Sabres end longest playoff drought in NHL history, clinching berth for first time since 2011

The Buffalo Sabres person done it.

They ended the longest playoff drought successful NHL past connected Saturday.

With the New York Rangers' 4-1 triumph implicit the Detroit Red Wings connected Saturday day astatine Madison Square Garden, the Sabres clinched a playoff berth for the archetypal clip since 2011.

It has been a agelong long of atrocious hockey successful Buffalo anterior to this season. Just erstwhile successful the past 14 seasons, they person had much than 90 points erstwhile successful a season.

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Buffalo Sabres defenseman Bowen Byram and defenseman Mattias Samuelsson observe Byram's empty-net extremity during the 3rd play against the New York Islanders successful Buffalo, New York, connected March 31, 2026. (Jeffrey T. Barnes/AP Photo)

They person been a mainstay astatine the apical of the NHL Draft, owning the respective No. 1 and No. 2 selections doubly portion owning a apical 10 prime successful 11 antithetic drafts.

In the opening of December, it looked similar this play would beryllium nary antithetic than the others, arsenic the squad started retired with an 11-14-4 record. However, the squad rattled disconnected a 10-game winning streak aft beating the Edmonton Oilers.

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Buffalo Sabres defenseman Mattias Samuelsson celebrates his extremity with his teammates connected the seat during the 2nd play against the Ottawa Senators successful Ottawa, Canada, connected April 2, 2026. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press via AP)

After winning the 3rd crippled of that streak, they fired wide manager Kevyn Adams and hired Jarmo Kekäläinen. Since hiring Kekäläinen, the Sabres person been an NHL-best 32-8-4.

While the squad has clinched a playoff berth, the Sabres inactive person to play for playoff seeding.

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Buffalo Sabres halfway Tage Thompson celebrates his extremity with defenseman Rasmus Dahlin during the 3rd play against the New York Islanders successful Buffalo, New York, connected March 31, 2026. (Jeffrey T. Barnes/AP Photo)

They presently are tied for the archetypal spot successful the Atlantic Division with the Tampa Bay Lightning, arsenic they each person 100 points, but the Sabres person played 1 much game. The Montreal Canadiens, presently successful 3rd spot successful the Atlantic Division, are close down them with 98 points.

The Sabres volition instrumentality connected the Washington Capitals astatine 7 p.m. ET connected Saturday nighttime arsenic they look to enactment up their seeding for the playoffs.

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