The Buffalo Sabres enter the 2025-26 season looking to end a 14-season playoff drought and will begin that quest Thursday night against the visiting New York Rangers.

New York began the season with a 3-0 loss to the visiting Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday to spoil the debut of head coach Mike Sullivan, who was facing his former club. Sullivan joined the Rangers after 10 seasons and two Stanley Cup titles with the Penguins.

Head coach Lindy Ruff returns for his second season in Buffalo after the Sabres finished a distant 12 points behind the Montreal Canadiens for the final wild-card spot in the Eastern conference last season.

In the offseason, Buffalo sent 23-year-old forward JJ Peterka to the Utah Mammoth for defenseman Michael Kesselring and forward Josh Doan. They also signed free-ag

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