The Buffalo Sabres' quest to end the franchise's NHL-record 14-year playoff drought can't be viewed through a single 82-game lens. Their 2025-26 season must be broken down into smaller segments with an eye toward keeping a steady pace as they pass key dates on the schedule.
Multiple times throughout the Sabres' extended playoff absence they've enjoyed red-hot starts, including a 17-6-2 open to the 2018-19 campaign, only to watch their lead in the playoff race eventually evaporate. Consistency has been a major problem across multiple rebuild iterations.
So, what are some notable checkpoints based on the schedule for the upcoming season? Let's analyze three times Buffalo fans will be able to make an honest assessment about the overall direction of Rasmus Dahlin, Tage Thompson and Co.
November 7th, 2025
The Sabres open the regular season by playing 10 of their first 14 games at home, including an Opening Night clash with the New York Rangers on Oct. 9. Their longest road trip during that span is two visits to Boston to face the Bruins.
It's the most favorable travel stretch of the campaign, and 11 of the contests are against fellow members of the Eastern Conference. Buffalo absolutely must take advantage of that first 17.1% of the schedule, ideally with a record well above .500 by early November.
That's especially true because of the Sabres' home-road splits last season. They posted a 23-15-3 record at the KeyBank Center, but their 13-24-4 mark in away games sunk their playoff chances. They must continue to defend home ice at a high rate to have a shot at contention.
Buffalo's road gets a lot tougher after this date, beginning with a four-game trip that includes stops to face a pair of Stanley Cup contenders, the Carolina Hurricanes and Colorado Avalanche.
February 6th, 2026
This is the first day of the Sabres' Olympic break. While superstars like Dahlin (Sweden) and Thompson (United States) will likely be off to Italy to represent their home countries, Buffalo sports fans will have 20 days to assess where the team stands.
It also marks about a month before the 2026 NHL trade deadline. Although the date for that marquee event hasn't been formally announced, it typically takes place in early March and the timeline for deals will be compressed by a roster freeze for the Winter Games.
So, this is the point where Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams will really have to start thinking about whether the franchise will be a buyer or seller. At least being close enough to the playoff race to make a roster addition or two would be a great sign of progress.
March 23rd, 2026
Buffalo will return home from a four-game West Coast road trip on this date. It's a swing headlined by a stop to battle former face of the franchise Jack Eichel and the Vegas Golden Knights.
At this moment, the Sabres will have 11 games left in the season and they'll be set to start a four-game homestand that'll feature highly winnable matchups against the Bruins, Detroit Red Wings, Seattle Kraken and New York Islanders.
That means they'll have a legitimate chance to finally end the drought if they're still within striking distance of a playoff spot in late March. And, while there are certainly some hurdles in that final dozen games, it's navigable enough to ensure there's no room for excuses if they fall short by a point or two.