The Buffalo Sabres are no fluke. By now, there is enough evidence to support that Buffalo is a talented team poised to become a consistent playoff contender.
But this season, in particular, the stunning turnaround may leave some question marks unless the club goes on a strong playoff run.
The Sabres have a four-point lead on the Tampa Bay Lightning for first place in the Atlantic Division. That situation means that winning the division, as unlikely as that was at the start of the season, is certainly feasible.
But winning the division, and then falling flat in the first round would call the team into question.
Such an outcome could risk the Sabres getting labeled similarly to the Toronto Maple Leafs: Great regular-season team, but can’t cut it when it counts the most.
That’s why the Sabres need a strong postseason run. Getting out of the first round is a must to show they’re for real. Fans will certainly be forgiving if the Sabres flame out, but the media and pundits, not so much.
A run to the Stanley Cup Final would be something truly magical for Buffalo fans. But that may be a bit premature at this point. But at least getting out of the first round would make this season a smashing success.
Sabres playoff path offers clear chance to Cup Final
Let’s assume for a moment that the Sabres win the Atlantic Division. That would put them in line to get the first wild card team. That assumption is based on the Carolina Hurricanes getting the top seed in the Eastern Conference. However, the Sabres could still take that top seed.
But for now, as things stand, the Sabres get the second seed. And that means a first-round matchup with the Boston Bruins.
Facing the Bruins would be an interesting matchup. The Bruins lead the season series 2-1. But that should be taken with a grain of salt. The Bruins won two games in October. That was before the Sabres went on this mind-shocking run.
Their last meeting in December was a completely different story. The Sabres won 4-1 and looked dominant.
As such, the March 25 showdown at the KeyBank Center could be a preview of what’s to come. So, stay tuned.
Let’s now also assume the Sabres get past the Bruins. Given the way Boston has played lately, that wouldn’t be tough to imagine. The Sabres would face the winner of the Montreal Canadiens and Tampa Bay Lightning.
Now, things start to get interesting. Tampa and Montreal are two tough teams to be sure. But judging from the Sabres’ last meeting against the Lightning, facing Tampa would be preferable over Montreal.
Montreal is a much more balanced, skilled team that doesn’t rely on shenanigans to win hockey games. The Lightning, yes, everyone knows they depend on disrupting opponents and playing dirty.
Regardless of whoever they face, the Sabres have a clear path out of the Atlantic Division side of the bracket.
As for the Eastern Conference Final, that’s another story. The Sabres would likely face the best of the Metro Division, which at this point could be the Hurricanes. But running into the Pittsburgh Penguins or New York Islanders is not an easy out by any means.
We’re not going to venture that far, yet. But just looking at the way things could be shaping up, the Sabres have a decent path to challenge the winner of the Western Conference side of the equation for the 2026 Stanley Cup.