The Buffalo Sabres' 2025-26 schedule has been out for a while now. And although Sabres fans have known when and where their team will be playing at any given time, it's still worthwhile to examine each Buffalo opponent next year — and specifically, how the Sabres should fare against team NHL team in 2025-26.
We've made our way through the Atlantic, Metropolitan and Central Division teams thus far in this THN.com Sabres' site series, and of late, we've switched focus on the Pacific Division teams. And in today's file, we're looking at a team that was the league's worst team last season –the San Jose Sharks.
It wasn't as if San Jose was one or two standings points behind the next-best team in the NHL standings. The Sharks were a full nine points behind the 31st-overall team (the Chicago Blackhawks) last season, giving you an indication of how far San Jose is in their rebuilding stage. But should the Sabres sweep their season-series this time around? That's the focus on our "Know York Enemy" series. Read on below for our best guesstimate as to how Buffalo should be prepared to beat San Jose both times this year.
BUFFALO SABRES VS. SAN JOSE SHARKS
NEW SHARKS PLAYERS: Jeff Skinner, LW; Adam Gaudette, C; Ryan Reaves, RW; Filipp Kurashev , LW; Dmitry Orlov, D; Nick Leddy, D; John Klingberg
2024-25 SERIES: Sabres 1-1-0, San Jose 1-1-0
2025-26 GAMES AGAINST EACH OTHER: March 10 at Buffalo; March 19 at San Jose
CAN THE SABRES BEAT THIS TEAM? The Sharks are in the midst of a full rebuild, but slowly but surely, they're putting a dynamic young core together. And that means the Sharks are going to be a very difficult team to play against and a Stanley Cup playoff team — just not this coming season.
Instead, San Jose will be focusing this season strictly to be a team that consistently is a worthy opponent. And that's not going to be easy, as the Sharks are going to be throwing veteran bodies overboard as San Jose GM Mike Grier works on building out his core.
Know Your Enemy, Sabres Pacific Edition: New-Look Kings May Be Vulnerable In Sabres Series Next SeasonThe Buffalo Sabres' pursuit of its first Stanley Cup playoff appearance in 15 years means that there's no room for error for them, at any time of the season. A prolonged losing streak can and will knock down any team's post-season hopes, but the Sabres are particularly desperate, so Buffalo fans will be watching each and every game in the hope the Sabres can secure a playoff spot.
To wit: Grier has gone about…