ryan O’Reilly, Buffalo’s version of Patrice Bergeron, is a very good No. 2 pivot.

Which leads to the GM’s other priority: finding the right coach to work with Eichel.

WGR-AM 550 in Buffalo reported on Wednesday that Eichel, who will be restricted after 2018, would not sign an extension if Bylsma remained coach. Both Eichel and agent Peter Fish, through the Buffalo News, doused the report.

“I don’t know where anyone is getting these reports, but they are ridiculous, in a word,’’ Fish told the News.

Eichel: “I want to be here for a long time. That’s the way I look at it. I don’t want to go anywhere else. I don’t want anybody to think that I want to be somewhere else. I want to be here, and I want to help this team win in any way that I can do that. I just want all the people there to know that.’’

It all became moot one day later when Bylsma was told not to return.

“Complete fabrication,’’ Pegula said. “I defend Jack just as Peter did. It’s not a true story. Were players unhappy? Absolutely. We’re standing here today, not in the Cup race.’’ 

Eichel was one win away from grabbing the NCAA title in 2015 with Boston University. He is nowhere close to coming one win short of the Stanley Cup. This is not how the North Chelmsford native imagined his first two pro seasons taking place after coming so close in college.

But this is the reality of an organization with losing at the root of its culture. 

Eichel is not a bashful player. During the 2015 NHL Combine, which took place in Buffalo, Eichel confidently informed the Oilers that he was the best player in the draft. An ankle injury kept Eichel from backing up his statement this season. While McDavid led the league in scoring (30-70—100) and tugged the Oilers into the playoffs, Eichel finished with 57 points in 61 games and landed where good players ineligible for the postseason end up: at the World Championships. 

If Eichel needs a precedent, he can look to Taylor Hall. The No. 1 pick from 2010 never made the playoffs with his draft team. He went to the Worlds twice with Team Canada. Then the Oilers traded Hall to New Jersey for Adam Larsson. The Devils were the worst team in the East during Hall’s first season.

In terms of personality, McDavid is 20 going on 40. Eichel is the opposite. He is emotional, hasty, and brisk when things are not going well, which is to say all the time in Buffalo. Eichel requires a firm, communicative, and inspiring coach to show him the way. David Quinn worked well with Eichel during his freshman season at BU. The next GM could inquire with Quinn. 

It’s a hire the GM has to get right. Eichel has too much talent to waste. If the right coach doesn’t help Eichel maximize his skill, he’ll find himself following Hall in another dubious manner: by being traded.

DESTINATION UNKNOWN

Condon could be out of a job

Had the Senators not acquired Mike Condon, they might not have qualified for the playoffs. When Craig Anderson was unavailable because of wife Nicholle’scancer diagnosis and Andrew Hammond was out with a groin injury, GM Pierre Dorion had the foresight to acquire the Holliston native from Pittsburgh for a 2017 fifth-round pick. Condon appeared in 27 straight games from Dec. 1 to Feb. 4, breaking Damian Rhodes’s franchise record of 25 consecutive appearances.

For all that, Condon could be out of work soon.

Condon will be unrestricted on July 1. Whether he will return to the Senators is unknown. Ottawa will protect Anderson, their ace, in the expansion draft. They are compliant because Hammond is under contract for one more season. So unless the Senators wish to extend their relationship with Condon, the 26-year-old could be on to his fourth employer in the last year.

“We’ve been talking a little bit about the future,’’ Condon said. “It’s obviously difficult with the expansion draft and everything that’s happening. I obviously respect the team’s due diligence in looking toward the future and balancing the present. It’s a difficult job for Mr. Dorion. I’m just trying to be patient and not worry about it too much. Just worry about the on-ice product. I’ve got people who can take care of the off-ice stuff. I have faith something will get done. If it’s not here, somewhere else. I hope to stay here. But we’ll see.’’

It’s been a peaks-and-valleys season for the Belmont Hill graduate. Condon, formerly Carey Price’s backup, knew something might be up when Montreal signed Al Montoya to a one-year contract last July. Montoya grabbed the No. 2 spot, leaving Condon on waivers. Twenty-eight teams said no thanks before the Penguins, who had seen Matt Murray go down with a broken hand in the World Cup of Hockey, made a claim on Oct. 16.

Condon made just one appearance for Pittsburgh while backing up Marc-Andre Fleury. Then on Nov. 2, while the Penguins were in Anaheim, Dorion executed the trade with Pittsburgh counterpart Jim Rutherford.

“We were coming off the bus in Anaheim,’’ Condon recalled. “We were going to the pregame skate. I didn’t get more than five steps off the bus when Mr. Rutherford came over and said, ‘Good news is, you’re playing tomorrow night. Bad news is, it’s not for us.’ ’’

Condon returned to the team hotel, hustled to LAX, and flew to Ottawa. The next morning, new goalie coach Pierre Groulx picked up Condon at his hotel. That night, Condon stopped all 27 shots he saw to lead Ottawa to a 1-0 win over Vancouver.

Condon concluded the regular season with a 19-14-6 record, 2.50 goals-against average, and .915 save percentage. 

“As a goalie, you can’t be a revisionist goalie,’’ Condon said. “Things happen. You have to put them behind you. Were there mistakes? Yeah. But my attitude and the effort I put in off the ice, preparing for those games, I was very happy with. We were able to maintain the second seed through most of that and bought time for Craig to come back.’’

This summer, Condon will return to Massachusetts, where he will split time between Watertown and Sandwich. Father Ted is a Massachusetts state trooper. Older brother Zach is a harbormaster in Florida. Condon would prefer to be under contract by that time. If not, he knows things could be worse. 

“My brother drives 700-foot ships for a living in and out of Panama City Beach,’’ Condon said. “His job is a little more stressful. If I play bad, then worst-case scenario, all I have to do is get a job. If he has a bad day, then millions of dollars are lost and people could get killed. Stress is relative, I guess. That helps keep me sane.’’

ETC.

Capitals could pick up the pace

With his team trailing, 2-1, in its series to Toronto, Washington coach Barry Trotz made one small change to his lineup. Trotz removed ex-Bruin Brett Connolly from the third line and replaced him with Tom Wilson to ride with Andre Burakovsky and Lars Eller. 

Connolly enjoyed a bounceback season with Washington after the Bruins told him to beat it. He played physical, took advantage of his shot, and was a responsible checker. 

Connolly, however, does not have Wilson’s straight-line speed. Wilson is a predatory north-south burner who loves to bury opponents. 

The Capitals were the best team in the league for a second straight regular season. Despite their dogfight with Toronto, they should get through the Leafs and see the second round.

But GM Brian MacLellan has not built them to keep pace with the NHL’s fastest sprinters. With T.J. Oshie, Justin Williams, Daniel Winnik, Karl Alzner, and Kevin Shattenkirk all due for new deals come July 1, MacLellan will be sure to allocate some of their roster spots and savings toward faster skaters. As good as the Capitals are when they have the puck, their shortcomings express themselves when they’re chasing it.

Goaltending change in Carolina

The Hurricanes are in the market for a goaltending coach. Carolina will not renew the contract of Dave Marcoux, who held the position for the last three seasons. It’s possible the Hurricanes could have made a stiffer push for the playoffs had they received better contributions from Cam Ward (26-22-12, 2.69 GAA, .905 save percentage) and Eddie Lack (8-7-3, 2.64 GAA, .902 save percentage). GM Ron Francis, however, is also responsible for the goaltending problems. Ward is on a two-year, $6.6 million contract that he signed after going 23-17-10 with a 2.41 GAA and .909 save percentage last season — hardly the stuff that earns extensions. Lack, meanwhile, has not fared well behind Carolina’s fast-moving, man-to-man system. Carolina acquired Lack from a defensive-minded team in Vancouver. Now Francis is stuck with both goalies through next year.

Bad ending for Polak

At least two teams liked Roman Polak. The Sharks thought enough of the hard-nosed defenseman to acquire him from Toronto for their Stanley Cup run last year. The Leafs held Polak in such high regard that they brought him back on a one-year, $2.25 million contract. But loyalty is not a common commodity in the NHL, especially with 30-year-old defensive defensemen heading into unrestricted free agency on a bad wheel. Polak, who will be out of contract on July 1, was last seen struggling off the Verizon Center ice in Game 2 against the Capitals because of a season-ending injury to his right leg. Polak, sent tumbling by Brooks Orpik, landed awkwardly upon hitting the deck. Polak’s recovery timeline is unknown. But it might be long enough for teams to practice caution when the market opens. 

Buyout a possibility for Hayes

Jimmy Hayes has one year at $2.6 million remaining on his contract. Considering his pay and performance, there is a good chance the Dorchester native has played his final game as a Bruin. A trade is unlikely. So is the chance of the Golden Knights claiming Hayes in expansion. It leaves the Bruins with two options: buying out the right wing or parking him in Providence next year. The former would have less significant cap consequences than the latter. With a buyout, the Bruins would carry $866,667 in dead money for each of the next two seasons. If the Bruins assign Hayes to Providence, they would be responsible for $1.65 million of his cap hit.

Loose pucks

Tough ending to Zach Werenski’s brilliant rookie season. The 19-year-old was knocked out by a Phil Kessel snapper to the face. The fractures Werenski suffered were substantial enough for the Blue Jackets to rule him out after Game 3. But Werenski earned major points by returning to the game with a full face shield. Steven Stamkos did the same thing in 2011 after eating a Johnny Boychuk slap shot . . . Shane Doan and Brian Gionta served as analysts for NBC Sports. Both veterans will be unrestricted on July 1 . . . Ex-Bruin Don Awrey is 73 years old and still taking to the ice in Southwest Florida. During the season, Awrey serves as an official scorer for the ECHL’s Florida Everblades . . . If anything says spring, it is the sight of Ginette Reno belting out “O Canada’’ at the Bell Centre. Reno’s voice is boisterous enough to clear the last remaining snow banks from Montreal.

Fluto Shinzawa can be reached at fshinzawa@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @GlobeFluto. Material from interviews, wire services, other beat writers, and league and team sources was used in this report.