Sabres’ Schedule Is Punishing Out Of The Gate — And It Could Be Why Buffalo Misses Playoffs For 15th Straight Season

The Buffalo Sabres†2025-26 regular-season is here at last, and the Sabres would certainly like to win their first game – a home game against the New York Rangers Thursday night – an analysis of their schedule tells Sabres fans they need to buckle down and get ready for a true test of this team, right out of the starting block.

No matter what happens against the Rangers Thursday, thereâ€s no let-up for the Sabres, because they donâ€t have a break inschedule for the next 20 games. Legitimately, there are 19 more teams after the Rangers that Buffalo could plausibly lose to.

Need evidence? Here you go: after Thursdayâ€s game, the Sabres are taking on the Boston Bruins – the same Bruins who are determined to make a playoff push after being bitten hard by the injury bug last season. Boston has a new coach, some new players, and returning stars including winger David Pastrnak, defenseman Charlie McAvoy and goalie Jeremy Swayman. They could quickly snuff out Buffaloâ€s momentum if thatâ€s what the Bruins have after Game 1.

Meanwhile, after that, the Sabres take on the Colorado Avalanche, Ottawa Senators and defending Stanley Cup champion-Florida Panthers. Buffalo canâ€t afford to let those teams overpower them. And after those three games, Buffalo will square off against the Montreal Canadiens, Detroit Red Wings, Toronto Maple Leafs (twice) and Columbus Blue Jackets in their first 10 games this season.

All of those teams – especially the particularly-desperate Red Wings and developing Canadiens and Blue Jackets – are going to give the Sabres a hard fight for the two standing points night-in and night-out.

Will Sabres Have Any Individual Award-Winners This Season?
Full disclosure: the Buffalo Sabres aren’t particularly interested in the NHL’s individual awards. But who’s kidding who — you always like to perform well, and that’s somthing  the league de facto acknowledges by handing out end-of-season honours.

But thatâ€s only the half of it. Buffalo will start its second stretch of 10 games against the Bruins (again), then the high-octane Washington Capitals, followed by the Utah Mammoth (twice), St. Louis Blues, Carolina Hurricanes, Avalanche (again), Red Wings (again), Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames. Buffalo canâ€t afford a soft effort against any of those teams.

It isnâ€t until they play the Chicago Blackhawks on Nov. 21 that you can say the Sabres have a ‘gimme†game. That means thereâ€s a full quarter of the season immediately ahead that legitimately could go one way or another for the Sabres. A solid effort to kick things off against the Rangers is something that would set an immediate tone for Buffalo, and to be honest, weâ€re not sure how this Sabres team will react when confronted with adversity.

That said, the slate is clean for Buffalo, as it is with all teams. But one way or another, Buffalo is going to send a message out of the gate. Either they impress people with their growth as a group, or they buckle under expectation and have to play catch-up the rest of the way this year.

Do The Math, And You’ll See Why Sabres Are A Playoff Longshot

Thereâ€s really no inbetween for the Sabres, is there? Either they make the playoffs and fire back at their cynics, or they fail to make the playoffs and the organization faces drastic on-and-off-ice consequences. Make it to the playoffs, and you get to keep your job; miss the playoffs, nobodyâ€s safe.

Itâ€s that simple. And the way Buffalo plays its next six weeks will go a long way toward determing their fate this season

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