The Buffalo Sabres will be playing in the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs this spring. That’s a statement that fans have been wanting to hear for a long time.
The tremendous season in Buffalo has been a preface to the first-round matchup with the Boston Bruins of all teams.
The Bruins landed the first wild card spot this season, setting up their first-round matchup with the Atlantic Division winner, the Sabres. The clash won’t be an easy one by any means. The Sabres will face a tough out in Boston.
In particular, the Bruins have proven to be a gritty, hardworking team. They lack the star power of previous iterations. But the team’s overall makeup and physical play could make it hard for the Sabres to advance beyond the first round.
On the surface, the Bruins should have the edge over the Sabres. Boston took three of four in their season series this year. But that is a misleading data point.
Two of the three Bruins’ wins came in October. That was at a point when the Sabres had not yet turned their season around. Boston took both games at the TD Garden, with one victory coming in overtime.
The next two meetings at the KeyBank Center ended with the Sabres winning one and the Bruins taking another in overtime. That’s two 4-3 overtime wins by Boston. And therein lies the key point. Those two overtime victories were games that could have gone either way.
It’s something that the Bruins have to be thinking about as they prepare to face the Sabres.
Sabres-Bruins Series Could Go the Distance
Of the four Eastern Conference first-round playoff series, the Sabres-Bruins tilt could go the distance. These two clubs are even, though for different reasons.
Boston has a solid number-one starting goaltender in Jeremy Swayman. They have an elite scorer in David Pastrnak and a bruising blueline core.
Meanwhile, the Sabres have one of the best all-around teams in the NHL. They may lack a star goalie, but their rotation this season has worked. The top-end scoring is there, while also boasting a young, talented defensive group.
That’s where the difference could lie. The Sabres are a younger group that’s eager to win. The club has much more left in the tank. That’s something that will become crucial, especially if this series goes the full seven games.
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Buffalo’s Trade Deadline Acquisitions Could Be Difference-Makers
The Bruins have one of the NHL’s heaviest hitters in Nikita Zadorov. The hulking defenseman has been known to terrorize the sandbox from time to time. Similarly, Tanner Jeannot and Mark Kastelic are two other tough customers known to rough it up when needed.
But that’s where the Sabres’ trade deadline acquisitions could be difference-makers. Defenseman Logan Stanley is no pushover. The towering defenseman can mix it up with the best of them.
Veterans Luke Schenn and Sam Carrick will certainly provide some much-needed punch, as well. Then, there’s Jordan Greenway. He’s the sort of no-nonsense guy that can mix it up, too.
Anyone thinking that the Bruins will try to intimidate the Sabres will have another thing coming. Buffalo proved in that fight-fest against the Tampa Bay Lightning that they’re ready for anything. That’s why fans should expect a spirited, hard-hitting series.
In the end, the youth and overall skill level of Buffalo should prevail. It wouldn’t be a stretch to see the Sabres pull out the series in five games if they get some lucky bounces.
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