The Buffalo Sabres didn’t just officially make it out of their rebuild last season. They exceeded expectations by reaching the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. And with a successful season like last year, expectations are justifiably high. But those lofty ambitions raise an interesting question: Is anything short of a Stanley Cup a failure for the Sabres this season?
The short answer is no.
The Sabres don’t need to win the Stanley Cup this season to have a season considered a success. What Buffalo needs to do is have the sort of season that could be a logical next step in the team’s development.
That next step would be something akin to reaching the Eastern Conference Final at the very least. Ideally, a Stanley Cup Final appearance would be the best path forward, win or lose. Now, the long answer is much more complex. The Sabres have to make the playoffs at the very least. A postseason miss would be the absolute worst-case scenario for the organization this season.
And if that happens, major question marks will emerge surrounding the organization. That’s why the Sabres have to make the postseason, get past the second round, and show what the team can do when healthy and with consistent goaltending.
Sabres must win a Stanley Cup in the next half-decade
The reality is that the Sabres are on the clock. With the team’s window of contention just cracking open, the pressure is to win a championship within the next half-decade or so.
The timeline is not arbitrary. Most of the team’s stars are locked up through 2030. That gives Buffalo a good three or four seasons to win everything without really needing many changes. Past the 2028-29 season, some reconstruction will be necessary around the fringes.
But the major stars like Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Power, Zach Benson, and Tage Thompson will still be there.
So, a slight retool of depth pieces coupled with solid extensions should give the Sabres enough runway for multiple championships.
The situation, nonetheless, doesn’t mean that the club can take its sweet time to win. There has to be a concerted effort to go for it this season. While falling short of a Cup win won’t be a massive disappointment, you have to think that anything short of making it past the second round would be.
So, the pressure is on for Buffalo to push all of its chips in. There will certainly be the temptation to make a massive move to push the team over the top.
If that leads to a Stanley Cup this season, so be it. Please bear in mind that the real pressure will be on in 2027-28, when the core is one year older and, hopefully, a year more mature.
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