BUFFALO – No one saw this coming. Sure, securing that elusive spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and ending their NHL-record 14-year drought certainly felt like a possibility for the Sabres this season, at least before they fell into last place.
But a division championship?
Heck, after Monday’s 5-1 road win over the Chicago Blackhawks clinched the Atlantic, even coach Lindy Ruff acknowledged he’s surprised how far the Sabres, who ranked last in the Eastern Conference in early December, have come in such a short time.
“This last four months has been so much fun coaching this group that you hope you get the team in the right place and you become consistent, but these guys have exceeded my expectations,” Ruff told reporters in Chicago.
Ruff spoke to the media in the United Center wearing a 2026 Atlantic Division champions hat, an item he planned to quickly put away.
“I mean, division champions from where we came from in December,” he said. “I’m going to enjoy this hat for one day, and I’m going to work on the next hat.”
One of the most stunning in-season turnarounds in NHL history began Dec. 9 in Edmonton. By now, the date might be seared into the head of every Sabres fan.
Just two months into the season, the underachieving Sabres, having lost three straight games to open their road trip, were barreling toward another playoff DNQ. General manager Kevyn Adams was days away from being fired.
Then they blew a 3-0 lead to the Oilers in the third period that night. No one knew when winger Alex Tuch scored 33 seconds into overtime, it would ignite one of the most memorable runs in franchise history.
That marked the first of 10 consecutive victories. The Sabres have showcased remarkable consistency since that season-changing triumph, registering a league-best 39-9-4 record.
Entering tonight’s regular-season finale against the Dallas Stars at KeyBank Center, they have compiled 50-23-8 record and 108 points.
Having clinched home-ice advantage against a yet-to-be-determined opponent (either the Boston Bruins or Ottawa Senators), the Sabres, who boast some of the league’s best depth, could rest many of their regulars.
Captain Rasmus Dahlin said the Sabres have shifted their focus to the postseason.
“We have one goal in mind now,” he told reporters in Chicago. “It’s kind of hard to celebrate now knowing we have unbelievable challenges in front of us here. Now we’re just going to switch focus to the playoffs.”
Tuch told reporters while clinching the division “feels really good,” the Sabres “got a bigger goal in mind.”
Right now, the Sabres, having captured the ultra-competitive Atlantic, certainly rank as a Cup favorite.
They possess a deep, talented and speedy lineup that attacks opponents in waves.
In Dahlin, Bowen Byram, Owen Power and Mattias Samuelsson, they have four horses on the back end. Most teams are lucky to have one.
Dahlin, who deserves strong Norris Trophy consideration, has compiled 19 goals and a career-high 74 points in 77 games this season. In Monday’s win, he recorded his 331st career assist, surpassing Rene Robert for fifth place in franchise history.
In center Tage Thompson, who on Monday tallied twice to reach the 40-goal mark for the second consecutive season and third time in four years, they have one of the league’s most dynamic scoring threats.
Five Sabres have registered at least 20 goals, including Tuch, who has scored 32 times.
In goalies Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Alex Lyon, who they have two 20-games winners and one of the league’s best tandems. When Lyon suffered a muscle strain last week, rookie goalie Colten Ellis started his first game in two months and posted a 37-save shutout.
Since Dec. 9, they’ve scored 194 goals, the league’s fourth-highest total, and allowed just 134, the second-lowest total.
But a strong bond and willingness to sacrifice their bodies has also buoyed their torrid run. That should help them in the postseason.
They’re a close-knit group, and they illustrate it on the ice by playing for one another.
Early in the third period of Monday’s win, with the Sabres up 3-1 and down two men, winger Beck Malenstyn sold out to block a shot. As he struggled to get up and the play came back to him, he stayed on the ice and tried to block another shot.
The Blackhawks did not register a shot on goal during their 1:13 two-man advantage. Malenstyn later returned to the game after hobbling off the ice.
“It’s unbelievable,” Dahlin said. “That’s the type of culture we have on this team. We built it, and we’re sacrificing our bodies for each other to get wins. When Malenstyn did that, it was maybe game-changing.”
Notes: The Sabres have won 50 games for the third time in franchise history. They also reached the mark in 2005-06 (52 wins) and 2006-07 (53 wins). … The Sabres became the fifth team in NHL history to overcome a standings deficit of eight or more points and win a division title. … The Sabres hadn’t won a division title since capturing the Northeast Division in 2009-10. … Thompson is the fifth player in franchise history to have three or more 40-goal seasons, joining Rick Martin (five), Danny Gare, Pat LaFontaine and Gilbert Perreault (three each). … The Sabres had Tuesday off.