BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — When Taylor Hall signed with the Sabres several years ago, the 2018 MVP summed up a belief shared by many around the NHL by saying the league is better when Buffalo is competitive.
It has been a long time since that was the case.
After numerous rebuilds and coaching and front office changes, the Sabres are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2011 after snapping the NHL’s longest postseason drought at 14 years. As division champions for the first time since '07, Buffalo will open at home against Boston this weekend.
Hall’s belief in Buffalo hasn’t changed, even though his tenure there lasted just 37 games.
“If you’re a sports fan, you have a bit of a soft spot for Buffalo,” said Hall, who is now with Carolina. “It’s nice to see that they’ve done it the right way this year. They play hard. They play fast. They’ve committed to playing well on both sides of the puck, and that’s the recipe. They’re going to be a tough out."
Joy for former teammates
Hall isn’t the only ex-Sabres player to take notice and express a sense of joy over this long-awaited revival.
Casey Mittlestadt might have mixed emotions with his Bruins preparing to face the Sabres in the first round. That doesn't take away the happiness he feels for Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin and leading scorer Tage Thompson, with whom he broke into the league with in 2018.
“Very happy for those guys,” said Mittelstadt, who was picked eighth by Buffalo in 2017. “I have so many friends there and am really close with the staff, spent a lot of time there. ... I would be lying if I said I don’t cheer for them a bit. Good friends, good people and I think they deserve it.”
Fellow forward Zemgus Girgensons endured the brunt of the drought spending a decade in Buffalo before signing with Tampa Bay as a free agent two years ago. Though the drought outlasted him, Girgensons is impressed by his former team's transformation.
"There’s a lot of talent on that team and they’re doing a good job so far," Girgensons said. “It’s just the process of it. You can see the guys have matured a lot. It’s just the way they play. They’ve been playing good hockey, and it’s fun to watch.”
Joy for city of Buffalo
Defenseman Tyler Myers suited up for Buffalo's most recent playoff series in 2010 and and he shares Hall's soft spot for the city.
“It’s my first team in the NHL, (and) I had some success there early on with the group we had,” said Myers, now with Dallas. “I’m happy to see the city and the team doing well. I obviously don’t feel that way if we’re ever up against them. But they’ve had a long road. Certainly in a way, I’m happy for them.”
Rasmus Ristolainen, whose 820 regular season games are the most of any active NHL player without a postseason appearance, is finally in with Philadelphia and feels a kinship with Sabres fans who have waited even longer than he has for this opportunity.
“The fans are die hard and love the team, as they do here, as well. Good for them,” he said
Buffalo native Patrick Kane is a three-time Stanley Cup champion from his time with the Blackhawks . During a recent visit with Detroit, he said he could feel the buzz of the fanbase. It reminded him a bit of football in nearby Orchard Park.
“The building gets wild,” Kane said. “You could see the crowd get into it. I kind of compare it to the Bills a little bit, too. The Bills are good, it’s good for the city. Same thing with the Sabres.”
Joy for the sport of hockey
It's not just that the Sabres got into the playoffs, it's how far they've come in a short while. Buffalo opened this season 11-14-4 before riding a 39-9-4 run to finish atop the Atlantic Division.
“I don’t know if anybody could have predicted the turnaround from last year to this year as quickly,” Commissioner Gary Bettman said. “It’s incredible.”
Also incredible is how winning has re-energized a fanbase. After selling out just four games in 2024-25, the Sabres have enjoyed 22 sellouts this season, including 17 in a row leading into the regular-season finale Wednesday night.
“I always knew that Buffalo was a great market, a great hockey market, and what demonstrates that is while there was frustration that built over time, it has turned around on a dime, which means the fans are back,” Bettman said. “Their enthusiasm is back. It’s like what’s happened has turned the page.”
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Whyno reported from New York.
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