What division do the Buffalo Sabres play in?

Since the 2013-14 season, the Buffalo Sabres have been part of the Atlantic Division with the exception of the 2020-21 season, when they instead played in the short-lived Eastern Division. Buffalo moved to the Atlantic in a year that saw the NHL realign, thanks mainly to the former Atlanta Thrashers taking off for Winnipeg to bring back the Jets. 

This was the same season that saw the Detroit Red Wings not only move to the Eastern Conference, but they also sidled into the Atlantic Division, forging a divisional rivalry between the Sabres and yet another Original Six franchise - joining the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, and Boston Bruins.

The Columbus Blue Jackets were another team to move into the Eastern Conference that season, but they ended up in the Metropolitan Division, allowing them to form a geographic divisional rivalry with the Pittsburgh Penguins. 

A quick history of which divisions the Buffalo Sabres played in

When the Sabres started play in 1970-71, they were not attached to a specific conference, but instead, they played in the Eastern Division. This lasted until the 1973-74 season, one year before the Blue and Gold played in their first Stanley Cup Final.

Between 1993-94 and 2012-13, the Sabres called the Northeast Division home, which came in part to a name change of the division and the conference itself. From 1974-75 to 1992-93, the Sabres were part of the Adams Division, which was, in turn, part of the Prince of Wales Conference. 

The name change occurred because, during the time, the NHL saw rapid expansion that increased the number of teams from 24 to 26, which has since grown to 32 clubs as of the 2021-22 season. Expansion into newer markets meant more fans would be drawn to the sport, and changing the name from the Adams Division to the Northeast Division and the Prince of Wales Conference to the Eastern Conference would make more sense to the NHL’s newer fans. 

(Historical information powered by Hockey-Reference)