NASHVILLE – The Buffalo Sabres begin the 2023-24 season at home Oct. 12 against the New York Rangers and play five of their first six games at KeyBank Center.
So the 82-game schedule released Tuesday features an early opportunity for the Sabres, who struggled at home last season, to roar out of the gate.
The Sabres play five of their Atlantic Division opponents – the Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens, Ottawa Senators, Tampa Bay Lightning and Toronto Maple Leafs – four times each and the Boston Bruins and Florida Panthers three times each.
The Leafs, who played in Buffalo just one time in each of the past two seasons, visit to KeyBank Center on Dec. 21 and March 30.
The Sabres have a 10-day break from Jan. 27 to Feb. 6 thanks to the NHL All-Star Game and their bye week.
Some other notable dates, stretches and nuggets from the Sabres’ slate:
– Ex-Sabres captain Jack Eichel and the Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights make their only visit to Buffalo on March 2.
– The Sabres have five-game home stands Jan. 11 to 20 and March 27 to April 5.
They begin a three-game road trip Jan. 23 against the Anaheim Ducks that takes them into their break.
When the season resumes Feb. 6, they start a four-game home stand.
– The Sabres have a season-long five-game road trip beginning March 4 in Detroit.
– Connor Bedard, the presumptive first overall pick by the Chicago Blackhawks at Wednesday’s NHL Draft, makes his only trip to Buffalo on Jan. 17.
– Superstar Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers make their only trip to Buffalo on March 9.
– Superstar Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins make their only visit to Buffalo on Nov. 24.
– The Sabres close the season with road contests April 13 in Florida and April 14 in Tampa.
The complete schedule:
Thursday, October 12 vs. New York Rangers at 7 p.m.
Saturday, October 14 at New York Islanders at 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, October 17 vs. Tampa Bay Lightning at 7 p.m.
Thursday, October 19 vs. Calgary Flames at 7 p.m.
Saturday, October 21 vs. New York Islanders at 7 p.m.
Monday, October 23 vs. Montreal at 7 p.m.
Tuesday, October 24 at Ottawa Senators at 6:45 p.m.
Friday, October 27 at New Jersey Devils at 7 p.m.
Sunday, October 29 vs. Colorado Avalanche at 1 p.m.
Wednesday, November 1 at Philadelphia Flyers at 7 p.m.
Friday, November 3 vs. Philadelphia Flyers at 7 p.m.
Saturday, November 4 at Toronto Maple Leafs at 7 p.m.
Tuesday, November 7 at Carolina Hurricanes at 7 p.m.
Friday, November 10 vs. Minnesota Wild at 7 p.m.
Saturday, November 11 at Pittsburgh Penguins at 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, November 14 vs. Boston Bruins at 7 p.m.
Friday, November 17 at Winnipeg Jets at 8 p.m.
Sunday, November 19 at Chicago Blackhawks at 7 p.m.
Wednesday, November 22 at Washington Capitals at 7 p.m.
Friday, November 24 vs. Pittsburgh Penguins at 6 p.m.
Saturday, November 25 at New Jersey Devils at 7 p.m.
Monday, November 27 at New York Rangers at 7 p.m.
Thursday, November 30 at St. Louis Blues at 8 p.m.
Saturday, December 2 at Carolina Hurricanes at 7 p.m.
Sunday, December 3 vs. Nashville Predators at 7 p.m.
Tuesday, December 5 vs. Detroit Red Wings at 7 p.m.
Thursday, December 7 at Boston Bruins at 7 p.m.
Saturday, December 9 vs. Montreal Canadiens at 7 p.m.
Monday, December 11 vs. Arizona Coyotes at 7 p.m.
Wednesday, December 13 at Colorado Avalanche at 10 p.m.
Friday, December 15 at Vegas Golden Knights at 10 p.m.
Saturday, December 16 at Arizona Coyotes at 9 p.m.
Tuesday, December 19 vs. Columbus Blue Jackets at 7 p.m.
Thursday, December 21 vs. Toronto Maple Leafs at 7 p.m.
Saturday, December 23 at New York Rangers at 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, December 27 vs. Boston Bruins at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, December 30 vs. Columbus Blue Jackets at 5 p.m.
Sunday, December 31 at Ottawa Senators at 6 p.m.
Thursday, January 4 at Montreal Canadiens at 7 p.m.
Saturday, January 6 at Pittsburgh Penguins at 7 p.m.
Tuesday, January 9 vs. Seattle Kraken at 7 p.m.
Thursday, January 11 vs. Ottawa Senators at 7 p.m.
Saturday, January 13 vs. Vancouver Canucks at 4 p.m.
Monday, January 15 vs. San Jose Sharks at 1 p.m.
Wednesday, January 17 vs. Chicago Blackhawks at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, January 20 vs. Tampa Bay Lightning at 12:30 p.m.
Tuesday, January 23 at Anaheim Ducks at 10 p.m.
Wednesday, January 24 at Los Angeles Kings at 10:30 p.m.
Saturday, January 27 at San Jose Sharks at 4 p.m.
Tuesday, February 6 vs. Dallas Stars at 7 p.m.
Saturday, February 10 vs. St. Louis Blues at 1 p.m.
Tuesday, February 13 vs. Los Angeles Kings at 7 p.m.
Thursday, February 15 vs. Florida Panthers at 7 p.m.
Saturday, February 17 at Minnesota Wild at 5 p.m.
Monday, February 19 vs. Anaheim Ducks at 12:30 p.m.
Wednesday, February 21 at Montreal Canadiens at 7 p.m.
Friday, February 23 at Columbus Blue Jackets at 7 p.m.
Sunday, February 25 vs. Carolina Hurricanes at 6 p.m.
Tuesday, February 27 at Florida Panthers at 7 p.m.
Thursday, February 29 at Tampa Bay Lightning at 7 p.m.
Saturday, March 2 vs. Vegas Golden Knights at 7 p.m.
Sunday, March 3 vs. Winnipeg Jets at 7 p.m.
Wednesday, March 6 at Toronto Maple Leafs at 7 p.m.
Thursday, March 7 at Nashville Predators at 7 p.m.
Saturday, March 9 vs. Edmonton Oilers at 12:30 p.m.
Tuesday, March 12 vs. Detroit Red Wings at 7 p.m.
Thursday, March 14 vs. New York Islanders at 7 p.m.
Saturday, March 16 at Detroit Red Wings at 12:30 p.m.
Monday, March 18 at Seattle Kraken at 10 p.m.
Tuesday, March 19 at Vancouver Canucks at 10 p.m.
Thursday, March 21 at Edmonton Oilers at 9 p.m.
Sunday, March 24 at Calgary Flames at 9 p.m.
Wednesday, March 27 vs. Ottawa Senators at 7 p.m.
Friday, March 29 vs. New Jersey Devils at 7 p.m.
Saturday, March 30 vs. Toronto Maple Leafs at 7 p.m.
Tuesday, April 2 vs. Washington Capitals at 7 p.m.
Friday, April 5 vs. Philadelphia Flyers at 7 p.m.
Sunday, April 7 at Detroit Red Wings at 1 p.m.
Tuesday, April 9 at Dallas Stars at 8 p.m.
Thursday, April 11 vs. Washington Capitals at 7 p.m.
Saturday, April 13 at Florida Panthers at 5 p.m.
Monday, April 15 at Tampa Bay Lightning at 7 p.m.
