Where the Sabres stand at these moments will help tell the story of their 2025-26 season.
The Buffalo Sabres' quest to end the franchise's NHL-record 14-year playoff drought can't be viewed through a single 82-game lens. Their 2025-26 season must be broken down into smaller segments with an eye toward keeping a steady pace as they pass key dates on the schedule.
Multiple times throughout the Sabres' extended playoff absence they've enjoyed red-hot starts, including a 17-6-2 open to the 2018-19 campaign, only to watch their lead in the playoff race eventually evaporate.