The Sabres are rolling out a full slate of September events to kick off hockey season in the Sabrehood, giving fans several chances to get back into the game before the 2026-27 opener arrives.
The month starts at Sahlen Field on Saturday, Sept. 5 at 6 p.m. for Hockey Day at the Ballpark. Zach Metsa, Gavin McCarthy, Rob Ray and Pat Kaleta are set for autograph signings, while Josh Doan will handle a ceremonial first pitch. Fans will also get the Bisons-WooSox game and postgame fireworks.
A week later, Hockeyfest returns to KeyBank Center on Saturday, Sept. 12. The 2026 Buffalo Sabres Hockeyfest presented by BodyArmor will feature youth and adult street hockey divisions, along with food and drinks, hockey skills activities, photo opportunities and more in Ticketmaster Alumni Plaza.
The preseason schedule itself opens Sept. 21 in Pittsburgh, with Buffalo then coming home to face Columbus on Tuesday, Sept. 22 at 7 p.m. That game will be the first of two preseason exhibitions at KeyBank Center.
The final home preseason date is Saturday, Sept. 26, when Sabretooth’s Preseason Bash, presented by Ticketmaster, runs from 12-3 p.m. before the 3 p.m. preseason finale against Pittsburgh. The plaza party will include music, games, food and drinks, photo opportunities and appearances from Sabretooth, Rax, Billy Buffalo, Buster Bison and Moose. Fans in attendance will also receive a 2026-27 magnet schedule.
More details on Training Camp and other chances to see the team back on the ice are still to come.
In Other News...
Zach Benson Just Gave Sabres Fans A New Draft Debate
Zach Benson has already given Sabres fans plenty to think about, and the latest draft conversation only adds to it. A comparison with Flyers winger Matvei Michkov puts Buffalos 2023 first-rounder in a different kind of spotlight, one centered less on pure scoring and more on the sort of all-around game that can help a team win when the games tighten up in the spring. Bensons strong two-way play and track record in playoff settings have become part of the case for him, even if Michkovs offensive ceiling remains the louder calling card.
For Buffalo, the debate matters because it speaks to the broader shape of the rebuild and the kinds of prospects that could move the organization forward. The Sabres already have other young names drawing notice, including Rasmus Helenius after a strong recent run and David Kulich, whose return status has become part of the conversation after a difficult season. Benson sits at the center of it all now, and the real question for Sabres fans is whether his value ends up looking even better than the more explosive option taken after him. [Read more 🡒]
Sabres Will Be Judged By One Matchup More Than Any Other
The Sabres do not need a lecture on why Carolina matters. The Hurricanes handled Buffalo pretty easily last season, and the matchup already looms larger than most because these teams will see a lot of each other in the 2026-27 schedule. For a Sabres group trying to measure itself against the Atlantic and Metro powers, this is the one opponent that can tell you a lot about where the roster stands.
Carolinas status only raises the bar, with the Hurricanes coming in as the defending champion and Buffalo having lost important pieces this summer. That makes the coming meetings more than just another set of regular-season games. They will be a test of whether the Sabres can close the gap, and for now, there is still plenty of room between admiration and actually turning the rivalry into something competitive. [Read more 🡒]
Rasmus Dahlins Norris Case May Depend On One New Sabres Role
Rasmus Dahlin is already in the thick of the Norris Trophy conversation after finishing third last season, and the next step in his case may not come through his point totals so much as the way the Sabres use him. Buffalo has some lineup turnover to navigate this fall, and one of the quieter questions around the team is how much more responsibility Dahlin will shoulder without changing the look of his game too much.
The penalty kill could be the most interesting part of that equation. If Lindy Ruff leans on Dahlin for more shorthanded work, it would give the defenseman another stage to show his value in every situation, especially in the kind of tight games where late defensive assignments matter most. For a player already viewed as one of the leagues premier blueliners, that extra layer could end up carrying real weight when the award race comes back around. [Read more 🡒]