{"id":869865,"date":"2026-04-19T11:36:27","date_gmt":"2026-04-19T11:36:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/869865\/"},"modified":"2026-04-19T11:36:27","modified_gmt":"2026-04-19T11:36:27","slug":"sabres-playoffs-2026-nfl-draft-buffalo-fambase-billsmafia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/869865\/","title":{"rendered":"Sabres\u2019 playoffs >>> 2026 NFL Draft \u2013 Buffalo FAMbase \u2014 #BillsMafia"},"content":{"rendered":"

Deal with it. That\u2019s just the way it is. Find any meme you want, but for long suffering Sabres fans, this NHL playoff series eats the NFL Draft\u2019s lunch. And it isn\u2019t even close. Considering the Sabres withered on the vine for the better part of two decades and had the notorious distinction of being the worst team in hockey for multiple years, their resurrection from the dead on December 9th will go down in hockey lore as one of the greatest midseason turnarounds in NHL History.<\/p>\n

The last few days have felt like the locusts coming out of hibernation after 17 years. Since that time table seems to fit the Bills\u2019 playoff drought more in terms of numbers, I liken (you will love this pun) being a Sabres fan these days to lichen\u2026 when photosynthesis stops with this cyanobacteria because conditions aren\u2019t right for proliferation. It\u2019s not hibernation in the traditional sense, but similar in that lichen can go dormant for lengthy periods of time. <\/p>\n

That\u2019s my fanhood. <\/p>\n

Like lichen. <\/p>\n


\nPhoto by MontanaPublicRadio.org<\/p>\n

Watching the Sabres over the last 15+ years was an exercise in mental discipline. It required letting go of any hope the team would find a way out of the morass and simply accepting that it\u2019s okay for a fan to love a bad team knowing they may not make the playoffs again before I die. I let go of all that stuff over the years and reached a place of contentment to simply watch each game for whatever it brought, no matter how bad. <\/p>\n

So as much as some of us may bleed the red, blue and white, there are many of us who silently bled\u2026 drip by drip\u2026 blue and gold. We may not have said much, but that\u2019s what we did. Some of us may have even forgotten what it felt like to be enthused about the Buffalo Sabres. That\u2019s how much the brand was tarnished. <\/p>\n

But that all changed after December 9th. The Sabres went on their historic run and are about to see if they can do any damage in the playoffs. <\/p>\n

Enter the 2026 NFL Draft into the equation. <\/p>\n

Normally at this time I would be knee deep into draft analysis, especially looking for any BIG men playing DT because it\u2019s still a bug-a-boo for the Bills defense. I\u2019d be looking at pass rushers, linebackers and safeties. <\/p>\n

Not this year.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve relied more than ever upon Dean Kindig, John Green, Cover1 and a host of other draft experts who spend their lives putting together great analysis for those of us with little or no time available for such pursuits. Thankfully, they are out there making the Cliff Notes so we can focus on something we haven\u2019t experienced in a long, long time.<\/p>\n

So when I state how much my priorities shifted this year because of the Sabres extraordinary season, I must also confess it somewhat surprised me. <\/p>\n

It made me realize I was much more of a hockey fan than demonstrated over years of dormancy. There were years when I lived in the west before NHL Center Ice was ever a thing. During those seasons, I never stopped loving and caring about the Sabres, regardless how little I got to see them play. <\/p>\n

The success of the Sabres will not alter my love for the Bills. Just like the lichen, my fan-hood simply went dormant for a couple of decades. But it sprouted this season like someone gave this old lichen some \u2018roids. <\/p>\n

Bottom line\u2026 with absolutely no disrespect to the NFL Draft, I\u2019ll be continuing to read the Cliff Notes. <\/p>\n

Keep those notes coming, Dean and John! Some of us need your work now more than ever.<\/p>\n

Editor\u2019s babble: I blab. Sometimes a lot. Can also be found on X @RobynMundyWYO.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

BuffaloFAMbase.com is sponsored by 26 Shirts<\/p>\n

Every Monday, we launch a two-week campaign of a new Buffalo-themed t-shirt design. Every purchase results in a donation to a local family in need. After the campaign ends, the shirt is typically retired. A new design is released, and a new family benefits from your fandom!<\/p>\n

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