Jordan Greenway (left); Jack Hughes (right) -- (Timothy T. Ludwig, USA TODAY Images) The Buffalo Sabres are a team that needs to make a playoff appearance this coming season. But in a continuing series, we're examining each of Buffalo's Eastern Conference-rivals that could be in the way of the Sabres making it into the post-season. And in this file, we're examining the rivalry between the Sabres and New Jersey Devils.
The Devils were victorious in two of the three games they played against the Sabres last season, but while New Jersey has largely retained most of its roster, Buffalo has made some notable moves to end their playoff drought at 14 years. Will the Sabres be able to change the results they had against the Devils this coming season? That's the focus of this column.
BUFFALO SABRES VS. NEW JERSEY DEVILS
NEW DEVILS PLAYERS: Connor Brown, RW; Evgenii Dadonov, LW; Thomas Bordeleau, LW; Arseny Gritsyuk, LW; Juho Lammikko, LW
2024-25 SERIES: Sabres 1-2-0, Devils 2-1-0
2025-26 GAMES AGAINST EACH OTHER: November 28 at Buffalo; December 21 at New Jersey; February 25 at New Jersey
CAN THE SABRES BEAT THIS TEAM? The Sabres and Devils began the 2024-25 campaign with a home-and-home series, and New Jersey outscored Buffalo 7-2 in winning both those games. After that, the teams met just one more time, with the Sabres salvaging the series by beating the Devils 4-3 in a game that took place at the beginning of February.
This season, the two teams again are going to be finished with one another before the NHL's trade deadline arrives. And this time around, if Buffalo intends on being a playoff team, they're going to want to at least win two of three games against the Devils -- even if two of those three games will be on the road for the Sabres this season.
Is that an unfair expectation for Buffalo? We don't think so. The Devils are a deep team that got deeper with the addition of wingers Brown and Dadonov, but New Jersey is far from a perfect team, and the Sabres need to push Devils goalies Jacob Markstrom and Jake Allen to keep the puck away from New Jersey stars Jack Hughes, Luke Hughes, Timo Meier and Jesper Bratt. And Brown and Dadonov make an already-above-average Devils team all the more dangerous.
Sabres coach Lindy Ruff will always want a big performance from his players against a Devils team he coached not all that long ago. But Buffalo's defense corps will be tested by the waves of speedy Devils players. And if the Sabres' offense isn't able to pressure New Jersey's defense, the Devils are going to make them pay.
Buffalo was a terrible road team this past season, with a 13-24-4 record away from home. However, the Devils were a sub-par home team last year, with a 19-17-5 mark in their own building. If the Sabres can improve on the road, and if New Jersey still struggles at home, Buffalo will have a golden opportunity to change up the results they had against the Devils last season.
Many pundits have found the Devils to be a sexy pick to go far in the past few years, and New Jersey has found ways to consistently underwhelm. This time around, the Sabres need to exploit the Devils' weaknesses, and that's on Ruff to figure out. But if Buffalo doesn't do well against New Jersey this season, their woes against the Devils could be what continues their 14-year playoff drought.
And if that's how things shake out, Ruff's issues with his former team could be what causes the Sabres to dismiss him at the end of next season or sooner.