Former NHL defenseman Ryan Whitney has become a household name in hockey media since hanging up his skates, but the Buffalo Sabres just served him a hearty slice of humble pie. Whitney, a co-host of the massively popular "Spittin' Chiclets" podcast, found himself literally on blast after the Sabres' social media team masterfully trolled him for a past prediction.

Buffalo, which entered this season carrying the weight of a record 14-year playoff drought, turned its fortunes around to win the Atlantic Division. In doing so, they decided to collect receipts from doubters, and Whitney's quote was the grand prize. The team purchased two billboards in Buffalo featuring Whitney's face alongside his bold proclamation: "Buffalo's not making the playoffs. ….. 0.000%."

On a recent episode of his podcast, Whitney took the epic troll in stride. "Bravo. Bravo," he laughed. "Just incredible, incredible trolling by them, to a guy who deserves it... The way they went about this was so perfect." He admitted initially thinking the video of the billboard was AI-generated, only to discover from fans that the very public shaming was all too real.

This isn't the first time Whitney's predictions have spectacularly backfired. He famously predicted the Vegas Golden Knights would be the league's doormat in their inaugural season, a clip the Knights played before Game 1 of the 2023 Stanley Cup Final—a series they went on to win. "I have quite the reputation in terms of a guy who, if I say something, the opposite happens," Whitney conceded with a chuckle.

As for the Sabres, they've officially silenced the critics and are set for their first playoff game since 2011, hosting the Boston Bruins in what promises to be a thrilling series opener. It's a stark reminder that in sports, the best clapbacks aren't just delivered on social media—sometimes, they're printed 20 feet tall for the whole city to see.