The Buffalo Sabres are set to open a key back-to-back road set against the Atlantic Division rival Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday. They'll attempt to at least replicate the three points they earned during the same Sunshine State trip prior to the NHL's Olympic break.
Buffalo remains in control of its own playoff destiny in the Eastern Conference with 24 games remaining thanks to its 33-19-6 record (72 points). That's five points clear of the first team outside the East cut line, the Washington Capitals at 67 points.
That's a promising position, and the Sabres also received some good news from the morning skate at Amerant Bank Arena as they prepared for their clash with the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Panthers.
Zach Benson nearing return from upper-body injuries
Benson rejoined the Sabres on the ice Friday morning. He's been sidelined since crashing hard into the boards during a Feb. 2 win over Florida. Along with that apparent shoulder ailment, he was also dealing with a separate issue coming out of the break.
Zach Benson revealed to us his second injury was actually a viral illness and not something else he did in training. He’s fine now. Was his usual pepperpot of energy. #Sabres
— Mike Harrington (@ByMHarrington) February 27, 2026
Buffalo head coach Lindy Ruff said he's hopeful the 20-year-old winger will be available for Saturday's battle with the conference-leading Lightning.
"See how he makes out today and I wouldn't rule him out for, probably, tomorrow," Ruff told reporters.
That's a welcome update for the Blue and Gold. They've improved this season because of a more well-rounded roster, but there's no doubt they're a better team when Benson is on the ice:
Sabres when Zach Benson plays
— Sabre Noise (@sabrenoise) February 6, 2026
28-10-4
Sabres when Zach Benson doesn't play
4-8-2 (and down 3-1 tonight)
The relentless forechecker has recorded 26 points (seven goals and 19 assists) along with a plus-16 rating across 42 appearances this season.
How will Buffalo fans respond to Jack Eichel?
The Sabres announced they're going to host a "Gold Medal Homecoming" celebration for Tage Thompson on March 3. That's when they're scheduled to play their first home game since the superstar forward won a gold medal with Team USA at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
While it'll be a well-deserved moment in the spotlight for Thompson, the most intriguing aspect of the night will be how Sabres supporters react to Jack Eichel, another member of the U.S. squad.
Eichel infamously left Buffalo on a sour note, and the club's diehard fanbase has greeted him with a chorus of boos in every visit he's made to the KeyBank Center since his November 2021 trade to the Vegas Golden Knights.
Will this mark a turning of the page for all parties involved? Will Sabres fans give him an ovation during the Team USA ceremony and return to heckling once the puck is dropped? Or will it remain nothing but negativity for the entire night?
Only time will tell.
Sabres' points pace vs. Eastern Conference competition
The Sabres are currently on pace for 102 points, the sixth-highest total in the East and the franchise's best result since the 2006-07 season.
Meanwhile, the Columbus Blue Jackets are pacing toward being the first team out in the conference at 94 points. That means Buffalo needs to post a modest 11-12-1 record over its remaining games to reach 95 points. That shouldn't be too much to ask.
A different perspective comes from the HockeyStats.com projections, which predict the Sabres will finish third in the East with 100 points and gives them a 90% chance of making the postseason.
Either way, the outlook is overwhelmingly positive and suggests it would take a substantial collapse from the Blue and Gold down the stretch to miss the playoffs for a 15th straight year.
Nobody in the City of Good Neighbors is likely going to rest easily until the Sabres officially clinch a spot, though.