Rasmus Dahlin of Sweden controls the puck during the Men’s Ice Hockey Quarterfinal match between USA and Sweden on day twelve of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games (Credit: Getty Images) The NHL Olympic break has brought new hope to the Buffalo Sabres as they head to the last part of the regular season. The franchise is finally positioned to be back at the Stanley Cup Playoffs after being frustrated during the years after winning the Stanley Cup in 2011. Recent forecasts on the leading analytics-driven websites indicate that Buffalo is in a solid wild-card position in the Eastern Conference.The hiatus did not halt momentum as Buffalo had one of the strongest records in the league during a 24-game stretch heading to the hiatus. The Sabres reached the playoffs despite having injured players who helped them to rise from the bottom of the table. Today, with star players fit and the top management consistent, hopes are building about the possibility of the team making it through the postseason.
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Buffalo Sabres playoff odds after Olympic break as Rasmus Dahlin powers against New Jersey Devils
The Sabres are back with a crucial NHL game today against the New Jersey Devils. The various projection models estimate that there is a probability of the team competing in the playoffs between about 75 and 85 percent, which places them in a good wild-card standing. Although not a certainty, these are drastic figures relative to the challenges at the beginning of the season.The man at the heart of that explosion is Captain Rasmus Dahlin. The defenseman of the All-Star team remains a stable part of the blue line, playing many minutes in each case, bringing offensive contributions. His skills to change puck and quarterback the power play have boosted the production of Buffalo as a whole.Timely scoring has also been provided by forward Alex Tuch, who has brought depth and leadership. They have collectively contributed to the Sabres to overcome injuries that had threatened to tear their season apart.Nevertheless, the Eastern Conference race is close. The teams that are right below the playoff line are within striking distance, narrowing the margin of error for Buffalo. Stability throughout the last period will be essential.On an NHL updates view, the management should also determine the level of aggressiveness before the trade deadline. The decision between the front office reinforcing the scoring or the defense may determine the ceiling in the postseason of the Sabres.