The Buffalo Sabres' last trip to the playoffs was in 2011. The NHL has since added franchises in Las Vegas and Seattle, and both expansion teams have made the playoffs.
The Vegas Golden Knights won the Stanley Cup in 2023.
Meanwhile, multiple former Sabres have found success elsewhere -- winning major individual awards (Vezina Trophy winner Linus Ullmark) or the Stanley Cup (Ryan O'Reilly, Jack Eichel, Sam Reinhart and Brandon Montour, among others). Dylan Cozens, who was traded to the Ottawa Senators on March 7 and could suit up for them this postseason, is the latest example of this trend.