Playoffs or bust: The Buffalo Sabres face a stark 2026 – either they make a thrilling, successful Stanley Cup playoff push, or they continue a decade-and-a-half-long playoff drought and management blows up their roster. It's going to make for compelling Sabres hockey.
There’s no two buts about it – one way or another, the year 2026 is going to be huge for the Buffalo Sabres.
In the next 12 months, the Sabres are either going to continue their current strong stretch and end their 14-year Stanley Cup playoff drought, or they’re going to fold like a cheap suit, miss the playoffs for a full decade-and-a-half.
That has to be something Sabres fans look forward to, right? Either they get a team they can really invest their time and emotion in, or they throw up their hands in exasperation after yet another lost season. It’s really that simple. Feast or famine. And there is no in-between.
This is why we believe Sabres fans should welcome the new year. In short order, we’ll see if Buffalo’s current win streak was just a mirage, or whether they’re at best a Mushy Middle team – too flawed to make the post-season, but too good to land a generational player at the top of the draft. And that result would still be considered a massive failure for the Sabres. If ever there was a “playoffs or bust” team, it’s this season’s Buffalo team.
The Sabres are beyond moral victories and games to build on. Prior to this current win streak, Buffalo was well on its way to cratering their season yet again. So while winning eight straight games has pushed the Sabres up the Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference standings, the reality is that Buffalo is still out of a playoff spot, and they could easily slip back down the standings with a bad week or two.
The road ahead for the Sabres is lined with solid teams who are desperate to make the playoffs. But nobody needs a playoff appearance more than Buffalo. And new Sabres GM Jarmo Kekalainen needs to make some hard decisions in advance of the March 6 trade deadline – because he has to decide whether to be a buyer on the trade market, or a seller.
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That’s what’s at stake for these Sabres players. They’re going out every night and the stakes for them are sky-high. They’re playing for the job security of coach Lindy Ruff, and they’re playing to keep their families in Western New York. Because if the rest of the season goes sideways for them, Kekalainen is going to start trading Sabres players to the highest bidders.
This is why the next 12 months will be so compelling to Sabres fans. In short order, they’re going to find out what this Buffalo team is made of. If the Sabres rise to the occasion and end their playoff drought, Buffalo fans will be thrilled, and the core of the team will almost assuredly be kept intact. If they embarrass themselves and fall short of the playoffs yet again, Sabres fans will demand Kekalainen smash this team into pieces and radically remake the franchise’s depth chart.
Patience, Sabres Fans – World Junior Success Doesn't Guarantee Buffalo's Prospects A Successful NHL Future
The Buffalo Sabres will have four players at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship. But success at the World Junior tournament offers little guarantee prospects of NHL success. While World Junior glory would be great, the Sabres' youngsters need more time and patience to develop.
Thus, Sabres fans should brace themselves for the coming year. There’s going to be drama one way or another, but there’s still time for Buffalo to salvage their season and show their fans they deserve their support.
2026 is going to be a huge year for the Sabres organization, and the hockey they play in the coming months will dictate their direction for the coming years.