The 2013–14 Buffalo Sabres season was the 44th season for the National Hockey League (NHL) franchise that was established on May 22, 1970. The Sabres moved to the realigned Atlantic Division, which included the previous season's Northeast Division with the addition of the Tampa Bay Lightning, Florida Panthers and Detroit Red Wings. Ron Rolston, who started the season as head coach, was fired after 20 games and replaced by Ted Nolan, who had previously coached the team from 1995 to 1997. In terms of point percentage, this is the worst season in Sabres franchise history, and the third worst in the salary cap era behind the 2016–2017 Colorado Avalanche and the 2019–2020 Detroit Red Wings.

Off-season Ron Rolston was made the permanent head coach when Darcy Regier removed the interim tag from his title. Regier did not interview any other candidates for the position. Rolston replaced Lindy Ruff who was fired the season before after serving as head coach for nearly 16 seasons.

Training camp The Sabres' training camp saw the arrival of many highly touted prospects into the Sabres' lineup. Newly acquired first round picks Rasmus Ristolainen and Nikita Zadorov both made the opening day roster along with 2012 first round picks Mikhail Grigorenko, Zemgus Girgensons and 2011 first round pick Joel Armia. Armia and Zadorov were both injured in the pre-season and would not play right away.

The pre-season saw the Sabres involved in a controversial game. In a road game at the Toronto Maple Leafs, a fight between Corey Tropp and Toronto winger Jamie Devane ended with Tropp injured. On the ensuing faceoff, Sabres' enforcer John Scott lined up opposite to Phil Kessel and attempted to engage him in a fight. A line brawl followed in which 209 minutes in penalties were handed out, including 11 fighting majors and 14 ten-minute misconduct penalties. During the fight, Maple Leaf David Clarkson would leave the bench to fight. Clarkson would later be suspended by the NHL for ten regular season games. Phil Kessel received a three-game pre-season game ban for slashing Scott with the intent to injure. Sabres Head Coach Ron Rolston was fined an undisclosed amount for "player selection." The fine was controversial due to the fact that Scott was on the ice the previous shift and the Leafs, being the home team, had last change. Corey Tropp suffered a broken jaw and concussion in the fight.

The day before the start of the regular season, Rolston named the new team captain. With the trade of team captain Jason Pominville the year before, the captaincy had remained vacant. Rolston used a rotating captaincy in the preseason. Steve Ott and Thomas Vanek were named co-captains for the 2013–14 season. Ott would wear the "C" for all road games and Vanek would wear it at home. Christian Ehrhoff would wear an "A" during all games.

Regular season Opening the season with a lineup that featured Zemgus Girgensons, Mikhail Grigorenko, Rasmus Ristolainen and Nikita Zadorov, the 2013–14 Sabres were the first team since the 1995–96 season to include four teenagers.

On November 13, 2013, general manager Darcy Regier and Head Coach Ron Rolston were relieved of their duties. Former Sabre Pat LaFontaine was hired as President of Hockey Operations (a position that had been left vacant since the departure of Larry Quinn in 2011) and Ted Nolan was hired as the interim head coach.LaFONTAINE & NOLAN RETURN TO THE SABRES After hiring Ottawa Senators' Assistant general manager Tim Murray to the vacant general manager position on January 9, Pat LaFontaine resigned as President of Hockey Operations on March 1, 2014, to return to his previous position with the NHL.

The Sabres made numerous trades leading up to and right before the March 5 trading deadline. On February 28, they traded away veterans Ryan Miller and Steve Ott to the St. Louis Blues. Then on March 5, the NHL trade deadline day, they made three separate trades with the Minnesota Wild, Washington Capitals and Los Angeles Kings.

The Sabres failed to qualify for the playoffs for the third straight year.

Standings

Schedule and results

Pre-season 2013 preseason game log: 4–2–1 (Home: 2–0–1; Road: 2–2–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Recap 1 September 15 Buffalo 5–4 Montreal SO Hackett 21,273 1–0–0 Recap 2 September 17 Buffalo 3–1 Columbus Hackett 9,009 2–0–0 Recap 3 September 19 Carolina 2–5 Buffalo Miller 17,626 3–0–0 Recap 4 September 21 Toronto 3–2 Buffalo SO Enroth 19,070 3–0–1 Recap 5 September 22 Buffalo 3–5 Toronto Miller 19,001 3–1–1 Recap 6 September 25 Columbus 0–3 Buffalo Enroth 17,346 4–1–1 Recap 7 September 27 Buffalo 0–1 Carolina Miller 12,033 4–2–1 Recap

Regular season 2013–14 game logOverall: 21–51–10 (Home: 13–21–7; Road: 8–30–3) October: 2–12–1 (Home: 0–7–1; Road: 2–5–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 1 October 2 Buffalo 1–2 Detroit Miller 20,066 0–1–0 0 Recap 2 October 4 Ottawa 1–0 Buffalo Miller 19,070 0–2–0 0 Recap 3 October 5 Buffalo 1–4 Pittsburgh Enroth 18,641 0–3–0 0 Recap 4 October 8 Tampa Bay 3–2 Buffalo OT Enroth 18,243 0–3–1 1 Recap 5 October 10 Columbus 4–1 Buffalo Miller 18,210 0–4–1 1 Recap 6 October 12 Buffalo 1–2 Chicago Miller 21,261 0–5–1 1 Recap 7 October 14 Minnesota 2–1 Buffalo Enroth 18,111 0–6–1 1 Recap 8 October 15 Buffalo 4–3 NY Islanders SO Miller 10,512 1–6–1 3 Recap 9 October 17 Vancouver 3–0 Buffalo Miller 18,374 1–7–1 3 Recap 10 October 19 Colorado 4–2 Buffalo Miller 18,422 1–8–1 3 Recap 11 October 23 Boston 5–2 Buffalo Miller 17,645 1–9–1 3 Recap 12 October 25 Buffalo 3–1 Florida Enroth 12,984 2–9–1 5 Recap 13 October 26 Buffalo 2–3 Tampa Bay Miller 18,088 2–10–1 5 Recap 14 October 28 Dallas 4–3 Buffalo Miller 18,295 2–11–1 5 Recap 15 October 31 Buffalo 0–2 NY Rangers Miller 18,006 2–12–1 5 Recap November: 4–8–1 (Home: 3–4–0; Road: 1–4–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 16 November 2 Anaheim 6–3 Buffalo Enroth 19,070 2–13–1 5 Recap 17 November 5 Buffalo 5–4 San Jose SO Miller 17,562 3–13–1 7 Recap 18 November 7 Buffalo 0–2 Los Angeles Enroth 18,118 3–14–1 7 Recap 19 November 8 Buffalo 2–6 Anaheim Miller 15,577 3–15–1 7 Recap 20 November 12 Los Angeles 2–3 Buffalo SO Miller 18,281 4–15–1 9 Recap 21 November 15 Toronto 1–3 Buffalo Miller 19,070 5–15–1 11 Recap 22 November 16 Buffalo 2–4 Toronto Enroth 19,447 5–16–1 11 Recap 23 November 19 St. Louis 4–1 Buffalo Miller 17,710 5–17–1 11 Recap 24 November 21 Buffalo 1–4 Philadelphia Miller 19,973 5–18–1 11 Recap 25 November 24 Detroit 3–1 Buffalo Miller 18,721 5–19–1 11 Recap 26 November 27 Montreal 3–1 Buffalo Miller 18,497 5–20–1 11 Recap 27 November 29 Toronto 2–3 Buffalo OT Miller 19,070 6–20–1 13 Recap 28 November 30 Buffalo 0–1 New Jersey OT Enroth 15,226 6–20–2 14 Recap December: 5–5–2 (Home: 5–1–1; Road: 0–4–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 29 December 5 NY Rangers 3–1 Buffalo Miller 18,088 6–21–2 14 Recap 30 December 7 Buffalo 2–3 Montreal Enroth 21,273 6–22–2 14 Recap 31 December 10 Ottawa 1–2 Buffalo SO Miller 18,594 7–22–2 16 Recap 32 December 12 Buffalo 1–2 Ottawa Miller 15,578 7–23–2 16 Recap 33 December 14 Calgary 2–1 Buffalo OT Enroth 18,368 7–23–3 17 Recap 34 December 17 Winnipeg 2–4 Buffalo Miller 17,795 8–23–3 19 Recap 35 December 19 Boston 2–4 Buffalo Miller 18,217 9–23–3 21 Recap 36 December 21 Buffalo 1–4 Boston Enroth 17,565 9–24–3 21 Recap 37 December 23 Phoenix 1–2 Buffalo OT Miller 18,942 10–24–3 23 Recap 38 December 27 Buffalo 3–4 Toronto SO Miller 19,405 10–24–4 24 Recap 39 December 29 Washington 1–2 Buffalo SO Miller 19,070 11–24–4 26 Recap 40 December 31 Buffalo 0–3 Winnipeg Enroth 15,004 11–25–4 26 Recap January: 4–5–4 (Home: 1–3–3; Road: 3–2–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 41 January 2 Buffalo 1–4 Minnesota Miller 18,229 11–26–4 26 Recap 42 January 4 New Jersey 1–2 Buffalo Miller 19,070 12–26–4 28 Recap – January 7 Carolina Buffalo Game rescheduled to February 25 due to hazardous weather in Buffalo. 43 January 9 Florida 2–1 Buffalo SO Enroth 17,872 12–26–5 29 Recap 44 January 12 Buffalo 2–1 Washington SO Miller 18,506 13–26–5 31 Recap 45 January 14 Philadelphia 4–3 Buffalo Enroth 18,667 13–27–5 31 Recap 46 January 15 Buffalo 3–4 Toronto SO Miller 19,372 13–27–6 32 Recap 47 January 18 Columbus 4–3 Buffalo SO Miller 19,070 13–27–7 33 Recap 48 January 21 Florida 4–3 Buffalo Miller 17,583 13–28–7 33 Recap 49 January 23 Carolina 5–3 Buffalo Enroth 18,468 13–29–7 33 Recap 50 January 25 Buffalo 5–2 Columbus Miller 16,272 14–29–7 35 Recap 51 January 27 Buffalo 0–3 Pittsburgh Miller 18,563 14–30–7 35 Recap 52 January 28 Washington 5–4 Buffalo OT Enroth 18,923 14–30–8 36 Recap 53 January 30 Buffalo 3–2 Phoenix Miller 13,000 15–30–8 38 Recap February: 3–4–0 (Home: 3–2–0; Road: 0–2–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 54 February 1 Buffalo 1–7 Colorado Miller 16,649 15–31–8 38 Recap 55 February 3 Edmonton 3–2 Buffalo Enroth 18,531 15–32–8 38 Recap 56 February 5 Pittsburgh 5–1 Buffalo Miller 18,408 15–33–8 38 Recap 57 February 6 Buffalo 2–3 Ottawa Enroth 18,426 15–34–8 38 Recap 58 February 25 Carolina 2–3 Buffalo Miller 18,719 16–34–8 40 Recap 59 February 26 Boston 4–5 Buffalo OT Enroth 19,070 17–34–8 42 Recap 60 February 28 San Jose 2–4 Buffalo Enroth 19,070 18–34–8 44 Recap March: 2–11–1 (Home: 0–3–1; Road: 2–8–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 61 March 3 Buffalo 2–3 Dallas Enroth 14,235 18–35–8 44 Recap 62 March 6 Buffalo 3–1 Tampa Bay Enroth 19,204 19–35–8 46 Recap 63 March 7 Buffalo 0–2 Florida Neuvirth 14,402 19–36–8 46 Recap 64 March 9 Chicago 2–1 Buffalo Enroth 19,070 19–37–8 46 Recap 65 March 11 Nashville 4–1 Buffalo Enroth 18,659 19–38–8 46 Recap 66 March 13 Buffalo 2–4 Carolina Neuvirth 13,654 19–39–8 46 Recap 67 March 15 Buffalo 1–4 NY Islanders Enroth 14,388 19–40–8 46 Recap 68 March 16 Montreal 2–0 Buffalo Enroth 19,070 19–41–8 46 Recap 69 March 18 Buffalo 1–3 Calgary Lieuwen 19,289 19–42–8 46 Recap 70 March 20 Buffalo 3–1 Edmonton Hackett 16,839 20–42–8 48 Recap 71 March 23 Buffalo 2–4 Vancouver Lieuwen 18,910 20–43–8 48 Recap 72 March 25 Buffalo 0–2 Montreal Hackett 21,273 20–44–8 48 Recap 73 March 27 Buffalo 1–6 Nashville Hackett 16,729 20–45–8 48 Recap 74 March 29 Tampa Bay 4–3 Buffalo OT Hackett 19,070 20–45–9 49 Recap April: 1–6–1 (Home: 1–1–1; Road: 0–5–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 75 April 1 New Jersey 2–3 Buffalo SO Lieuwen 19,070 21–45–9 51 Recap 76 April 3 Buffalo 1–2 St. Louis Lieuwen 16,146 21–46–9 51 Recap 77 April 4 Buffalo 2–3 Detroit Hackett 20,066 21–47–9 51 Recap 78 April 6 Buffalo 2–5 Philadelphia Lieuwen 19,603 21–48–9 51 Recap 79 April 8 Detroit 4–2 Buffalo Hackett 18,710 21–49–9 51 Recap 80 April 10 Buffalo 1–2 NY Rangers Hackett 18,006 21–50–9 51 Recap 81 April 12 Buffalo 1–4 Boston Hackett 17,565 21–51–9 51 Recap 82 April 13 NY Islanders 4–3 Buffalo SO Knapp 18,804 21–51–10 52 RecapLegend:

Player stats Final stats Skaters

Regular season Player 72 20 24 44 −26 20 80 21 22 43 −25 42 70 16 18 34 −19 39 79 6 27 33 −27 38 †‡ 44 11 18 29 −8 20 62 9 13 22 −26 58 70 8 14 22 −6 14 ‡ 59 9 11 20 −26 55 74 7 12 19 −17 82 69 6 11 17 −13 14 58 0 15 15 −16 10 79 6 7 13 −10 14 † 49 5 6 11 −14 22 ‡ 13 4 5 9 −5 4 68 1 8 9 −29 73 64 2 6 8 −21 34 44 1 6 7 −11 16 50 4 2 6 −6 4 † 19 3 3 6 −7 16 ‡ 29 1 4 5 −8 45 34 2 2 4 −15 6 28 0 4 4 0 19 18 2 1 3 −3 2 9 1 1 2 −3 4 25 0 2 2 −3 8 †‡ 13 0 2 2 −5 6 † 9 1 0 1 0 4 56 1 0 1 −12 125 12 1 0 1 0 4 17 1 0 1 −10 18 7 1 0 1 −4 4 † 23 0 1 1 −4 33 12 0 1 1 −5 2 7 0 1 1 −3 15 21 0 1 1 −3 2 ‡ 9 0 1 1 −8 0 5 0 0 0 −1 5 † 5 0 0 0 −2 6 ‡ 12 0 0 0 1 6

Goaltenders