The Buffalo Sabres woke up on the first day of 2026 in a wild-card spot after a thorough and convincing win against the Dallas Stars on New Year’s Eve.

And though a playoff spot is far from guaranteed, the Sabres now have a 49 percent chance of qualifying for the postseason, according to The Athletic’s NHL playoff predictor. That’s not only the highest the Sabres’ playoff odds have been all season, but it’s also the highest the Sabres’ playoff odds have been at any point in the last four seasons under this model. You have to go back to the 2018-19 season, the last time the Sabres had this kind of winning streak, to find a time when the Sabres had this good a chance at the playoffs.

How much has the 10-game winning streak helped the Sabres? On Dec. 9, the day of the Sabres’ first win in this stretch, The Athletic projected the Sabres to have a 10 percent chance at the playoffs. That 39 percent increase is the best in the NHL during that stretch.

It says something about the Eastern Conference playoff race that the Sabres have gone on this type of run and are still a coin flip for the postseason. At this point, no team in the Eastern Conference has fallen out of the playoff race. Buffalo’s playoff odds are ninth-best in the conference, and 13 teams have a 30 percent chance or better.

Scoreboard-watching is a bit frivolous at this point on the calendar, considering how many teams are in the mix. But one way to think about the playoff picture is that the Sabres want the likely playoff locks to get as many wins as possible against the rest of the conference. According to most playoff predictor models, the Tampa Bay Lightning and Carolina Hurricanes have playoff odds around 90 percent or better. Beyond that, there aren’t real juggernauts, but the Florida Panthers (71 percent) and Washington Capitals (84 percent) are the next-best bets.

Outside of those teams, get ready for a wild ride to the finish in this conference. The Sabres play 10 games in January against Eastern Conference opponents, including three against the Montreal Canadiens. All will be big games, but those Canadiens matchups could play a big role in the race for seeding in the Atlantic Division.

Here’s what else we’re seeing from the Sabres during this streak:

Östlund’s attention to detail

With the Sabres up 4-1 late against the Stars, Noah Östlund got himself into a lane for a tough shot block that clearly stung a bit. When Sabres coach Lindy Ruff talks about the details that lead to winning hockey, he’s talking about plays like that.

Östlund’s offensive impact has been clear. He’s second on the team in goals per 60 at five-on-five, behind only Tage Thompson, and fifth in primary assists per 60 at five-on-five. But according to player rating model, his net defensive rating is actually better than his net offensive rating. His on-ice goals against per 60 are the lowest on the team. The Sabres also earn 63 percent of actual goals during Östlund’s five-on-five minutes, the best mark on the team. He’s plus-seven, which is sixth-best among NHL rookies this season.