The Buffalo Sabres will open the 2026-27 season Oct. 1 on the road against the Columbus Blue Jackets and hold their home opener Oct. 3 versus old friend Bowen Byram and the Chicago Blackhawks at KeyBank Center.
The NHL on Wednesday announced the home openers for all 32 teams. The rest of the 84-game schedule will be released today.
The Sabres, of course, recently traded Byram to Chicago in a blockbuster deal, so the home opener has a little extra jam.
The NHL added two games to its schedule this season and cut the preseason slate from six games to four.
In other news, the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday hired Jeremiah Crowe, who recently served as the Sabres’ director of pro scouting, as their director of player personnel.
Crowe, a Kenmore native, joined the Sabres in 2017 as a pro scout. Kevyn Adams promoted Crowe to director of scouting in 2020 after he took over as general manager.
The Sabres fired Adams on Dec. 15 and promoted Jarmo Kekalainen to GM.