The wait is finally over in Buffalo as the Sabres have secured their first playoff appearance since 2011, ending an unprecedented 14-year absence from postseason hockey.
The team officially earned their playoff spot Saturday when the New York Rangers beat Detroit in regulation time. This historic drought spanned an NHL-record 14 seasons, making it the second-longest active streak among major North American sports, trailing only the New York Jets who haven’t reached the playoffs since 2010.
Buffalo locked up their postseason berth with six games remaining in the regular season, ahead of their Saturday night matchup in Washington. Currently sitting at 46-22-8, the Sabres are even positioned to potentially capture the Eastern Conference’s number one seed.
The transformation has been nothing short of extraordinary for a franchise that has endured 5,458 days since their last playoff game – a Game 7 first-round loss to Philadelphia on April 26, 2011, under then-coach Lindy Ruff.
During this lengthy absence from the playoffs, Buffalo has occupied the league’s basement four separate times while cycling through seven different head coaches, including Ruff’s current return, and four general managers, with Jarmo Kekalainen now at the helm.
The team’s dramatic rise coincided with Kekalainen’s promotion from senior adviser to general manager on December 15, taking over after Kevyn Adams was dismissed following more than five seasons in charge.
Buffalo had already strung together three consecutive victories when the management change took place, then proceeded to match a franchise record with 10 straight wins. The momentum has continued unabated, with the Sabres posting a 14-3-2 record since the Olympic break, and their worst stretch since December being just a three-game winless streak.
While the coaching change provided a spark, Buffalo’s improved health also played a crucial role in their success.
The return of Josh Norris and Jason Zucker strengthened the top two forward lines, while goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen overcame early-season injury troubles to split starting duties with Alex Lyon. After a shaky 4-5-1 start, Luukkonen has compiled an impressive 15-4-2 record since December 21.
Kekalainen also bolstered the roster at last month’s trade deadline, bringing in center Sam Carrick, forward Tanner Pearson, and defensemen Logan Stanley and Luke Schenn.
Leading the charge are two of Buffalo’s most experienced players: captain Rasmus Dahlin, selected first overall in 2018, and forward Tage Thompson, who arrived via the Ryan O’Reilly trade to St. Louis that same summer.
Dahlin entered Saturday ranked sixth among NHL defensemen with 67 points, while Thompson was tied for 11th league-wide with 38 goals.
Buffalo’s next challenge will be capturing their first playoff series victory since defeating the Rangers in six games during the 2007 second round.
This resurgence has reinvigorated a fanbase that had grown frustrated with consistent losing, multiple failed rebuilding attempts, and watching talented players like O’Reilly and Jack Eichel leave town only to win Stanley Cups elsewhere. Eichel was traded to Vegas in November 2021 after a prolonged dispute over his neck injury treatment.
The Sabres remain without a Stanley Cup championship in their 54-year franchise history.
Fan enthusiasm has returned in full force, with Buffalo recording 21 home sellouts this season, including 15 consecutive games, compared to just five sellouts the previous year.
The team has demonstrated remarkable resilience this season, entering Saturday with 19 comeback victories, tied for seventh in the NHL. Their most dramatic rally came against Tampa Bay last month, winning 8-7 after trailing 7-5 with only nine minutes remaining in regulation.
Tampa Bay also secured their playoff spot on Saturday.
