The Buffalo Sabres have commenced the 2025-26 NHL season much as they ended previous campaigns: with questions about whether they can end their historic playoff drought. After starting the year with two consecutive losses and just a single goal scored, the Sabres face early challenges that echo the struggles of past seasons. Buffalo has failed to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs for fifteen straight years, a span unmatched across the league.
Every season, 16 teams advance to the postseason, but like a long list of best online casinos the Sabres’ absence dates back to 2010-11. The current stretch is the longest active one in the NHL. Buffalo’s inability to string together momentum early this season, combined with persistent issues in goal scoring and defense, threatens to prolong that drought. A 3-1 loss to the Boston Bruins, which saw Buffalo outshot in the first period 17-2 and only managed 22 shots for the entire game, had coach Lindy Ruff blasting the team in the locker room.
Sometimes the more things change, the more things stay the same.
Playoff Drought in Historical Context
The Sabres’ playoff absence stands out not just for its length, but for its consistency. Since their last postseason appearance, the team has made numerous coaching changes and significant roster adjustments, but tangible improvement has remained elusive. Each offseason reset has not generated a run that breaks through the Eastern Conference’s top tier.
Regular-season results since 2011 reveal the challenge. Buffalo has accumulated 447 wins, 613 losses, and 129 overtime losses during the drought. The Sabres’ average finish over the last decade places them near the bottom of the Atlantic Division. Their best result since the drought began—a third-place divisional finish in 2011-12—still left them outside the playoff cut line.
Scoring Problems Persist
Buffalo’s slow start offensively in 2025-26 is not new. The team has scored just one goal in its opening two games. Last season, the Sabres managed 270 goals, finishing 22nd among the NHL’s 32 teams. The top end of the lineup features center Tage Thompson, who paced the team with 31 goals and 34 assists last year, and winger Alex Tuch, who chipped in 28 goals and 29 assists. Despite some top-line talent, depth scoring remains a significant issue.
Special teams were also a concern in 2024-25. Buffalo’s power play ranked 25th, converting at a 17.7 percent rate. The penalty kill finished in the middle at 17th, stopping 79.5 percent of opponent chances. Two games into this season, neither unit has produced the spark needed to change outcomes. Consistent five-on-five offense and generating scoring chances remain major priorities going forward.
Team Structure and Leadership
Without any significant offseason acquisitions, the Sabres have doubled down on the core of Thompson, Tuch, and defenseman Rasmus Dahlin. Dahlin led the team’s defense with 56 points last year and serves as an anchor in all situations. The blueline is thin behind its star, and defensive miscues contributed to the 261 goals allowed in 2024-25—a bottom-third figure leaguewide.
In goal, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Devon Levi remain in a tandem. Both had stretches of promise last year, but neither locked down the starting job. Stabilizing the crease remains paramount as defensive lapses require dependable netminding to prevent extended losing streaks.
Over the summer, the Sabres chose continuity. Few trades and no blockbuster additions to the forward or defense corps existed. Team management has publicly cited an emphasis on patience and internal player development. However, early results suggest that the young roster faces significant hurdles, especially against deeper divisional competition.
Competitive Atlantic Division
The Atlantic Division offers little opportunity for slow starts. Toronto, Boston, and Tampa Bay represent perennial playoff competition, with Detroit, Florida, and Ottawa adding to the pressure with improved rosters. Buffalo finished sixth in the division last season, ahead of only Montreal and Ottawa, and must leapfrog multiple teams to secure a wild-card berth.
Early-season results place Buffalo near the league’s basement in both goals scored and high-danger scoring chances. If these trends continue, the margin for error shrinks and the importance of divisional matchups grows. The Sabres must capitalize on opportunities within the Atlantic to keep postseason hopes alive.
Looking Ahead to the Remaining Season
For Buffalo to challenge for a playoff spot, improvements must come on both ends of the ice. Increased secondary scoring, sturdy defensive play behind Dahlin, and consistent goaltending are all necessary. The Sabres must find a scoring rhythm quickly to avoid falling too far out of the race.
It is possible that the young roster can make progress as the season unfolds. The NHL schedule is long, and reversals of fortune can occur. But after a 0-2 start with only one goal, the Sabres have left themselves little margin as they try to climb out of the bottom of the standings.
Buffalo’s lengthy playoff drought continues to define the franchise’s modern era. Early signs from the 2025-26 season reinforce that breaking this cycle remains challenging. The lack of significant offseason changes, combined with persistent offensive and defensive struggles, leaves the Sabres with work to do if they hope to return to the NHL postseason finally.
The story of this season is far from finished. The Sabres still have time and games to find answers and challenge the reputation they have built in the last decade and a half. However, until those answers emerge on the ice, the league’s longest playoff drought will remain a central part of the conversation around Buffalo hockey.
