The 2021–22 Buffalo Sabres season was the 52nd season for the

National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...

franchise that was established on May 22, 1970. The Sabres failed to snap their ten-year playoff drought, having last qualified for the playoffs in the 2010–11 season. The league returned to its normal October-to-April scheduling, a full 82-game regular season which began on October 12, 2021, but this was contingent on the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...

and the

Government of Canada The Government of Canada (), formally His Majesty's Government (), is the body responsible for the federation, federal administration of Canada. The term ''Government of Canada'' refers specifically to the executive, which includes Minister of t ...

reducing its COVID-19 cross-border travel restrictions. As a result, the Sabres rejoined the Atlantic Division after a one-season stint in the East Division due to realignment under the league's return to play protocols. On April 6, 2022, after the

Washington Capitals The Washington Capitals (colloquially known as the Caps) are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. The Capitals compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NH ...

defeated the

Tampa Bay Lightning The Tampa Bay Lightning (colloquially known as the Bolts) are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. The Lightning compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the ...

, the Sabres were eliminated from playoff contention for the 11th straight season, setting an NHL record.

Standings

Divisional standings

Eastern Conference

Schedule and results

Regular season

The regular season schedule was published on July 22, 2021.

Player statistics

Skaters

Goaltenders

^†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.

Awards and honours

Awards

Milestones

Records

Transactions

The Sabres have been involved in the following transactions during the 2021–22 season.

Trades

Players acquired

Players lost

Signings

Draft picks

Below are the Buffalo Sabres selections at the 2021 NHL entry draft, which was held on July 23 and 24, 2021, virtually via

video conference call Videotelephony (also known as videoconferencing or video calling) is the use of audio signal, audio and video for simultaneous two-way communication. Today, videotelephony is widespread. There are many terms to refer to videotelephony. ''Vide ...

from the NHL Network studios in

Secaucus, New Jersey Secaucus ( ) is a Town (New Jersey), town in Hudson County, New Jersey, Hudson County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the town's population was 22,181, an increase of 5,917 (+36.4%) from the 2010 United St ...

, due to the

. Notes: # The

Philadelphia Flyers The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia. The Flyers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The team play ...

' first-round pick went to the

Buffalo Sabres The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. The Sabres compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Con ...

as the result of a trade on July 23, 2021, that sent

Rasmus Ristolainen Rasmus Ristolainen (born 27 October 1994) is a Finnish professional ice hockey defenceman for the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected eighth overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 2013 NHL entry draft. Playing ...

to Philadelphia in exchange for

Robert Hagg The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' () "fame, glory, honour, praise, reno ...

, a second-round pick in

2023 Catastrophic natural disasters in 2023 included the Lists of 21st-century earthquakes, 5th-deadliest earthquake of the 21st century 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquakes, striking Turkey and Syria, leaving up to 62,000 people dead; Cyclone Freddy ...

and this pick. # The

Boston Bruins The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The t ...

' second-round pick went to the

as the result of a trade on April 11, 2021, that sent

Taylor Hall Taylor Hall (born November 14, 1991) is a Canadian professional ice hockey left winger for the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was the first overall pick in the 2010 NHL entry draft selected by the Edmonton Oilers. ...

and

Curtis Lazar Curtis Lazar (born February 2, 1995) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player for the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected by the Ottawa Senators in the first round (17th overall) of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft ...

to Boston in exchange for Anders Bjork and this pick. # The

Florida Panthers The Florida Panthers are a professional ice hockey team based in the Miami metropolitan area. The Panthers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team initially played it ...

' third-round pick went to the

as the result of a trade on April 10, 2021, that sent

Brandon Montour Brandon Montour (born April 11, 1994) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman presently playing for the Seattle Kraken of the National Hockey League (NHL). Montour was selected by the Anaheim Ducks in the second round, 55th overall, of ...

to Florida in exchange for this pick. # The

Montreal Canadiens The Montreal Canadiens (), officially ' ( Canadian Hockey Club) and colloquially known as the Habs, are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal. The Canadiens compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic D ...

' third- and fifth-round picks went to the

as the result of a trade on March 26, 2021, that sent

Eric Staal Eric Craig Staal (born October 29, 1984) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey Centre (ice hockey), centre who played eighteen seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Carolina Hurricanes, New York Rangers, Minnesota Wild, Buff ...

to Montreal in exchange for these picks. # The

Colorado Avalanche The Colorado Avalanche (colloquially known as the Avs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver. The Avalanche compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Con ...

's sixth-round pick went to the

as the result of a trade on March 20, 2021, that sent Jonas Johansson to Colorado in exchange for this pick.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:2021-22 Buffalo Sabres season

Buffalo Buffalo most commonly refers to: * True buffalo or Bubalina, a subtribe of wild cattle, including most "Old World" buffalo, such as water buffalo * Bison, a genus of wild cattle, including the American buffalo * Buffalo, New York, a city in the n ...

Buffalo Sabres seasons

2020s in Buffalo, New York