Yes — The Buffalo Sabres are Officially Back in the Playoffs

The Sabres could have clinched on their own Thursday night, but lost 4-1 to the Ottawa Senators. Ultimately, it took a couple of extra days, and it took the Detroit Red Wings losing in regulation to the New York Rangers. The math is in favor of the Sabres, who will play the Washington Capitals on Saturday and can put a nice ribbon on their return to the postseason with a win.

The Sabres Deserve To Be In

With a record of 46-22-8 (100 points), the Sabres have been on fire since changing their general manager. More specifically, they went on a dominant stretch after the Olympic break (12-1-0 in 13 games). They now have 264 goals for and 225 against (+39 goal differential), a strong home record (24-10-4).

Under coach Lindy Ruff, the Sabres have finally put it all together with solid goaltending, balanced scoring, and improved defense.

Playoff Outlook

If the season ended today, they’d likely face the Montreal Canadiens in the first round (A2 vs A3), though seeding could still shift slightly with a few games left.

Buffalo fans have waited forever for this. NHL insider Frank Seravalli wrote , “14 years of futility. Vanquished. One of the best hockey towns on the planet is officially back in the playoffs, ending the NHL’s longest drought.” Mike Harrington added, “A tweet that is 14 seasons and nearly 15 years in the making: The Buffalo Sabres have qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Detroit’s 4-1 loss to New York got the job done. The Sabers are in, and the longest drought in NHL history is over. Finally.”