2023–24 Buffalo Sabres season

The 2023–24 Buffalo Sabres season was the 54th season of play for the Sabres in the National Hockey League (NHL).
The Sabres failed to improve on a strong 2022–23 season (42–33–7; 91 points). After the 2022 Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball (MLB) clinched a playoff spot for the first time since 2001 and the 2022–23 Sacramento Kings of National Basketball Association (NBA) clinched a playoff spot for the first time since 2006, the Sabres and New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL) are tied for the longest active playoff drought in American sports, missing them for 12 consecutive years. They attempted to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2011 (the current longest, and the longest playoff drought in NHL history and professional sports only behind the New York Jets who also missed the playoffs), but were eliminated from playoff contention for the 13th consecutive season after a 3–2 loss to the Dallas Stars on April 9, 2024.
==Standings==
===Divisional standings===
===Conference standings===
== Schedule and results ==
===Preseason===
The preseason schedule was published on June 21, 2023.
2023 preseason game log: 3–4–0 (Home: 2–1–0 ; Road: 1–3–0)	2023 preseason game log: 3–4–0 (Home: 2–1–0 ; Road: 1–3–0)	2023 preseason game log: 3–4–0 (Home: 2–1–0 ; Road: 1–3–0)	2023 preseason game log: 3–4–0 (Home: 2–1–0 ; Road: 1–3–0)	2023 preseason game log: 3–4–0 (Home: 2–1–0 ; Road: 1–3–0)	2023 preseason game log: 3–4–0 (Home: 2–1–0 ; Road: 1–3–0)	2023 preseason game log: 3–4–0 (Home: 2–1–0 ; Road: 1–3–0)	2023 preseason game log: 3–4–0 (Home: 2–1–0 ; Road: 1–3–0)	2023 preseason game log: 3–4–0 (Home: 2–1–0 ; Road: 1–3–0)	2023 preseason game log: 3–4–0 (Home: 2–1–0 ; Road: 1–3–0)
# 	Date 	Visitor 	Score 	Home 	OT 	Decision 	Attendance 	Record 	Recap
1 	September 24 	Buffalo 	4–3 	Washington 	SO 	Tokarski 	12,638 	1–0–0 	
2 	September 26 	Boston 	1–4 	Buffalo 	 	Levi 	11,153 	2–0–0 	
3 	September 27 	Buffalo 	2–5 	Toronto 	 	Luukkonen 	3,000 	2–1–0 	
4 	September 28 	Buffalo 	1–3 	Pittsburgh 	 	Comrie 	13,939 	2–2–0 	
5 	September 30 	Columbus 	3–4 	Buffalo 	 	Levi 	12,209 	3–2–0 	
6 	October 4 	Buffalo 	3–5 	Columbus 	 	Luukkonen 	10,169 	3–3–0 	
7 	October 6 	Pittsburgh 	7–4 	Buffalo 	 	Levi 	14,875 	3–4–0 	
===Regular season===
The regular season schedule was published on June 27, 2023.
2023–24 game log 	2023–24 game log 	2023–24 game log 	2023–24 game log 	2023–24 game log 	2023–24 game log 	2023–24 game log 	2023–24 game log 	2023–24 game log 	2023–24 game log 	2023–24 game log
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October: 4–5–0 (Home: 3–3–0 ; Road: 1–2–0)	October: 4–5–0 (Home: 3–3–0 ; Road: 1–2–0)	October: 4–5–0 (Home: 3–3–0 ; Road: 1–2–0)	October: 4–5–0 (Home: 3–3–0 ; Road: 1–2–0)	October: 4–5–0 (Home: 3–3–0 ; Road: 1–2–0)	October: 4–5–0 (Home: 3–3–0 ; Road: 1–2–0)	October: 4–5–0 (Home: 3–3–0 ; Road: 1–2–0)	October: 4–5–0 (Home: 3–3–0 ; Road: 1–2–0)	October: 4–5–0 (Home: 3–3–0 ; Road: 1–2–0)	October: 4–5–0 (Home: 3–3–0 ; Road: 1–2–0)	October: 4–5–0 (Home: 3–3–0 ; Road: 1–2–0)
# 	Date 	Visitor 	Score 	Home 	OT 	Decision 	Attendance 	Record 	Pts 	Recap
1 	October 12 	NY Rangers 	5–1 	Buffalo 	 	Levi 	19,070 	0–1–0 	0 	
2 	October 14 	Buffalo 	2–3 	NY Islanders 	 	Levi 	17,255 	0–2–0 	0 	
3 	October 17 	Tampa Bay 	2–3 	Buffalo 	OT 	Levi 	12,598 	1–2–0 	2 	
4 	October 19 	Calgary 	4–3 	Buffalo 	 	Levi 	13,025 	1–3–0 	2 	
5 	October 21 	NY Islanders 	1–3 	Buffalo 	 	Comrie 	16,179 	2–3–0 	4 	
6 	October 23 	Montreal 	3–1 	Buffalo 	 	Comrie 	13,507 	2–4–0 	4 	
7 	October 24 	Buffalo 	6–4 	Ottawa 	 	Luukkonen 	14,278 	3–4–0 	6 	
8 	October 27 	Buffalo 	4–5 	New Jersey 	 	Luukkonen 	16,514 	3–5–0 	6 	
9 	October 29 	Colorado 	0–4 	Buffalo 	 	Luukkonen 	15,717 	4–5–0 	8 	
==Player statistics==
===Skaters===
Regular season
Player	 	 	 	 	 	
 	75	22	37	59	+9 	54
 	81	20	39	59	 	66
 	71	29	27	56	 	43
 	82	28	22	50	+10	28
 	79	18	29	47	 	42
‡ 	62	14	33	47	+12	28
 	74	24	22	46	 	34
 	76	6 	27	33	+8 	28
 	71	11	19	30	 	36
 	67	10	18	28	+11	64
‡ 	61	12	10	22	+1 	32
 	74	3 	17	20	+14	24
 	27	9 	10	19	 	8
 	79	4 	14	18	+12	88
 	80	4 	13	17	+2 	67
 	51	7 	8 	15	 	4
 	63	8 	6 	14	 	21
† 	18	3 	6 	9 	 	13
† 	40	2 	7 	9 	0 	19
 	36	1 	7 	8 	+5 	8
 	41	1 	6 	7 	+4 	26
 	41	0 	7 	7 	+3 	12
 	43	3 	3 	6 	 	10
‡ 	50	3 	0 	3 	 	24
 	5 	2 	0 	2 	0 	0
 	15	0 	2 	2 	 	0
 	3 	0 	1 	1 	0 	2
 	1 	0 	0 	0 	 	0
 	1 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0
 	2 	0 	0 	0 	 	2
 	7 	0 	0 	0 	 	0
===Goaltenders===
Regular season
Player	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	54	51	3,081:14	27	22	4	132	2.57	1,470	.910	5	0	1	8
 	23	21	1,294:54	10	8 	2	67 	3.10	666 	.899	0	0	0	0
 	10	10	519:54 	2 	7 	0	32 	3.69	254 	.874	0	0	0	0
†Denotes player spent time with another team before joining the Sabres. Stats reflect time with the Sabres only.
‡Denotes player was traded mid-season. Stats reflect time with the Sabres only.
Bold/italics denotes franchise record.
==Roster==
==Transactions==
The Sabres have been involved in the following transactions during the 2023–24 season.
Key:
 Contract is entry-level.
 Contract initially takes effect in the 2024–25 season.
===Trades===
Date	Details 	Details 	Ref
 	To Anaheim DucksIlya Lyubushkin 	To Buffalo Sabres4th-round pick in the 2025 	
 	To Columbus Blue Jacketsconditional NSH 7th-round pick in 2025	To Buffalo SabresEric Robinson 	
 	To Montreal CanadiensFilip Cederqvist 	To Buffalo SabresFuture considerations 	
 	To Colorado AvalancheCasey Mittelstadt 	To Buffalo SabresBowen Byram 	
 	To Florida PanthersKyle Okposo 	To Buffalo SabresCalle SjalinConditional 7th-round pick in 2024*	
 	To Philadelphia FlyersErik Johnson 	To Buffalo Sabres4th-round pick in 2024 	
 	To San Jose SharksDevin Cooley 	To Buffalo SabresWSH 7th-round pick in 2025 	
Notes:
* The pick will become a 5th-round pick if Florida wins the Stanley Cup.
===Players acquired===
Date	Player 	Former team 	Term 	Via 	Ref
 	Connor Clifton 	Boston Bruins 	3-year	Free agency	
 	Devin Cooley 	Nashville Predators 	1-year	Free agency	
 	Erik Johnson 	Colorado Avalanche 	1-year	Free agency	
 	Justin Richards	Columbus Blue Jackets	1-year	Free agency	
 	Dustin Tokarski	Pittsburgh Penguins 	1-year	Free agency	
===Players lost===
Date	Player 	New team 	Term 	Via 	Ref
 	Malcolm Subban 	St. Louis Blues 	1-year	Free agency	
 	Vinnie Hinostroza	Pittsburgh Penguins 	1-year	Free agency	
 	Michael Houser 	Rochester Americans (AHL)	1-year	Free agency	
 	Austin Strand 	Chicago Wolves (AHL) 	1-year	Free agency	
 	Sean Malone 	SCL Tigers (NL) 	2-year	Free agency	
 	Matej Pekar 	Hartford Wolf Pack (AHL) 	1-year	Free agency	
===Signings===
Date	Player 	Term 	Ref
 	Tyson Jost 	1-year	
 	Kale Clague 	1-year	
 	Brett Murray 	1-year	
 	Anton Wahlberg 	3-year	
 	Linus Weissbach	1-year	
 	Zach Benson 	3-year	
 	Rasmus Dahlin 	8-year	
 	Owen Power 	7-year	
== Draft picks ==
Below are the Buffalo Sabres selections at the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, which will be held on June 28 and 29, 2023, at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. With their first selection, the Sabres selected Zach Benson from the Winnipeg Ice of the WHL.
Round	# 	Player 	Pos	Nationality	College/Junior/Club team (League)
1 	13 	Zach Benson 	LW 	 	Winnipeg Ice (WHL)
2 	39 	Anton Wahlberg	C 	 	Malmö Redhawks (SHL)
2 	45 	Maxim Strbak 	D 	 	Sioux Falls Stampede (USHL)
3 	86 	Gavin McCarthy	D 	 	Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL)
4 	109	Ethan Miedema 	LW 	 	Kingston Frontenacs (OHL)
5 	141	Scott Ratzlaff	G 	 	Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL)
6 	173	Sean Keohane 	D 	 	Dexter Dex (USHS-MA)
7 	205	Norwin Panocha	D 	 	Eisbären Berlin (DNL U20)
== References ==
Buffalo
Category:Buffalo Sabres seasons