2018–19 Buffalo Sabres season

The 2018–19 Buffalo Sabres season was the 49th season for the National Hockey League franchise that was established on May 22, 1970. After experiencing a ten-game winning streak in November that put them atop the NHL standings, the Sabres regressed sharply the rest of the season and were officially eliminated from playoff contention on March 23, 2019, after suffering a 7–4 loss to the Montreal Canadiens, joining the 2016–17 Philadelphia Flyers as the only teams in NHL history to win 10 consecutive games and be eliminated from playoff contention. With the Carolina Hurricanes clinching a playoff berth in the 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs, the Sabres became the team with the longest active postseason appearance drought in the NHL at eight consecutive seasons, about 1.5 years after their football counterparts, the Buffalo Bills, ended what was the longest active postseason appearance drought in the NFL at 17 consecutive seasons. On April 7, 2019, the Sabres fired Phil Housley, who became the fifth head coach to be fired since the Pegulas bought the team from Tom Golisano in February 2011.
==Standings==
===Divisional standings===
===Conference standings===
==Schedule and results==
===Preseason===
The preseason schedule was published on June 15, 2018.
2018 preseason game log: 3–4–0 (Home: 1–2–0 ; Road: 2–2–0)	2018 preseason game log: 3–4–0 (Home: 1–2–0 ; Road: 2–2–0)	2018 preseason game log: 3–4–0 (Home: 1–2–0 ; Road: 2–2–0)	2018 preseason game log: 3–4–0 (Home: 1–2–0 ; Road: 2–2–0)	2018 preseason game log: 3–4–0 (Home: 1–2–0 ; Road: 2–2–0)	2018 preseason game log: 3–4–0 (Home: 1–2–0 ; Road: 2–2–0)	2018 preseason game log: 3–4–0 (Home: 1–2–0 ; Road: 2–2–0)	2018 preseason game log: 3–4–0 (Home: 1–2–0 ; Road: 2–2–0)	2018 preseason game log: 3–4–0 (Home: 1–2–0 ; Road: 2–2–0)	2018 preseason game log: 3–4–0 (Home: 1–2–0 ; Road: 2–2–0)
# 	Date 	Visitor 	Score 	Home 	OT 	Decision 	Attendance 	Record 	Recap
1 	September 17 	Buffalo 	4–1 	Columbus 	 	Ullmark 	9,845 	1–0–0 	Recap
2 	September 18 	Pittsburgh 	2–3 	Buffalo 	 	Hutton 	15,602 	2–0–0 	Recap
3 	September 21 	Buffalo 	3–5 	Toronto 	 	Ullmark 	18,833 	2–1–0 	Recap
4 	September 22 	Toronto 	3–2 	Buffalo 	 	Hutton 	17,624 	2–2–0 	Recap
5 	September 25 	Columbus 	4–2 	Buffalo 	 	Wedgewood 	— 	2–3–0 	Recap
6 	September 26 	Buffalo 	1–5 	Pittsburgh 	 	Ullmark 	16,516 	2–4–0 	Recap
7 	September 28 	Buffalo 	5–4 	NY Islanders 	 	Hutton 	— 	3–4–0 	
Notes:
 Game was played at Clinton Arena in Clinton, New York.
 Game was played at Tribute Communities Centre in Oshawa, Ontario.	
Notes:
 Game was played at Clinton Arena in Clinton, New York.
 Game was played at Tribute Communities Centre in Oshawa, Ontario.	
Notes:
 Game was played at Clinton Arena in Clinton, New York.
 Game was played at Tribute Communities Centre in Oshawa, Ontario.	
Notes:
 Game was played at Clinton Arena in Clinton, New York.
 Game was played at Tribute Communities Centre in Oshawa, Ontario.	
Notes:
 Game was played at Clinton Arena in Clinton, New York.
 Game was played at Tribute Communities Centre in Oshawa, Ontario.	
Notes:
 Game was played at Clinton Arena in Clinton, New York.
 Game was played at Tribute Communities Centre in Oshawa, Ontario.	
Notes:
 Game was played at Clinton Arena in Clinton, New York.
 Game was played at Tribute Communities Centre in Oshawa, Ontario.	
Notes:
 Game was played at Clinton Arena in Clinton, New York.
 Game was played at Tribute Communities Centre in Oshawa, Ontario.	
Notes:
 Game was played at Clinton Arena in Clinton, New York.
 Game was played at Tribute Communities Centre in Oshawa, Ontario.	
Notes:
 Game was played at Clinton Arena in Clinton, New York.
 Game was played at Tribute Communities Centre in Oshawa, Ontario.
===Regular season===
The regular season schedule was released on June 21, 2018.
2018–19 game log 	2018–19 game log 	2018–19 game log 	2018–19 game log 	2018–19 game log 	2018–19 game log 	2018–19 game log 	2018–19 game log 	2018–19 game log 	2018–19 game log 	2018–19 game log
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October: 6–4–2 (Home: 3–2–1 ; Road: 3–2–1)	October: 6–4–2 (Home: 3–2–1 ; Road: 3–2–1)	October: 6–4–2 (Home: 3–2–1 ; Road: 3–2–1)	October: 6–4–2 (Home: 3–2–1 ; Road: 3–2–1)	October: 6–4–2 (Home: 3–2–1 ; Road: 3–2–1)	October: 6–4–2 (Home: 3–2–1 ; Road: 3–2–1)	October: 6–4–2 (Home: 3–2–1 ; Road: 3–2–1)	October: 6–4–2 (Home: 3–2–1 ; Road: 3–2–1)	October: 6–4–2 (Home: 3–2–1 ; Road: 3–2–1)	October: 6–4–2 (Home: 3–2–1 ; Road: 3–2–1)	October: 6–4–2 (Home: 3–2–1 ; Road: 3–2–1)
# 	Date 	Visitor 	Score 	Home 	OT 	Decision 	Attendance 	Record 	Pts 	Recap
1 	October 4 	Boston 	4–0 	Buffalo 	 	Hutton 	19,070 	0–1–0 	0 	Recap
2 	October 6 	NY Rangers 	1–3 	Buffalo 	 	Hutton 	16,824 	1–1–0 	2 	Recap
3 	October 8 	Vegas 	2–4 	Buffalo 	 	Hutton 	16,004 	2–1–0 	4 	Recap
4 	October 11 	Colorado 	6–1 	Buffalo 	 	Hutton 	15,396 	2–2–0 	4 	Recap
5 	October 13 	Buffalo 	3–0 	Arizona 	 	Ullmark 	15,304 	3–2–0 	6 	Recap
6 	October 16 	Buffalo 	1–4 	Vegas 	 	Hutton 	18,321 	3–3–0 	6 	Recap
7 	October 18 	Buffalo 	1–5 	San Jose 	 	Hutton 	17,389 	3–4–0 	6 	Recap
8 	October 20 	Buffalo 	5–1 	Los Angeles 	 	Ullmark 	18,230 	4–4–0 	8 	Recap
9 	October 21 	Buffalo 	4–2 	Anaheim 	 	Hutton 	17,174 	5–4–0 	10 	Recap
10 	October 25 	Montreal 	3–4 	Buffalo 	 	Hutton 	16,112 	6–4–0 	12 	Recap
11 	October 27 	Buffalo 	4–5 	Columbus 	OT 	Ullmark 	15,642 	6–4–1 	13 	Recap
12 	October 30 	Calgary 	2–1 	Buffalo 	OT 	Hutton 	15,196 	6–4–2 	14 	Recap
==Player statistics==
As of April 6, 2019
===Skaters===
Regular season
Player	 	 	 	 	 	
 	77	28	54	82	–11	26
 	82	22	43	65	–10	16
 	82	40	23	63	0 	36
 	82	9 	35	44	–13	34
 	78	5 	38	43	–41	38
 	78	14	20	34	–18	12
 	73	16	15	31	–4 	4
 	78	14	15	29	–9 	41
 	74	9 	20	29	–7 	25
 	77	12	13	25	–19	10
 	65	3 	16	19	–5 	52
 	72	5 	13	18	–11	17
 	73	6 	8 	14	–8 	37
 	59	4 	10	14	–4 	35
 	63	6 	7 	13	–13	26
 	69	5 	8 	13	–20	26
 	65	7 	5 	12	–22	20
† 	20	3 	7 	10	–4 	16
‡ 	30	3 	4 	7 	+1 	32
 	33	1 	5 	6 	–8 	20
 	38	1 	5 	6 	+1 	13
 	6 	2 	2 	4 	+1 	2
 	12	2 	2 	4 	–4 	4
 	23	2 	2 	4 	–5 	6
 	15	0 	3 	3 	–8 	4
 	11	2 	0 	2 	0 	0
 	14	0 	2 	2 	–7 	4
 	16	0 	1 	1 	–3 	2
 	1 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0
‡ 	2 	0 	0 	0 	+1 	2
 	4 	0 	0 	0 	–5 	0
 	4 	0 	0 	0 	–4 	0
===Goaltenders===
Regular season
Player	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	50	48	2,839	18	25	5	142	3.00	1541	.908	0	0	1	2
 	37	34	2,102	15	14	5	109	3.11	1146	.905	2	0	1	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.
==Transactions==
The Sabres have been involved in the following transactions during the 2018–19 season.
===Trades===
Date	Details 	Details 	Ref
 	To Toronto Maple Leafs6th-round pick in 2018 	To Buffalo Sabres6th-round pick in 2019 	
 	To Pittsburgh PenguinsConditional 4th-round pick in 2019 	To Buffalo SabresConor ShearyMatt Hunwick 	
 	To St. Louis BluesRyan O'Reilly 	To Buffalo SabresPatrik BerglundVladimir SobotkaTage Thompson1st-round pick in 20192nd-round pick in 2021	
 	To Carolina HurricanesCliff Pu2nd-round pick in 20193rd-round pick in 20206th-round pick in 2020	To Buffalo SabresJeff Skinner 	
 	To Nashville PredatorsNicholas Baptiste 	To Buffalo SabresJack Dougherty 	
 	To Dallas StarsTaylor Fedun 	To Buffalo SabresConditional 7th-round pick in 2020 	
 	To Philadelphia FlyersJustin Bailey 	To Buffalo SabresTaylor Leier 	
 	To Anaheim DucksBrendan GuhleConditional 1st-round pick in 2019 	To Buffalo SabresBrandon Montour 	
 	To Winnipeg JetsNathan Beaulieu 	To Buffalo Sabres6th-round pick in 2019 	
===Free agents===
Date	Player 	Team 	Contract term	Ref
 	Adam Wilcox 	to Rochester Americans (AHL) 	1-year 	
 	Seth Griffith 	to Winnipeg Jets 	1-year 	
 	Carter Hutton 	from St. Louis Blues 	3-year 	
 	Chad Johnson 	to St. Louis Blues 	1-year 	
 	Scott Wedgewood 	from Los Angeles Kings 	1-year 	
 	Viktor Antipin 	to Metallurg Magnitogorsk (KHL)	3-year 	
 	Mike Sislo 	to New York Islanders 	1-year 	
 	Jordan Nolan 	to St. Louis Blues 	1-year 	
 	Adam Wilcox 	from Rochester Americans (AHL) 	1-year 	
 	Arttu Ruotsalainen	from Ilves (Liiga) 	3-year 	
===Waivers===
Date	Player 	Team 	Ref
 	Remi Elie	from Dallas Stars	
===Contract terminations===
Date	Player 	Via 	Ref
 	Vaclav Karabacek	Mutual termination	
 	Patrik Berglund 	Mutual termination	
===Retirement===
Date	Player	Ref
 	 	
===Signings===
Date	Player 	Contract term	Ref
 	Brandon Hickey 	2-year 	
 	Scott Wilson 	2-year 	
 	Rasmus Dahlin 	3-year 	
 	Sean Malone 	1-year 	
 	Justin Bailey 	1-year 	
 	Nicholas Baptiste	1-year 	
 	Danny O'Regan 	1-year 	
 	C. J. Smith 	1-year 	
 	Sam Reinhart 	2-year 	
 	Matej Pekar 	3-year 	
 	Casey Fitzgerald 	2-year 	
 	Jacob Bryson 	3-year 	
 	Jeff Skinner 	8-year 	
==Draft picks==
Below are the Buffalo Sabres' selections at the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, which was held on June 22 and 23, 2018, at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.
Round	# 	Player 	Pos	Nationality	College/Junior/Club Team (League)
1 	1 	Rasmus Dahlin 	D 	Sweden 	Frolunda HC (SHL)
2 	32 	Mattias Samuelsson 	D 	 	U.S. NTDP (USHL)
4 	94 	Matej Pekar 	C 	 	Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL)
4 	1171	Linus Lindstrand Cronholm	D 	 	Malmo Redhawks J20 (SuperElit)
5 	125 	Miska Kukkonen 	D 	 	Ilves U20 (Nuorten SM-liiga)
7 	187 	William Worge Kreu 	D 	 	Linkopings HC J20 (SuperElit)
Notes:
# The Minnesota Wild's fourth-round pick went to the Buffalo Sabres as the result of a trade on June 30, 2017 that sent Tyler Ennis, Marcus Foligno and a third-round pick to Minnesota in exchange for Jason Pominville, Marco Scandella and this pick.
==References==
Category:Buffalo Sabres seasons
Buffalo Sabres