Bill Zito knows what winning hockey looks like. The Florida Panthers general manager built the rosters that captured the last two Stanley Cup titles, and don't count him among the skeptics who are slow to start believing in the Buffalo Sabres.
Zito's Cats are on the brink of elimination in the highly competitive Eastern Conference — an injury-plagued campaign will prevent the Panthers for pushing for a three-peat — but he's been impressed with the Sabres' emergence as a contender for the East's top seed in the playoffs.
"I can tell you from the outside, I'm not even there, but I don't have to be. It's real," Zito told Matthew Fairburn of The Athletic on Tuesday. "It's great for hockey. It's good for everybody. It's one of the most storied franchises. Fans are rabid. It's awesome."
After a slow start, Buffalo found another gear in early December. It's posted a 33-6-3 record over the past 42 games to climb from the conference basement to second place behind the Carolina Hurricanes for the No. 1 spot.
Zito credits Sabres counterpart Jarmo Kekalainen, who inherited the Sabres front office from Kevyn Adams shortly after the club's hot streak began, for setting the right tone.
"He's a guy that if he gave a set of instructions you would follow the instructions not because of his authority but because you didn't want to let him down," the Florida executive told Fairburn. "Because there's substance behind what he does."
Zito sends the praise while also understanding the Blue and Gold, an Atlantic Division rival, represent an additional hurdle as the Panthers attempt to regain their place among the NHL's elite next season
Buffalo Sabres must take advantage of this year's opportunity in the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs as Florida Panthers loom
The Eastern Conference playoffs will be a gauntlet this spring with pretty much any of the eight teams that ultimately qualify for the field serving as a tough out.
Meanwhile, the Sabres are seemingly setting themselves up for long-term success with a young roster that's finally learned to play a sustainable brand of hockey.
Those two factors combined would make you think there isn't a ton of pressure on Buffalo in the coming months. There's always next year, right? Maybe not.
There are 12 East teams still realistically alive in the postseason race heading into the stretch run of the regular season. That's a group that doesn't even include the New Jersey Devils (who've played much better lately), Toronto Maple Leafs (who will likely attempt a quick retool) or the Panthers (who will once again be dangerous at full strength next season).
So, aside from the rebuilding New York Rangers, 15 of the 16 teams in the conference will likely have their sights set of the playoffs in 2026-27. There won't be many pushovers.
At the same time, the Sabres are heading toward the offseason with questions to answer, starting with whether they can re-sign Alex Tuch amid a salary-cap crunch. If they do, there will likely be other moves to make his contract fit under the cap.
So it's far too soon to declare Buffalo as a playoff lock for the upcoming years despite the impressive nature of their breakthrough campaign.
That's why the Sabres can't take their upcoming postseason run for granted. Yes, things are looking up and Kekalainen appears willing to make a bold move to keep the team in contention, but it'll be a serious battle for those eight playoff spots in the East for the foreseeable future.
Is Buffalo a true threat this year? Absolutely. But the Blue and Gold can't look any farther ahead because other teams, including the Panthers, will be eager to knock them back down the standings next season.
Carpe diem, Sabres.