2025–26 Buffalo Sabres season
National Hockey League season
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The 2025–26 Buffalo Sabres season was the 56th season of play for the Sabres in the National Hockey League (NHL). It was their second season since head coach Lindy Ruff returned to the team.
| 2025–26 Buffalo Sabres | |
|---|---|
Atlantic Division champions | |
| Division | 1st Atlantic |
| Conference | 2nd Eastern |
| 2025–26 record | 50–23–9 |
| Home record | 26–10–5 |
| Road record | 24–13–4 |
| Goals for | 288 |
| Goals against | 241 |
| Team information | |
| General manager | Kevyn Adams (Oct 9 – Dec 15) Jarmo Kekalainen (Dec 15 – pres.) |
| Coach | Lindy Ruff |
| Captain | Rasmus Dahlin |
| Alternate captains | Mattias Samuelsson Tage Thompson Alex Tuch |
| Arena | KeyBank Center |
| Average attendance | 17,428 |
| Minor league affiliates | Rochester Americans (AHL) Jacksonville Icemen (ECHL) |
| Team leaders | |
| Goals | Tage Thompson (40) |
| Assists | Rasmus Dahlin (55) |
| Points | Tage Thompson (81) |
| Penalty minutes | Peyton Krebs (78) |
| Plus/minus | Mattias Samuelsson (+41) |
| Wins | Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (22) |
| Goals against average | Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (2.52) |
On December 15, 2025, after a 14–14–4 start to the season, the Sabres fired general manager Kevyn Adams after more than five seasons and replaced him with Jarmo Kekalainen.[1] The team then embarked on a string of sustained success, with separate win streaks of 10 and 8 games within a 32–6–2 run, the best 40-game run by any team since 1996 and tied for the fourth best in NHL history.[2] The Sabres improved on their 36–39–7 record from the previous season after a 5–1 win on March 5, 2026, against the Pittsburgh Penguins.[3] The streak helped Buffalo clinch just its second winning season since the beginning of the team's playoff drought, which began with the 2011–12 season, and helped the Sabres go from last place in the division in December to first place in the conference by March.[4] Following a win over the New York Islanders on March 31, Buffalo reached 100 points for the first time since the 2009–10 season.[5]
The Sabres ended their 14-season playoff drought when they clinched a playoff spot – for the first time since 2011 – on April 4, after the New York Rangers defeated the Detroit Red Wings.[6] It was the longest such drought in NHL history, and was tied with the New York Jets (whose streak remains ongoing) for the longest active drought in the four major North American sports leagues.[7] Following a 5–1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on April 13, the Sabres clinched their first Atlantic Division title since 2009–10.[8] They defeated the Boston Bruins in the first round of the playoffs 4–2, advancing to the second round for the first time since 2007, where they faced the Montreal Canadiens, losing in 7 games.
Standings
Divisional standings
| Pos | Team | GP | W | L | OTL | RW | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | y – Buffalo Sabres | 82 | 50 | 23 | 9 | 42 | 288 | 241 | +47 | 109 |
| 2 | x – Tampa Bay Lightning | 82 | 50 | 26 | 6 | 40 | 290 | 231 | +59 | 106 |
| 3 | x – Montreal Canadiens | 82 | 48 | 24 | 10 | 34 | 283 | 256 | +27 | 106 |
| 4 | x – Boston Bruins | 82 | 45 | 27 | 10 | 33 | 272 | 250 | +22 | 100 |
| 5 | x – Ottawa Senators | 82 | 44 | 27 | 11 | 38 | 278 | 246 | +32 | 99 |
| 6 | Detroit Red Wings | 82 | 41 | 31 | 10 | 30 | 241 | 258 | −17 | 92 |
| 7 | Florida Panthers | 82 | 40 | 38 | 4 | 32 | 251 | 276 | −25 | 84 |
| 8 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 82 | 32 | 36 | 14 | 23 | 253 | 299 | −46 | 78 |
Rules for classification: 1) Fewer number of games played (GP, only during regular season); 2) Greater number of regulation wins (RW); 3) Greater number of wins in regulation and overtime, excluding shootout wins (ROW); 4) Greater number of total wins, including shootouts (W); 5) Greater number of points earned in head-to-head play; if teams played an uneven number of head-to-head games, the result of the first game on the home ice of the team with the extra home game is discarded; 6) Greater goal differential (GD); 7) Greater number of goals scored (GF)
x – Clinched playoff spot; y – Clinched division
Conference standings
| Pos | Div | Team | GP | W | L | OTL | RW | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | AT | x – Boston Bruins | 82 | 45 | 27 | 10 | 33 | 272 | 250 | +22 | 100 |
| 2 | AT | x – Ottawa Senators | 82 | 44 | 27 | 11 | 38 | 278 | 246 | +32 | 99 |
| 3 | ME | Washington Capitals | 82 | 43 | 30 | 9 | 37 | 263 | 244 | +19 | 95 |
| 4 | AT | Detroit Red Wings | 82 | 41 | 31 | 10 | 30 | 241 | 258 | −17 | 92 |
| 5 | ME | Columbus Blue Jackets | 82 | 40 | 30 | 12 | 28 | 253 | 253 | 0 | 92 |
| 6 | ME | New York Islanders | 82 | 43 | 34 | 5 | 29 | 233 | 241 | −8 | 91 |
| 7 | ME | New Jersey Devils | 82 | 42 | 37 | 3 | 29 | 230 | 254 | −24 | 87 |
| 8 | AT | Florida Panthers | 82 | 40 | 38 | 4 | 32 | 251 | 276 | −25 | 84 |
| 9 | AT | Toronto Maple Leafs | 82 | 32 | 36 | 14 | 23 | 253 | 299 | −46 | 78 |
| 10 | ME | New York Rangers | 82 | 34 | 39 | 9 | 25 | 238 | 250 | −12 | 77 |
Rules for classification: 1) Fewer number of games played (GP, only during regular season); 2) Greater number of regulation wins (RW); 3) Greater number of wins in regulation and overtime, excluding shootout wins (ROW); 4) Greater number of total wins, including shootouts (W); 5) Greater number of points earned in head-to-head play; if teams played an uneven number of head-to-head games, the result of the first game on the home ice of the team with the extra home game is discarded; 6) Greater goal differential (GD); 7) Greater number of goals scored (GF)
x – Clinched playoff spot
Off-season
This season marked significant change in their goaltending lineup, which started with them not resigning their veteran backup goalie from last season, James Reimer, who became their starter late in the season.[11] In July 2025, the team decided to sign journeyman goalie Alex Lyon to become their backup goalie.[12] A few days before the season began, the Sabres signed goaltender Colten Ellis off of waivers from the St. Louis Blues and he became their tertiary option for the rest of the season, with Colten Ellis playing his first ever NHL games during this time period.[13]
The planned starting goaltender, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, suffered an injury during a preseason game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, which caused him to miss regular season playing time and resulted in Alex Lyon starting for the first few regular season games.[14] Luukkonen was also injured later in the season, suffering a lower body injury that caused him to miss his planned Olympic starts.[15]
Season summary
Regular season
The Sabres began their season on October 9, 2025, starting off by scoring only two goals in their first three games.[16] For the second year in a row, the Sabres lost their first three games of the season, all three losses being in regulation.[17] They were the only team in the NHL without a road win before their comeback win in Detroit on November 15, 2025.[18]
On October 22, 2025, Colten Ellis started his first NHL game on home ice against the Detroit Red Wings. He stopped 27 shots en route to a regulation win,[19] becoming the first goaltender from Cape Breton Island to play in the NHL, the eighth from Nova Scotia, and the ninth Sabres goaltender to win in their debut.[20]
On December 15, 2025, the Sabres fired general manager Kevyn Adams after reportedly failing to meet a Thanksgiving deadline to show that the team was better compared to last season, with the team having a 9–10–4 record by that point.[21] This firing caused season-wide impact, as the team would go on multiple winning streaks and ultimately return to the playoffs for the first time since 2011.[22]
All three goalies recorded a shutout during the regular season. Lyon shut out the Florida Panthers on October 18, 2025, winning 3–0, the New York Islanders on January 24, 2026, winning 5–0, and the San Jose Sharks on March 19, 2026, winning 5–0.[23] Luukkonen shut out the Vegas Golden Knights on March 17, 2026, winning 2–0.[24] Ellis shut out the Columbus Blue Jackets on April 9, 2026, winning 5–0.[25]
On March 7, 2026, the Sabres played the Tampa Bay Lightning at home for what Sports Illustrated, USA Today, and The New York Times have called "the most eventful NHL game in decades".[26][27][28] The teams combined for 15 goals and 28 penalties (the most since 1993) along with 102 penalty minutes (the most since 1989).[28] There were multiple comebacks during the game. The Sabres led 3–0 and then 4–1 until the Lightning scored five straight, putting them down 6–4, then later 7–5, only to have a multi-goal comeback of their own to win 8–7 in regulation.[29]
Sam Carrick, a veteran centre, was traded to the Buffalo Sabres by the New York Rangers and made an immediate impact upon his rival. In the 13 regular season games he played, he earned 6 points which marked the highest points per game margin in his NHL career.[30] On March 31, 2026, Carrick injured his left arm during a fight with Anders Lee, which would cause him to miss the first round series against the Bruins.[31]
Playoffs
Eastern Conference First Round: vs. (WC1) Boston Bruins
The Sabres qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 2011 and played the Boston Bruins in the Eastern Conference First Round. The Sabres–Bruins series marked the ninth time, and first since 2010, the teams have met in the playoffs, tying the most of any Sabres opponent with the Philadelphia Flyers.
The first game occurred on April 19, 2026. Despite trailing 2–0 early in the 3rd period and being given a 5.8% chance of winning, they tied the game with 4 minutes left, with Tage Thompson scoring both goals.[32] Mattias Samuelsson scored with 3 minutes left to take Buffalo’s first lead of the game, which they held on to, winning their first playoff game since 2011.[33] The Sabres joined the New York Americans, with this comeback win, as the only team to win a playoff game in this fashion (the Americans doing so in Game 2 of the 1940 quarterfinals).[34]
In Game 2, after Luukkonen allowed four goals in two periods, Alex Lyon took over his position in relief for his first playoff appearance the 2022–23 season. The Sabres would eventually lose this game 4–2, resulting in their first home regulation loss since March 27, 2026.[35] Following this game, Lyon was given netminding duties for Game 3, marking his first playoff start since April 21, 2023.[36] Noah Ostlund earned his first ever playoff point in his first ever playoff game, assisting on a goal from Bowen Byram, and later earned his first ever playoff goal, scoring an empty netter to seal the victory for the Sabres. Ostlund became the first Sabres rookie to earn multiple points in their first playoff game since 1993.[37][38]
In the fourth game, Owen Power, with his assist on a goal from Bowen Byram, became the first player in franchise history with an assist in each of their first four career playoff games.[39] Josh Doan, Peyton Krebs, Zach Benson, and Byram were the four Sabres who scored during the first period, becoming the first team since the Hartford Whalers in 1991 to score four goals against the Bruins in the first period of a playoff game.[40][41] Beck Malenstyn and Alex Tuch each scored a goal during the third period, marking Malenstyn's first ever playoff goal,[42] making the final score of the game 6–1.[43]
Before the game began, a group of Sabres fans nicknamed the "Blade Gang", who have been at every playoff game with rollerblades and full gear, were outside TD Garden and rolling through North Station. Clips of these fans went viral on TikTok and Ruff decided to commment on them after the game saying, "I’ve seen the Blade Gang come to town — pretty cool. I’d actually like to play with those guys. I think it’s the number of years where our fans are really enjoying this. It’s great to see".[44] These fans, whose names are Sean Maloney, Jack Ellis, Danny Maloney, Alex Pawlik, Ian Macvie, Jackson Soto, Luke Soto, Tommy Maloney, and Michael Bollenbacher, would later be officially invited by the team to bang the game drum for the next game on April 28, 2026.[45]
Before the fifth game began, Sabres anthem singer Cami Clune was performing “O Canada” when her microphone repeatedly cut out. In response to the technical issue, the home crowd loudly sang the anthem.[46] After the moment went viral on social media, Canadian based brewery Molson Brewery collaborated with local bars in the area to make their beers free during the sixth game as thanks.[47]
During the fifth game, Rasmus Dahlin earned his first career playoff goal after converting on a power play early in the first period.[48] He would be the only goal scorer during the game, and they would eventually lose 2–1 in overtime.[49]
Josh Norris scored his first career playoff goal on an empty net as the Sabres beat the Boston Bruins 4–1 to advance to the second round for the first time since 2007.[50] This marked the first time since the 2006 Eastern Conference semifinals that the Sabres won all their road games in a series.
Eastern Conference Second Round: vs. (A3) Montreal Canadiens
Sam Carrick was originally listed as unavailable for the second round along with Noah Ostlund, with Lindy Ruff saying, "I don’t believe either will be available in this series yet".[51] However, Carrick was cleared by doctors a few days before the second round began, much faster than originally anticipated.[52] Carrick returned to practice the following morning and played during game 3.[53]
Josh Doan and Zach Benson had points on both Sabres goals scored in the first period, with Doan scoring the first of the game and Ryan McLeod later scoring a power play goal.[54] Jordan Greenway would score his first career playoff goal during the second period.[55] The Sabres would go on to win this game 4–2, marking their first win in the second round since May 6, 2007.[56]
The Sabres struggled in Game 2. A goal from Benson would be the only offensive output for the team, as they would go on to lose 1–5.[57] The Sabres would immediately make up for the loss in Game 3, with Thompson scoring 53 seconds in. This was also the fastest time for the Sabres to score a playoff goal since 2007.[58] Despite the fast start, the team would lose hold of the game, giving up 3 goals in the second period and eventually losing 6–2.[59]
Konsta Helenius, playing his first ever NHL playoff game, and Luke Schenn, playing his first ever playoff game for the Sabres, replaced Logan Stanley and Sam Carrick. Additionally, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen replaced Alex Lyon as starting goaltender.[60] Mattias Samuelsson opened up the scoring early in the first period, with a disallowed Jack Quinn goal almost giving the Sabres a 2–0 lead.[61] After giving up 2 goals late in the first period, Tage Thompson tied the game in the second when he dumped a puck off the corner boards, hitting a glass stanchion that made the puck bounce towards the net awkwardly, hitting the surprised Canadiens goalie on the back of the leg which sent it into the net.[62] Zach Benson, celebrating his 21st birthday, scored the game winning goal on the power play early into the third period.[63] Sabres were able to hold on to the lead and win the game 3–2 to force a sixth game in the series.[64]
After the road trip, the Sabres returned home for game 5. Helenius was able to score his first career playoff goal during the first period.[65] After scoring three times in the first, the Sabres gave up three goals in the second period along with a fourth in the third to lose 6–3.[66] Game 6 was the exact opposite, with the Canadiens scoring three times in the first and giving up the lead in the second, with the Sabres scoring four power play goals during the offensive outburst.[67] Zach Metsa, playing his first NHL playoff game, scored the last goal late in the third period to make it 8–3 and force a game seven.[68] Dahlin, assisting on four goals and scoring one, became the first defenseman in NHL history with five points in an elimination game and the first skater to do so since 2018.[69] Thompson, with one goal and two assits, and Jack Quinn, with two goals and one assist, also had multipoint games.[70]
Schedule and results
Preseason
The preseason schedule was published on June 24, 2025.[71]
| 2025 preseason game log: 3–2–1 (Home: 2–1–0; Road: 1–1–1) | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Date | Visitor | Score | Home | OT | Decision | Attendance | Record | Recap |
| 1 | September 22 | Buffalo | 4–0 | Columbus | Georgiev | 9,778 | 1–0 | [72] | |
| 2 | September 23 | Columbus | 1–2 | Buffalo | Levi | 9,903 | 2–0 | [73] | |
| 3 | September 25 | Buffalo | 2–5 | Detroit | Georgiev | 16,347 | 2–1 | [74] | |
| 4 | September 27 | Detroit | 2–5 | Buffalo | Lyon | 11,872 | 3–1 | [75] | |
| 5 | October 1 | Pittsburgh | 5–3 | Buffalo | Georgiev | 11,591 | 3–2 | [76] | |
| 6 | October 3 | Buffalo | 4–5 | Pittsburgh | OT | Georgiev | 11,528 | 3–3 | [77] |
Regular season
The regular season schedule was published on July 16, 2025.[78]
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Playoffs
| 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Player statistics
Skaters
Goaltenders
| Player | GP | GS | TOI | W | L | OT | GA | GAA | SA | SV% | SO | G | A | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen | 35 | 34 | 2,027:46 | 22 | 9 | 3 | 85 | 2.52 | 930 | .910 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| Alex Lyon | 36 | 34 | 1,992:01 | 20 | 10 | 4 | 92 | 2.77 | 979 | .907 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| Colten Ellis | 16 | 14 | 911:20 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 44 | 2.90 | 455 | .903 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Player | GP | GS | TOI | W | L | GA | GAA | SA | SV% | SO | G | A | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alex Lyon | 10 | 8 | 463:26 | 4 | 3 | 20 | 2.59 | 209 | .904 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen | 6 | 5 | 321:12 | 3 | 3 | 17 | 3.18 | 137 | .876 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
†Denotes player spent time with another team before joining the Sabres. Stats reflect time with the Sabres only.
‡Denotes player was traded mid-season. Stats reflect time with the Sabres only.
Bold/italics denotes franchise record.
Transactions
The Sabres have been involved in the following transactions during the 2025–26 season.
Key:
† Contract is entry-level.
‡ Contract initially takes effect in the 2026–27 season.
Trades
| Date | Details | Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 28, 2025 | To Pittsburgh Penguins Connor Clifton 2nd-round pick in 2025 |
To Buffalo Sabres Isaac Belliveau Conor Timmins |
[178] |
| July 1, 2025 | To Chicago Blackhawks Sam Lafferty |
To Buffalo Sabres 6th-round pick in 2026 |
[179] |
| January 24, 2026 | To Carolina Hurricanes Viktor Neuchev |
To Buffalo Sabres Gavin Bayreuther |
[180] |
| March 5, 2026 | To Winnipeg Jets Jacob Bryson Isak Rosen conditional BUF or EDM 4th-round pick in 20261 2nd-round pick in 2027 |
To Buffalo Sabres Luke Schenn* Logan Stanley |
[181] |
| March 6, 2026 | To New York Rangers 3rd-round pick in 2026 CHI 6th-round pick in 2026 |
To Buffalo Sabres Sam Carrick |
[182] |
| March 6, 2026 | To Winnipeg Jets 7th-round pick in 2026 |
To Buffalo Sabres Tanner Pearson |
[183] |
Notes
- Winnipeg will receive the higher of Buffalo's or Edmonton's 4th-round pick. Winnipeg also retains 50% of Schenn's contract
Players acquired
| Date | Player | Former team | Term | Via | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 1, 2025 | Justin Danforth | Columbus Blue Jackets | 2-year | Free agency | [184] |
| Mason Geertsen | Vegas Golden Knights | 2-year | Free agency | [185] | |
| Alex Lyon | Detroit Red Wings | 2-year | Free agency | [186] | |
| July 2, 2025 | Riley Fiddler-Schultz | Rochester Americans | 2-year‡ | Free agency | [187] |
| Zac Jones | New York Rangers | 1-year | Free agency | [187] | |
| Zach Metsa | Rochester Americans | 2-year | Free agency | [187] | |
| Carson Meyer | 2-year | Free agency | [187] | ||
| July 16, 2025 | Jake Leschyshyn | New York Rangers | 1-year | Free agency | [188] |
| September 11, 2025 | Alexandar Georgiev | San Jose Sharks | 1-year | Free agency | [189] |
| October 6, 2025 | Colten Ellis | St. Louis Blues | Waivers | [190] |
Players lost
| Date | Player | New team | Term | Via | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 1, 2025 | Jacob Bernard-Docker | Detroit Red Wings | 1-year | Free agency | [191] |
| Kale Clague | Winnipeg Jets | 1-year | Free agency | [192] | |
| July 24, 2025 | Aleksandr Kisakov | HC Dynamo Moscow (KHL) | Free agency | [193] | |
| September 24, 2025 | Felix Sandstrom | Oulun Kärpät (Liiga) | Free agency | [194] | |
| November 24, 2025 | Alexandar Georgiev | Contract termination | [195] | ||
| January 12, 2026 | James Reimer | Ottawa Senators | 1-year | Free agency | [196] |
Signings
| Date | Player | Term | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 27, 2025 | Jack Quinn | 2-year | [197] |
| July 1, 2025 | Ryan Johnson | 3-year | [198] |
| Tyson Kozak | 3-year | [199] | |
| Ryan McLeod | 4-year | [200] | |
| Jack Rathbone | 2-year | [201] | |
| July 14, 2025 | Bowen Byram | 2-year | [202] |
| July 15, 2025 | Radim Mrtka | 3-year† | [203] |
| July 27, 2025 | Conor Timmins | 2-year | [204] |
| July 31, 2025 | Devon Levi | 2-year | [205] |
| January 21, 2026 | Josh Doan | 7-year | [206] |
Key
† Contract is entry-level.
Draft picks
Below are the Buffalo Sabres' selections at the 2025 NHL entry draft, which was held on June 27 and 28, 2025, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.
| Round | # | Player | Pos | Nationality | Team (league) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9 | Radim Mrtka | D |  Czechia |
Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL) |
| 3 | 71 | David Bedkowski | D |  Canada |
Owen Sound Attack (OHL) |
| 4 | 103 | Matous Kurcharcik | C | Czechia |
HC Slavia Praha U20 (Czechia U20) |
| 116[D] | Samuel Meloche | G | Canada |
Rouyn-Noranda Huskies (QMJHL) | |
| 5 | 135 | Noah Laberge | D | Canada |
Acadie–Bathurst Titan (QMJHL) |
| 6 | 167 | Ashton Schultz | C |  United States |
Chicago Steel (USHL) |
| 7 | 195[E] | Melvin Novotny | LW |  Sweden |
Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL) |
| 199 | Yevgeni Prokhorov | G |  Belarus |
Dinamo-Shinnik Bobruysk (MHL) | |
| 219[F] | Ryan Rucinski | C | United States |
Youngstown Phantoms (USHL) |
Notes
- Ellis was the starter, but he left in the first period due to an upper body injury.
- Luukkonen was the starter, but he left in the first period due to a lower-body injury.
- Lyon was the starter, but was replaced in the first period by Ellis due to poor play.
- The Minnesota Wild's fourth-round pick went to the Buffalo Sabres as the result of a trade on August 18, 2023, that sent Ilya Lyubushkin to Anaheim in exchange for this pick.[207]
- The Nashville Predators' seventh-round pick went to the Buffalo Sabres as the result of a trade on March 3, 2023, that sent Rasmus Asplund to Nashville in exchange for this pick.[208]
- The Washington Capitals' seventh-round pick went to the Buffalo Sabres as the result of a trade on March 8, 2024, that sent Devin Cooley to San Jose in exchange for this pick.[209]