2023–24 Buffalo Sabres season

The 2023–24 Buffalo Sabres season was the 54th season of play for the Sabres in the National Hockey League (NHL).

The Sabres failed to improve on a strong 2022–23 season (42–33–7; 91 points). After the 2022 Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball (MLB) clinched a playoff spot for the first time since 2001 and the 2022–23 Sacramento Kings of National Basketball Association (NBA) clinched a playoff spot for the first time since 2006, the Sabres and New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL) are tied for the longest active playoff drought in American sports, missing them for 12 consecutive years. They attempted to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2011 (the current longest, and the longest playoff drought in NHL history and professional sports only behind the New York Jets who also missed the playoffs), but were eliminated from playoff contention for the 13th consecutive season after a 3–2 loss to the Dallas Stars on April 9, 2024.

Standings

Divisional standings

Conference standings

Schedule and results

Preseason The preseason schedule was published on June 21, 2023. 2023 preseason game log: 3–4–0 (Home: 2–1–0; Road: 1–3–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Recap 1 September 24 Buffalo 4–3 Washington SO Tokarski 12,638 1–0–0 2 September 26 Boston 1–4 Buffalo Levi 11,153 2–0–0 3 September 27 Buffalo 2–5 Toronto Luukkonen 3,000 2–1–0 4 September 28 Buffalo 1–3 Pittsburgh Comrie 13,939 2–2–0 5 September 30 Columbus 3–4 Buffalo Levi 12,209 3–2–0 6 October 4 Buffalo 3–5 Columbus Luukkonen 10,169 3–3–0 7 October 6 Pittsburgh 7–4 Buffalo Levi 14,875 3–4–0

Regular season The regular season schedule was published on June 27, 2023. 2023–24 game logOctober: 4–5–0 (Home: 3–3–0; Road: 1–2–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 1 October 12 NY Rangers 5–1 Buffalo Levi 19,070 0–1–0 0 2 October 14 Buffalo 2–3 NY Islanders Levi 17,255 0–2–0 0 3 October 17 Tampa Bay 2–3 Buffalo OT Levi 12,598 1–2–0 2 4 October 19 Calgary 4–3 Buffalo Levi 13,025 1–3–0 2 5 October 21 NY Islanders 1–3 Buffalo Comrie 16,179 2–3–0 4 6 October 23 Montreal 3–1 Buffalo Comrie 13,507 2–4–0 4 7 October 24 Buffalo 6–4 Ottawa Luukkonen 14,278 3–4–0 6 8 October 27 Buffalo 4–5 New Jersey Luukkonen 16,514 3–5–0 6 9 October 29 Colorado 0–4 Buffalo Luukkonen 15,717 4–5–0 8 November: 6–6–2 (home: 2–2–0; road: 4–4–2) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 10 November 1 Buffalo 5–2 Philadelphia Luukkonen 17,279 5–5–0 10 11 November 3 Philadelphia 5–1 Buffalo Luukkonen 16,612 5–6–0 10 12 November 4 Buffalo 6–4 Toronto Levi 18,902 6–6–0 12 13 November 7 Buffalo 2–3 Carolina OT Luukkonen 18,700 6–6–1 13 14 November 10 Minnesota 2–3 Buffalo Levi 17,031 7–6–1 15 15 November 11 Buffalo 0–4 Pittsburgh Luukkonen 18,429 7–7–1 15 16 November 14 Boston 5–2 Buffalo Levi 14,840 7–8–1 15 17 November 17 Buffalo 2–3 Winnipeg Comrie 11,340 7–9–1 15 18 November 19 Buffalo 3–2 Chicago Luukkonen 19,027 8–9–1 17 19 November 22 Buffalo 3–4 Washington OT Levi 18,573 8–9–2 18 20 November 24 Pittsburgh 2–3 Buffalo Luukkonen 19,070 9–9–2 20 21 November 25 Buffalo 2–7 New Jersey Comrie 16,514 9–10–2 20 22 November 27 Buffalo 5–1 NY Rangers Luukkonen 18,006 10–10–2 22 23 November 30 Buffalo 4–6 St. Louis Luukkonen 18,096 10–11–2 22 December: 5–8–2 (home: 3–4–1; road: 2–4–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 24 December 2 Buffalo 2–6 Carolina Comrie 18,797 10–12–2 22 25 December 3 Nashville 2–1 Buffalo Luukkonen 14,644 10–13–2 22 26 December 5 Detroit 5–3 Buffalo Comrie 14,800 10–14–2 22 27 December 7 Buffalo 3–1 Boston Levi 17,850 11–14–2 24 28 December 9 Montreal 3–2 Buffalo SO Levi 17,123 11–14–3 25 29 December 11 Arizona 2–5 Buffalo Levi 14,083 12–14–3 27 30 December 13 Buffalo 1–5 Colorado Luukkonen 18,034 12–15–3 27 31 December 15 Buffalo 5–2 Vegas Levi 18,008 13–15–3 29 32 December 16 Buffalo 0–2 Arizona Luukkonen 4,600 13–16–3 29 33 December 19 Columbus 9–4 Buffalo Luukkonen 14,888 13–17–3 29 34 December 21 Toronto 3–9 Buffalo Levi 19,070 14–17–3 31 35 December 23 Buffalo 3–4 NY Rangers OT Luukkonen 18,006 14–17–4 32 36 December 27 Boston 4–1 Buffalo Levi 19,070 14–18–4 32 37 December 30 Columbus 2–3 Buffalo OT Luukkonen 19,070 15–18–4 34 38 December 31 Buffalo 1–5 Ottawa Levi 19,421 15–19–4 34 January: 7–4–0 (home: 3–3–0; road: 4–1–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 39 January 4 Buffalo 6–1 Montreal Levi 21,105 16–19–4 36 40 January 6 Buffalo 3–1 Pittsburgh Luukkonen 18,256 17–19–4 38 41 January 9 Seattle 5–2 Buffalo Levi 14,628 17–20–4 38 42 January 11 Ottawa 3–5 Buffalo Luukkonen 16,083 18–20–4 40 43 January 13 Vancouver 1–0 Buffalo Luukkonen 17,662 18–21–4 40 44 January 15 San Jose 0–3 Buffalo Luukkonen 16,186 19–21–4 42 — January 17 Chicago — Buffalo Postponed due to travel restrictions in Buffalo; moved to January 18. The game was flexed out of TNT's first game and was replaced with Red Wings-Panthers. The game aired on MSG Western New York on the rescheduled date. 45 January 18 Chicago 0–3 Buffalo Luukkonen 15,465 20–21–4 44 46 January 20 Tampa Bay 3–1 Buffalo Luukkonen 18,246 20–22–4 44 47 January 23 Buffalo 2–4 Anaheim Luukkonen 16,302 20–23–4 44 48 January 24 Buffalo 5–3 Los Angeles Levi 18,145 21–23–4 46 49 January 27 Buffalo 5–2 San Jose Luukkonen 17,435 22–23–4 48 February: 6–5–0 (home: 2–4–0; road: 4–1–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 50 February 6 Dallas 2–1 Buffalo Luukkonen 13,221 22–24–4 48 51 February 10 St. Louis 3–1 Buffalo Luukkonen 16,726 22–25–4 48 52 February 13 Los Angeles 0–7 Buffalo Luukkonen 13,292 23–25–4 50 53 February 15 Florida 4–0 Buffalo Comrie 14,277 23–26–4 50 54 February 17 Buffalo 3–2 Minnesota OT Luukkonen 19,276 24–26–4 52 55 February 19 Anaheim 4–3 Buffalo Luukkonen 17,229 24–27–4 52 56 February 21 Buffalo 3–2 Montreal Luukkonen 21,105 25–27–4 54 57 February 23 Buffalo 2–1 Columbus Luukkonen 18,943 26–27–4 56 58 February 25 Carolina 2–3 Buffalo SO Luukkonen 15,690 27–27–4 58 59 February 27 Buffalo 2–3 Florida Luukkonen 18,243 27–28–4 58 60 February 29 Buffalo 3–2 Tampa Bay OT Luukkonen 19,092 28–28–4 60 March: 7–7–1 (home: 5–3–0; road: 2–4–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 61 March 2 Vegas 2–7 Buffalo Luukkonen 16,693 29–28–4 62 62 March 3 Winnipeg 5–2 Buffalo Luukkonen 14,171 29–29–4 62 63 March 6 Buffalo 1–2 Toronto OT Luukkonen 18,624 29–29–5 63 64 March 7 Buffalo 2–4 Nashville Comrie 17,159 29–30–5 63 65 March 9 Edmonton 2–3 Buffalo SO Luukkonen 19,070 30–30–5 65 66 March 12 Detroit 3–7 Buffalo Luukkonen 15,529 31–30–5 67 67 March 14 NY Islanders 0–4 Buffalo Luukkonen 15,637 32–30–5 69 68 March 16 Buffalo 1–4 Detroit Luukkonen 19,515 32–31–5 69 69 March 18 Buffalo 6–2 Seattle Luukkonen 17,151 33–31–5 71 70 March 19 Buffalo 2–3 Vancouver Levi 18,733 33–32–5 71 71 March 21 Buffalo 3–8 Edmonton Luukkonen 18,347 33–33–5 71 72 March 24 Buffalo 4–1 Calgary Luukkonen 16,497 34–33–5 73 73 March 27 Ottawa 6–2 Buffalo Luukkonen 14,583 34–34–5 73 74 March 29 New Jersey 2–5 Buffalo Levi 15,721 35–34–5 75 75 March 30 Toronto 3–0 Buffalo Luukkonen 19,070 35–35–5 75 April: 4–2–1 (home: 3–0–0; road: 1–2–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 76 April 2 Washington 2–6 Buffalo Luukkonen 14,390 36–35–5 77 77 April 5 Philadelphia 2–4 Buffalo Luukkonen 15,783 37–35–5 79 78 April 7 Buffalo 1–3 Detroit Luukkonen 19,515 37–36–5 79 79 April 9 Buffalo 2–3 Dallas Luukkonen 18,532 37–37–5 79 80 April 11 Washington 2–4 Buffalo Luukkonen 15,454 38–37–5 81 81 April 13 Buffalo 2–3 Florida OT Luukkonen 19,319 38–37–6 82 82 April 15 Buffalo 4–2 Tampa Bay Comrie 19,092 39–37–6 84 Legend:

Player statistics

Skaters Regular season Player 75 22 37 59 +9 54 81 20 39 59 66 71 29 27 56 43 82 28 22 50 +10 28 79 18 29 47 42 ‡ 62 14 33 47 +12 28 74 24 22 46 34 76 6 27 33 +8 28 71 11 19 30 36 67 10 18 28 +11 64 ‡ 61 12 10 22 +1 32 74 3 17 20 +14 24 27 9 10 19 8 79 4 14 18 +12 88 80 4 13 17 +2 67 51 7 8 15 4 63 8 6 14 21 † 18 3 6 9 13 † 40 2 7 9 0 19 36 1 7 8 +5 8 41 1 6 7 +4 26 41 0 7 7 +3 12 43 3 3 6 10 ‡ 50 3 0 3 24 5 2 0 2 0 0 15 0 2 2 0 3 0 1 1 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 2 7 0 0 0 0

Goaltenders Regular season Player 54 51 3,081:14 27 22 4 132 2.57 1,470 .910 5 0 1 8 23 21 1,294:54 10 8 2 67 3.10 666 .899 0 0 0 0 10 10 519:54 2 7 0 32 3.69 254 .874 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.

Transactions The Sabres have been involved in the following transactions during the 2023–24 season.

Key: Contract is entry-level. Contract initially takes effect in the 2024–25 season.

Trades Date Details Ref To Anaheim DucksIlya Lyubushkin To Buffalo Sabres4th-round pick in the 2025 To Columbus Blue Jacketsconditional NSH 7th-round pick in 2025 To Buffalo SabresEric Robinson To Montreal CanadiensFilip Cederqvist To Buffalo SabresFuture considerations To Colorado AvalancheCasey Mittelstadt To Buffalo SabresBowen Byram To Florida PanthersKyle Okposo To Buffalo SabresCalle SjalinConditional 7th-round pick in 2024* To Philadelphia FlyersErik Johnson To Buffalo Sabres4th-round pick in 2024 To San Jose SharksDevin Cooley To Buffalo SabresWSH 7th-round pick in 2025 Notes: The pick will become a 5th-round pick if Florida wins the Stanley Cup.

Players acquired Date Player Former team Term Via Ref Connor Clifton Boston Bruins 3-year Free agency Devin Cooley Nashville Predators 1-year Free agency Erik Johnson Colorado Avalanche 1-year Free agency Justin Richards Columbus Blue Jackets 1-year Free agency Dustin Tokarski Pittsburgh Penguins 1-year Free agency

Players lost Date Player New team Term Via Ref Malcolm Subban St. Louis Blues 1-year Free agency Vinnie Hinostroza Pittsburgh Penguins 1-year Free agency Michael Houser Rochester Americans (AHL) 1-year Free agency Austin Strand Chicago Wolves (AHL) 1-year Free agency Sean Malone SCL Tigers (NL) 2-year Free agency Matej Pekar Hartford Wolf Pack (AHL) 1-year Free agency

Signings Date Player Term Ref Tyson Jost 1-year Kale Clague 1-year Brett Murray 1-year Anton Wahlberg 3-year Linus Weissbach 1-year Zach Benson 3-year Rasmus Dahlin 8-year Owen Power 7-year

Draft picks

Below are the Buffalo Sabres selections at the 2023 NHL entry draft, which will be held on June 28 and 29, 2023, at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. With their first selection, the Sabres selected Zach Benson from the Winnipeg Ice of the WHL.

Round#PlayerPosNationalityCollege/Junior/Club team (League)113 Zach Benson LW Winnipeg Ice (WHL)239 Anton Wahlberg C Malmö Redhawks (SHL)245 Maxim Strbak D Sioux Falls Stampede (USHL)386 Gavin McCarthy D Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL)4109 Ethan Miedema LW Kingston Frontenacs (OHL)5141 Scott Ratzlaff G Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL)6173 Sean Keohane D Dexter Dex (USHS-MA)7205 Norwin Panocha D Eisbären Berlin (DNL U20)

References