Know Your Enemy: Drastically-Different, Vastly-Improved Maple Leafs Will Be Much Tougher Opponent For Sabres This Season

The Buffalo Sabres prepare to face a revamped Toronto Maple Leafs team in the 2026-27 season after dominating their head-to-head series last year. Buffalo went 3-0-1 against Toronto in 2025-26 as the Maple Leafs struggled near the bottom of the league, while the Sabres won the Atlantic Division and reached the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Toronto underwent significant off-season changes under new general manager John Chayka and head coach Jim Hiller. The Maple Leafs added 2026 first overall pick Gavin McKenna, veteran goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, and defenseman Darren Raddysh, alongside numerous depth acquisitions to bolster their forward lines and defense.