2021–22 Buffalo Sabres season

The 2021–22 Buffalo Sabres season was the 52nd season for the National Hockey League (NHL) franchise that was established on May 22, 1970. The Sabres failed to snap their ten-year playoff drought, having last qualified for the playoffs in the 2010–11 season.

The league returned to its normal October-to-April scheduling, a full 82-game regular season which began on October 12, 2021, but this was contingent on the COVID-19 pandemic and the Government of Canada reducing its COVID-19 cross-border travel restrictions. As a result, the Sabres rejoined the Atlantic Division after a one-season stint in the East Division due to realignment under the league's return to play protocols. On April 6, 2022, after the Washington Capitals defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Sabres were eliminated from playoff contention for the 11th straight season, setting an NHL record.

Standings

Divisional standings

Eastern Conference

Schedule and results

Regular season The regular season schedule was published on July 22, 2021. 2021–22 game logOctober: 5–2–1 (home: 4–1–0; road: 1–1–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 1 October 14 Montreal 1–5 Buffalo Anderson 8,467 1–0–0 2 2 October 16 Arizona 1–2 Buffalo SO Tokarski 7,872 2–0–0 4 3 October 19 Vancouver 2–5 Buffalo Anderson 7,376 3–0–0 6 4 October 22 Boston 4–1 Buffalo Anderson 7,820 3–1–0 6 5 October 23 Buffalo 1–2 New Jersey OT Tokarski 13,158 3–1–1 7 6 October 25 Tampa Bay 1–5 Buffalo Anderson 7,417 4–1–1 9 7 October 28 Buffalo 4–3 Anaheim OT Anderson 12,014 5–1–1 11 8 October 31 Buffalo 2–3 Los Angeles Tokarski 12,101 5–2–1 11 November: 3–9–2 (home: 2–5–1; road: 1–4–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 9 November 2 Buffalo 3–5 San Jose Anderson 10,059 5–3–1 11 10 November 4 Buffalo 2–5 Seattle Tokarski 17,151 5–4–1 11 11 November 6 Detroit 4–3 Buffalo OT Tokarski 8,171 5–4–2 12 12 November 8 Buffalo 3–5 Washington Tokarski 18,573 5–5–2 12 13 November 12 Edmonton 2–3 Buffalo Tokarski 8,258 6–5–2 14 14 November 13 Toronto 5–4 Buffalo Dell 7,992 6–6–2 14 15 November 16 Buffalo 2–1 Pittsburgh Tokarski 16,366 7–6–2 16 16 November 18 Calgary 5–0 Buffalo Tokarski 7,753 7–7–2 16 17 November 21 Buffalo 4–5 NY Rangers Dell 17,256 7–8–2 16 18 November 22 Columbus 7–4 Buffalo Dell 7,978 7–9–2 16 19 November 24 Boston 5–1 Buffalo Dell 9,416 7–10–2 16 20 November 26 Montreal 1–4 Buffalo Tokarski 9,958 8–10–2 18 21 November 27 Buffalo 2–3 Detroit OT Tokarski 18,050 8–10–3 19 22 November 29 Seattle 7–4 Buffalo Tokarski 10,004 8–11–3 19 December: 2–6–2 (home: 0–3–1; road: 2–3–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 23 December 2 Buffalo 4–7 Florida Dell 11,751 8–12–3 19 24 December 4 Buffalo 2–6 Carolina Subban 18,680 8–13–3 19 25 December 7 Anaheim 2–0 Buffalo Luukkonen 8,133 8–14–3 19 26 December 10 NY Rangers 2–1 Buffalo Luukkonen 9,703 8–15–3 19 27 December 11 Washington 3–2 Buffalo SO Luukkonen 9,554 8–15–4 20 28 December 14 Buffalo 4–2 Winnipeg Luukkonen 13,484 9–15–4 22 29 December 16 Buffalo 3–2 Minnesota SO Luukkonen 18,022 10–15–4 24 30 December 17 Buffalo 2–3 Pittsburgh OT Subban 17,456 10–15–5 25 – December 20 Columbus – Buffalo Postponed due to COVID-19. Moved to February 10. – December 22 Colorado – Buffalo Postponed due to COVID-19. Moved to February 19. – December 23 Buffalo – Columbus Postponed due to COVID-19. Moved to February 20. – December 27 NY Islanders – Buffalo Postponed due to COVID-19. Moved to February 15. 31 December 29 New Jersey 4–3 Buffalo Luukkonen 11,511 10–16–5 25 32 December 30 Buffalo 1–4 NY Islanders Subban 17,255 10–17–5 25 January: 4–6–2 (home: 1–3–1; road: 3–3–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 33 January 1 Buffalo 3–4 Boston OT Luukkonen 17,850 10–17–6 26 34 January 6 San Jose 3–2 Buffalo Luukkonen 8,117 10–18–6 26 — January 8 Buffalo – Montreal Postponed due to attendance restrictions.Moved to February 13. 35 January 11 Tampa Bay 6–1 Buffalo Luukkonen 8,368 10–19–6 26 36 January 13 Buffalo 4–1 Nashville Dell 17,159 11–19–6 28 37 January 15 Buffalo 0–4 Detroit Dell 19,515 11–20–6 28 38 January 17 Detroit 3–2 Buffalo OT Dell 8,839 11–20–7 29 39 January 18 Buffalo 3–1 Ottawa Houser 0 12–20–7 31 40 January 20 Dallas 5–4 Buffalo Dell 7,808 12–21–7 31 41 January 22 Philadelphia 3–6 Buffalo Houser 9,264 13–21–7 33 42 January 25 Buffalo 0–5 Ottawa Dell 0 13–22–7 33 43 January 29 Buffalo 3–1 Arizona Anderson 12,853 14–22–7 35 44 January 30 Buffalo 1–4 Colorado Tokarski 17,456 14–23–7 35 February: 2–7–1 (home: 1–2–1; road: 1–5–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 45 February 1 Buffalo 2–5 Vegas Anderson 18,235 14–24–7 35 46 February 10 Columbus 4–3 Buffalo OT Tokarski 8,476 14–24–8 36 47 February 13 Buffalo 5–3 Montreal Anderson 500 15–24–8 38 48 February 15 NY Islanders 3–6 Buffalo Tokarski 9,296 16–24–8 40 49 February 17 Ottawa 3–1 Buffalo Anderson 7,026 16–25–8 40 50 February 19 Colorado 5–3 Buffalo Tokarski 10,526 16–26–8 40 51 February 20 Buffalo 3–7 Columbus Anderson 18,608 16–27–8 40 52 February 23 Buffalo 0–4 Montreal Anderson 10,552 16–28–8 40 53 February 25 Buffalo 3–5 St. Louis Tokarski 18,096 16–29–8 40 54 February 27 Buffalo 2–4 Dallas Anderson 18,532 16–30–8 40 March: 8–3–3 (home: 4–2–2; road: 4–1–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 55 March 2 Buffalo 5–1 Toronto Anderson 17,122 17–30–8 42 56 March 4 Minnesota 4–5 Buffalo Anderson 8,462 18–30–8 44 57 March 6 Los Angeles 3–0 Buffalo Tokarski 10,775 18–31–8 44 58 March 7 Florida 6–1 Buffalo Anderson 7,906 18–32–8 44 59 March 10 Vegas 1–3 Buffalo Anderson 12,437 19–32–8 46 60 March 13 Toronto 2–5 Buffalo Anderson 26,119(outdoors) 20–32–8 48 61 March 17 Buffalo 1–6 Edmonton Anderson 15,883 20–33–8 48 62 March 18 Buffalo 1–0 Calgary OT Tokarski 16,685 21–33–8 50 63 March 20 Buffalo 3–2 Vancouver OT Anderson 18,873 22–33–8 52 64 March 23 Pittsburgh 3–4 Buffalo SO Anderson 9,399 23–33–8 54 65 March 25 Washington 4–3 Buffalo SO Tokarski 9,740 23–33–9 55 66 March 27 Buffalo 4–5 NY Rangers OT Anderson 18,006 23–33–10 56 67 March 28 Buffalo 6–5 Chicago Tokarski 18,648 24–33–10 58 68 March 30 Winnipeg 3–2 Buffalo SO Anderson 8,055 24–33–11 59 April: 8–6–0 (home: 5–2–0; road: 3–4–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 69 April 1 Nashville 3–4 Buffalo Anderson 19,070 25–33–11 61 70 April 3 Florida 5–3 Buffalo Tokarski 11,787 25–34–11 61 71 April 5 Carolina 2–4 Buffalo Anderson 8,984 26–34–11 63 72 April 7 Buffalo 3–5 Carolina Anderson 15,639 26–35–11 63 73 April 8 Buffalo 3–4 Florida Tokarski 17,728 26–36–11 63 74 April 10 Buffalo 0–5 Tampa Bay Anderson 19,092 26–37–11 63 75 April 12 Buffalo 5–2 Toronto Anderson 18,393 27–37–11 65 76 April 14 St. Louis 6–2 Buffalo Anderson 11,565 27–38–11 65 77 April 16 Philadelphia 3–4 Buffalo Anderson 11,046 28–38–11 67 78 April 17 Buffalo 5–3 Philadelphia Tokarski 14,377 29–38–11 69 79 April 21 Buffalo 5–2 New Jersey Anderson 12,014 30–38–11 71 80 April 23 NY Islanders 3–5 Buffalo Tokarski 12,955 31–38–11 73 81 April 28 Buffalo 0–5 Boston Tokarski 17,850 31–39–11 73 82 April 29 Chicago 2–3 Buffalo OT Tokarski 16,505 32–39–11 75 Legend:

Player statistics

Skaters Regular season Player 78 38 30 68 −17 37 80 33 30 63 −14 42 80 13 40 53 −22 68 72 20 29 49 −16 6 74 21 24 45 −15 43 79 13 25 38 −19 55 † 50 12 26 38 −3 14 80 8 19 27 −5 10 62 13 12 25 −11 24 † 48 7 15 22 −20 20 40 6 13 19 −14 4 60 3 16 19 −8 20 56 10 8 18 −7 27 38 2 12 14 −2 21 69 4 8 12 −15 22 68 3 9 12 −4 16 73 1 9 10 −9 12 42 0 10 10 −10 16 58 5 3 8 −14 10 37 2 6 8 −10 0 ‡ 48 1 7 8 −9 25 19 2 4 6 −3 23 36 0 6 6 −19 36 19 2 3 5 +2 4 18 2 3 5 −4 4 55 2 2 4 −12 84 18 2 2 4 −1 6 8 2 1 3 +3 2 2 1 1 2 0 0 4 1 0 1 −1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 ‡ 1 0 0 0 −2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0

Goaltenders Regular season Player 31 31 1,867:15 17 12 2 97 3.12 945 .897 0 0 1 0 29 28 1,671:26 10 12 5 91 3.27 900 .899 1 0 0 0 2 2 120:00 2 0 0 4 2.00 77 .948 0 0 0 0 9 9 503:04 2 5 2 23 2.74 277 .917 0 0 0 0 12 9 565:23 1 8 1 38 4.03 354 .893 0 0 0 2 † 4 3 210:28 0 2 1 17 4.85 132 .871 0 0 0 0 †Denotes player spent time with another team before joining the Sabres. Stats reflect time with the Sabres only. ‡Denotes player was traded mid-season. Stats reflect time with the Sabres only. Bold/italics denotes franchise record.

Awards and honours

Awards

Regular season Player Award Awarded

Milestones

Records

Transactions The Sabres have been involved in the following transactions during the 2021–22 season.

Trades Date Details Ref To Philadelphia FlyersRasmus Ristolainen To Buffalo SabresRobert Hagg1st-round pick in 20212nd-round pick in 2023 To Florida PanthersSam Reinhart To Buffalo SabresDevon Levi1st-round pick in 2022 To New Jersey Devils5th-round pick in 2022To Buffalo SabresWill Butcher To Vegas Golden KnightsJack EichelConditional 3rd-round pick in 2023 or 2024To Buffalo SabresPeyton KrebsAlex TuchConditional 1st-round pick in 2022 or 2023Conditional 2nd-round pick in 2023 or 2024 To New York IslandersFuture considerationsTo Buffalo SabresJohnny Boychuk To Chicago BlackhawksFuture considerationsTo Buffalo SabresMalcolm Subban To Florida PanthersRobert HaggTo Buffalo SabresCGY 6th-round pick in 2022 To Dallas StarsFuture considerations To Buffalo SabresBen Bishop7th-round pick in 2022

Players acquired Date Player Former team Term Via Ref Craig Anderson Washington Capitals 1-year Free agency Aaron Dell New Jersey Devils 1-year Free agency John Hayden Arizona Coyotes 1-year Free agency Vinnie Hinostroza Chicago Blackhawks 1-year Free agency Sean Malone Nashville Predators 1-year Free agency Ethan Prow Florida Panthers 1-year Free agency Mark Pysyk Dallas Stars 1-year Free agency Jimmy Schuldt Vegas Golden Knights 1-year Free agency Ryan MacInnis Columbus Blue Jackets 1-year Free agency Axel Jonsson-Fjallby Washington Capitals Waivers Christian Wolanin Los Angeles Kings Waivers Michael Houser Rochester Americans (AHL) 1-year Free agency

Players lost Date Player New team Term Via Ref William Borgen Seattle Kraken Expansion draft Jean-Sebastien Dea Montreal Canadiens 1-year Free agency Matt Irwin Washington Capitals 1-year Free agency Steven Fogarty Boston Bruins 1-year Free agency Carter Hutton Arizona Coyotes 1-year Free agency Jake McCabe Chicago Blackhawks 4-year Free agency C. J. Smith Carolina Hurricanes 1-year Free agency Linus Ullmark Boston Bruins 4-year Free agency Stefanos Lekkas Fort Wayne Komets (ECHL) Unknown Free agency Michael Houser Rochester Americans (AHL) 1-year Free agency Riley Sheahan Seattle Kraken 1-year Free agency Axel Jonsson-Fjallby Washington Capitals Waivers Tobias Rieder Växjö Lakers (SHL) 1-year Free agency

Signings Date Player Term Contract type Ref Drake Caggiula 1-year Re-signing Brandon Davidson 1-year Re-signing Rasmus Asplund 2-year Re-signing Casey Fitzgerald 2-year Re-signing Henri Jokiharju 3-year Re-signing Casey Mittelstadt 3-year Re-signing Rasmus Dahlin 3-year Re-signing Owen Power 3-year Entry-level Josh Bloom 3-year Entry-level Aleksandr Kisakov 3-year Entry-level Olivier Nadeau 3-year Entry-level Isak Rosen 3-year Entry-level Filip Cederqvist 2-year Entry-level Sean Malone 1-year Extension Craig Anderson 1-year Extension

Draft picks

Below are the Buffalo Sabres selections at the 2021 NHL entry draft, which was held on July 23 and 24, 2021, virtually via video conference call from the NHL Network studios in Secaucus, New Jersey, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.