It was no secret that the Sabres were down and out in 2024. One season after nearly earning a playoff berth, 2024 was supposed to be the season the NHL’s longest playoff drought ended, but it wasn’t meant to be. Not long after, a familiar face returned behind the bench in Lindy Ruff, garnering a new hope for arguably the NHL’s most-tested franchise. So far, the results on the ice haven’t signaled a complete turnaround, but as 2024 comes to a close, this team is once again showing flashes of brilliance, one that might just end with a playoff appearance in 2025.
- Todd Matthews
FanSided NHL Editor
Why we needed this fandom this year
Looking throughout the sports landscape, there are a lot of tested fandoms, but you can argue that few, if any, have been more tested than the Sabres since 2011. Still, they show up in droves at the beginning of each season, hoping that this year will be the year. It’s another reminder that even when times are tough, giving up and moving on is not an option.
What we’ll remember about this fandom a decade from now
In 10 years, the NHL will remember this fandom for continuing to show up to games and cheer on their team even when they’ve been routinely dealt the worst hand. There have been times when the Sabres have fooled its fanbase, notably with a 10-game winning streak in 2019 and more recently with the playoff mirage in 2023 that ended with disappointment in 2024. The fans and the entire city of Buffalo have also been through more than their fair share of trying times, so resilience has become synonymous with the City of Good Neighbors.