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Buffalo Sabres can snap TWO league-leading droughts in 2024

By Sion Fawkes|
29 May 1999: Miroslav Satan #81 of the Buffalo Sabres controls the puck during the NHL Eastern Conference Finals game against the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Marine Midland Arena in Buffalo, New York. The Sabres defeated the Maple Leafs 5-2.
29 May 1999: Miroslav Satan #81 of the Buffalo Sabres controls the puck during the NHL Eastern Conference Finals game against the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Marine Midland Arena in Buffalo, New York. The Sabres defeated the Maple Leafs 5-2.

With the Toronto Maple Leafs knocking the Tampa Bay Lightning out of the playoffs last night, the Buffalo Sabres now hold two league-leading droughts. 

While many in the Buffalo Sabres faithful weren’t happy to see the Toronto Maple Leafs snap their near two decade drought without winning a playoff series, I was happy for the Team Up North. I am a self-proclaimed neutral when it comes to the Stanley Cup Playoffs unless the Sabres make it, but the Leafs just gave the Blue and Gold a major opportunity.

Not only can Buffalo snap one league-leading drought next season (and they will probably snap it), they can now snap what will be a 17 season drought without winning a playoff series. In case you’re wondering, their last series win occurred all the way back in 2007 against the New York Rangers.

And best yet, if the aging Tampa Bay Lightning and Boston Bruins start to backslide, and that could be the case, the odds could only increase that they will face off against the Maple Leafs if the two teams finish second and third in the Atlantic, respectively.

Maple Leafs give Buffalo Sabres opportunity to end two league-leading droughts

So yeah, you can spin this as a negative, defining yet another annoying moment of futility for your Sabres. Or, you can say, “You know what? The Sabres have an opportunity to end both droughts simultaneously, and it could come next season against the Leafs.”

It’s not like the Sabres haven’t bested the Leafs before in the playoffs. Back in 1999, Buffalo destroyed Toronto four games to one, to take home the Prince of Wales Trophy. No, that season didn’t end the way we wanted it to, but still, it’s always satisfying to beat the Leafs in the playoffs, regardless.

So maybe history will, in a way, repeat itself next season. Sabres break their drought without a playoff appearance, then break their second drought without a playoff series win. And that could very well occur against their rivals up north.

Source: Series victory by Leafs adds new drought to Sabres’ postseason resume by Mike Harrington, BuffaloNews.com. 

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