What tonight means for the Buffalo Sabres' playoff race
The Buffalo Sabres are 4-3-2, 10 points with a magic number of 151 and a tragic number of 151 — holding a wild card spot — Toronto Maple Leafs is the first team out.
Nothing is decided for a playoff berth tonight.
Playoff berth
Nothing is decided for a playoff berth tonight.
The Buffalo Sabres can't clinch a playoff berth tonight — the magic number is 151 points, more than tonight's games can take off it. The earliest it could happen is 38 games from now.
The Buffalo Sabres can't be eliminated tonight; the tragic number is 151 and tonight's games can't bring it to zero.
Games that matter tonight
- Toronto Maple Leafs at Columbus Blue Jackets
- Los Angeles Kings at Washington Capitals
- Anaheim Ducks at New York Islanders
- San Jose Sharks at Montréal Canadiens
- Colorado Avalanche at New Jersey Devils
4 other NHL games with a smaller bearing on this race were left out of the enumeration, so a path that depends on one of them isn't listed. Every path shown is a real guarantee.
Every combination of these results (0 in all) was checked with the same conservative math as the standings page, so each path listed is a mathematical guarantee — no tiebreaker assumptions in your favor. Want the result-by-result version? The rooting guide on the team page shows what each game does to the numbers.
Get Buffalo Sabres alerts
One email the moment the Buffalo Sabres clinch, are eliminated, or their magic number moves — plus the morning rooting guide if you want it. Free, in season only, unsubscribe anytime.
Frequently asked questions
How can the Buffalo Sabres clinch a playoff spot tonight?
The Buffalo Sabres can't clinch a playoff berth tonight — the magic number is 151 points, more than tonight's games can take off it. The earliest it could happen is 38 games from now.
Can the Buffalo Sabres be eliminated tonight?
The Buffalo Sabres can't be eliminated tonight; the tragic number is 151 and tonight's games can't bring it to zero.
What is the Buffalo Sabres magic number right now?
The Buffalo Sabres magic number is 151 and their tragic number is 151.
How are these scenarios calculated?
Every combination of results in the NHL games that bear on the race tonight is enumerated, and the magic and tragic numbers are recomputed in each one with the same conservative math as the standings page. The paths listed are the minimal sets of results that guarantee the outcome no matter how the other games end.