2024–25 Buffalo Sabres season explained

League:	NHL
Season:	2024–25
Year:	2024
Team:	Buffalo Sabres
Division:	Atlantic
Conference:	Eastern
Record:	0–0–0
Homerecord:	0–0–0
Roadrecord:	0–0–0
Generalmanager:	Kevyn Adams
Coach:	Lindy Ruff
Captain:	TBD
Altcaptain:	Rasmus Dahlin TBD
Arena:	KeyBank Center
Minorleague:	Rochester Americans (AHL) Jacksonville Icemen (ECHL)

The 2024–25 Buffalo Sabres season will be the 55th season of play for the Sabres in the National Hockey League (NHL). The Sabres will attempt to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2011 and end the longest playoff drought in NHL history.

Preseason

The preseason schedule was published on June 24, 2024.^[1]

2024 preseason game log: 0–0–0 (Home: 0–0–0 ; Road: 0–0–0)
	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	OT	Decision	Attendance	Record	Recap
1	September 21			Buffalo
2	September 23			Buffalo
3	September 24	Buffalo		Pittsburgh
4	September 26	Buffalo
5	September 27	Buffalo
6	September 28	Buffalo		Columbus
7	September 30			Buffalo
Notes: Game will be played in Munich, Germany

Regular season

The regular season schedule was published on July 2, 2024.

2024–25 game log
October: 0–0–0 (Home: 0–0–0; Road: 0–0–0) Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 1 October 4 – Buffalo 2 October 5 Buffalo – New Jersey 3 October 10 – Buffalo 4 October 12 – Buffalo 5 October 16 Buffalo – 6 October 17 Buffalo – 7 October 19 Buffalo – 8 October 22 – Buffalo 9 October 26 – Buffalo 10 October 28 Florida – Buffalo
November: 0–0–0 (Home: 0–0–0; Road: 0–0–0) Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 11 November 1 – Buffalo 12 November 2 Buffalo – 13 November 5 – Buffalo 14 November 7 Buffalo – 15 November 9 – Buffalo 16 November 11 – Buffalo 17 November 14 – Buffalo 18 November 16 Buffalo – 19 November 20 Buffalo – 20 November 22 Buffalo – 21 November 23 Buffalo – 22 November 27 – Buffalo 23 November 29 – Buffalo 24 November 30 Buffalo – NY Islanders
December: 0–0–0 (Home: 0–0–0; Road: 0–0–0) Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 25 December 3 – Buffalo 26 December 5 – Buffalo 27 December 7 – Buffalo 28 December 9 – Buffalo 29 December 11 – Buffalo 30 December 14 Buffalo – 31 December 15 Buffalo – 32 December 17 Buffalo – 33 December 20 Toronto – Buffalo 34 December 21 Buffalo – 35 December 23 Buffalo – 36 December 27 – Buffalo 37 December 29 Buffalo – 38 December 31 Buffalo –
January: 0–0–0 (Home: 0–0–0; Road: 0–0–0) Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 39 January 2 Buffalo – 40 January 4 Buffalo – 41 January 6 – Buffalo 42 January 9 Buffalo – 43 January 11 – Buffalo 44 January 15 – Buffalo 45 January 17 – Buffalo 46 January 20 Buffalo – Seattle 47 January 21 Buffalo – 48 January 23 Buffalo – 49 January 25 Buffalo – 50 January 28 – Buffalo 51 January 31 – Buffalo
February: 0–0–0 (Home: 0–0–0; Road: 0–0–0) Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 52 February 2 – Buffalo 53 February 4 – Buffalo 54 February 8 Buffalo – 55 February 22 – Buffalo 56 February 25 – Buffalo 57 February 27 Buffalo –
March: 0–0–0 (Home: 0–0–0; Road: 0–0–0) Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 58 March 1 – Buffalo 59 March 3 Buffalo – Montreal 60 March 4 – Buffalo 61 March 6 Buffalo – 62 March 8 Buffalo – 63 March 10 – Buffalo 64 March 12 Buffalo – 65 March 15 – Buffalo 66 March 17 Buffalo – 67 March 20 Buffalo – 68 March 22 Buffalo – 69 March 23 Buffalo – 70 March 25 – Buffalo 71 March 27 – Buffalo 72 March 29 Buffalo – 73 March 30 Buffalo –
April: 0–0–0 (Home: 0–0–0; Road: 0–0–0) Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 74 April 1 Buffalo – 75 April 5 – Buffalo 76 April 6 – Buffalo 77 April 8 – Buffalo 78 April 10 Buffalo – 79 April 12 Buffalo – 80 April 13 Buffalo – Tampa Bay 81 April 15 – Buffalo 82 April 17 – Buffalo
Legend: Notes: Game will be played at O2 Arena in Prague, Czech Republic

Transactions

The Sabres have been involved in the following transactions during the 2024–25 season.

Key: Contract is entry-level.
Contract initially takes effect in the 2025–26 season.

Trades

Date	Details		Ref
	To Washington Capitals 2nd-round pick in 2024	To Buffalo Sabres Beck Malenstyn	^[2]
	To Edmonton Oilers Matthew Savoie	To Buffalo Sabres Ryan McLeod Tyler Tullio	^[3]

Players acquired

Date	Player	Former team	Term	Via	Ref
			1-year	Free agency	^[4]
			2-year	Free agency	^[5]
			1-year	Free agency	^[6]
			2-year	Free agency	^[7]
			1-year	Free agency
			1-year	Free agency
			1-year	Free agency	^[8]
		Calgary Flames	1-year	Free agency	^[9]
			1-year	Free agency	^[10]

Players lost

Date	Player	New team	Term	Via	Ref
			1-year	Buyout	^[11] ^[12]
			1-year	Free agency	^[13]
			1-year	Free agency	^[14]
			2-year	Free agency	^[15]
			1-year	Free agency	^[16]
			3-year	Free agency	^[17]
			1-year	Free agency	^[18]
		Carolina Hurricanes	1-year	Free agency	^[19]
			1-year	Free agency	^[20]
		Carolina Hurricanes	1-year	Free agency	^[21]

Signings

Date	Player	Term	Ref
		1-year	^[22]
		1-year	^[23]
		1-year	^[24]
		1-year
		1-year	^[25]
		3-year	^[26]
		2-year	^[27]
		5-year	^[28]

Draft picks

See also: List of Buffalo Sabres draft picks.

Below are the Buffalo Sabres selections at the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, which was held on June 28 and 29, 2024, at Sphere in Paradise, Nevada.

Round		Player	Pos	Nationality	College/Junior/Club team (League)
1	14	Konsta Helenius	C		Mikkelin Jukurit (Liiga)
2	42	Adam Kleber	D		Lincoln Stars (USHL)
3	71	Brodie Ziemer	RW		U.S. NTDP (USHL)
4	108	Luke Osburn	D		Youngstown Phantoms (USHL)
4	123	Simon-Pier Brunet	D		Drummondville Voltigeurs (QMJHL)
6	172	Patrick Geary	D		Michigan State Spartans (Big Ten)
7	204	Vasili Zelenov	RW		Red Bull Hockey Juniors (AlpsHL)
7	219	Ryerson Leenders	G		Mississauga Steelheads (OHL)

Notes and References

1. Web site: LaBarber . Jourdon . Sabres announce 2024-25 preseason schedule . NHL.com . June 30, 2024 . June 24, 2024.
2. Web site: Sabres acquire Malenstyn from Capitals. NHL.com. Buffalo Sabres. June 29, 2024. June 30, 2024.
3. Web site: Sabres acquire forwards McLeod, Tullio from Oilers. NHL.com. Buffalo Sabres. July 5, 2024. July 6, 2024.
4. Web site: Sabres sign Aube-Kubel to 1-year contract. NHL.com. Buffalo Sabres. July 1, 2024. July 3, 2024.
5. Web site: Sabres sign 5 players to 2-way contracts. NHL.com. Buffalo Sabres. July 1, 2024. July 3, 2024.
6. Web site: Buffalo native Gilbert joins Sabres on 1-year deal. NHL.com. Buffalo Sabres. July 1, 2024. July 3, 2024.
7. Web site: Lafferty joins Sabres on 2-year contract. NHL.com. Buffalo Sabres. July 1, 2024. July 3, 2024.
8. Web site: Sabres sign Zucker to 1-year contract. NHL.com. Buffalo Sabres. July 1, 2024. July 3, 2024.
9. Web site: Sabres sign Poolman to 1-year, 2-way deal. NHL.com. Buffalo Sabres. July 2, 2024. July 3, 2024.
10. Web site: Sabres sign Reimer to 1-year contract. NHL.com. Buffalo Sabres. July 2, 2024. July 3, 2024.
11. Web site: Sabres buy out Skinner's contract . NHL.com . Buffalo Sabres . June 30, 2024 . June 30, 2024.
12. Web site: RELEASE: Oilers sign Jeff Skinner to one-year contract . NHL.com . Edmonton Oilers . July 4, 2024 . July 1, 2024.
13. Web site: Seattle Kraken Agree to Terms with Five Free Agents . NHL.com . Seattle Kraken . July 4, 2024 . July 1, 2024.
14. Web site: Minnesota Wild Agrees to Terms with Eight Players . NHL.com . Minnesota Wild . July 4, 2024 . July 1, 2024.
15. Web site: Jets sign goaltender Eric Comrie to a two-year contract . NHL.com . Winnipeg Jets . July 4, 2024 . July 1, 2024.
16. Web site: Davies signs with the Sens . NHL.com . Ottawa Senators . July 4, 2024 . July 1, 2024.
17. Web site: Lightning sign F Zemgus Girgensons to a three-year contract . NHL.com . Tampa Bay Lightning . July 4, 2024 . July 1, 2024.
18. Web site: Canes Sign Jost To One-Year Contract . NHL.com . Carolina Hurricanes . July 4, 2024 . July 1, 2024.
19. Web site: Canes Sign Robinson To One-Year Contract . NHL.com . Carolina Hurricanes . July 4, 2024 . July 1, 2024.
20. Web site: Vegas Golden Knights Sign Forward Victor Olofsson to One-Year Contract . NHL.com . Vegas Golden Knights . July 4, 2024 . July 2, 2024.
21. Web site: Canes Sign Stillman To One-Year Contract . NHL.com . Vegas Golden Knights . July 4, 2024 . July 3, 2024.
22. Web site: Sabres re-sign Clague to 1-year deal. NHL.com. Buffalo Sabres. June 28, 2024. June 30, 2024.
23. Web site: Bryson returns to Sabres on 1-year deal. NHL.com. Buffalo Sabres. July 1, 2024. July 5, 2024.
24. Web site: Sabres sign 5 players to 2-way contracts. NHL.com. Buffalo Sabres. July 1, 2024. July 24, 2024.
25. Web site: Sabres re-sign Jokiharju to 1-year contract. NHL.com. Buffalo Sabres. July 5, 2024. July 6, 2024.
26. Web site: Sabres sign Helenius to 3-year, entry-level contract. NHL.com. Buffalo Sabres. July 8, 2024. July 10, 2024.
27. Web site: Sabres agree to terms with Malenstyn on 2-year contract. NHL.com. Buffalo Sabres. July 23, 2024. July 24, 2024.
28. Web site: Sabres agree to terms with Luukkonen on 5-year deal . NHL.com. Buffalo Sabres. July 24, 2024. July 25, 2024.