NHL news: Sabres end longest active playoff drought in league history

The Buffalo Sabres have done it.

They ended the longest playoff drought in NHL history on Saturday.

With the New York Rangers’ 4-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday afternoon at Madison Square Garden, the Sabres clinched a playoff berth for the first time since 2011.

It has been a long stretch of bad hockey in Buffalo prior to this season. Just once in the last 14 seasons, they have had more than 90 points once in a season.

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Buffalo Sabres defenseman Bowen Byram and defenseman Mattias Samuelsson celebrate Byram’s empty-net goal during the third period against the New York Islanders in Buffalo, New York, on March 31, 2026. (Jeffrey T. Barnes/AP Photo)

They have been a mainstay at the top of the NHL Draft, owning the respective No. 1 and No. 2 selections twice while owning a top 10 pick in 11 different drafts.

In the beginning of December, it looked like this season would be no different than the others, as the team started out with an 11-14-4 record. However, the team rattled off a 10-game winning streak after beating the Edmonton Oilers.

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Buffalo Sabres defenseman Mattias Samuelsson celebrates his goal with his teammates on the bench during the second period against the Ottawa Senators in Ottawa, Canada, on April 2, 2026. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press via AP)

After winning the third game of that streak, they fired general manager Kevyn Adams and hired Jarmo Kekäläinen. Since hiring Kekäläinen, the Sabres have been an NHL-best 32-8-4.

While the team has clinched a playoff berth, the Sabres still have to play for playoff seeding.

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Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson celebrates his goal with defenseman Rasmus Dahlin during the third period against the New York Islanders in Buffalo, New York, on March 31, 2026. (Jeffrey T. Barnes/AP Photo)

They currently are tied for the first place in the Atlantic Division with the Tampa Bay Lightning, as they each have 100 points, but the Sabres have played one more game. The Montreal Canadiens, currently in third place in the Atlantic Division, are right behind them with 98 points.

The Sabres will take on the Washington Capitals at 7 p.m. ET on Saturday night as they look to shore up their seeding for the playoffs.

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