Buffalo Sabres fans have plenty of options when it comes to watching their favorite team. We go through them all, so you won’t miss a single game. Ready? Read on.
In a hurry? If you’re a New York area-based fan of the Sabres, you can catch just about all their games on MSG Network, available from these fine live-streaming services:
- Fubo: Get over 150 channels including a great selection of RSNs starting at $91.98/mo. Fubo allows you to try out its service with a free trial.
- DIRECTV STREAM: Sets you up with every regional channel in your area and 100+ others for $108.99/mo. A 5-day free trial is now available for DIRECTV STREAM.
If you can’t watch your favorite sports because of your location, get ExpressVPN to access the content you deserve.
Table Of Contents
The Buffalo Sabres, along with the Vancouver Canucks, date back to the 1970 NHL expansion to 14 teams. And, together with the Canucks, are the oldest team to have never won the Stanley Cup. They’ve only made it to the playoffs twice (in 1975, then again in 1999), and currently have the longest playoff drought in the entire NHL. At 12 seasons, it’s an NHL record.
But like many true underdogs, the Sabres lack of a winning record just makes their fans cheer harder. You can’t miss a single game because that game could be the one where they turn it all around. So where can you watch Buffalo Sabres?
What TV Channels Air Buffalo Sabres Games?
All Buffalo Sabres games will be on either MSG or ESPN+ (for both the preseason and regular season, the playoffs are another animal). Which one you should turn to depends on where you are.
MSG covers the entire state of New York, the western half of Connecticut (including Hartford), the northeastern tip of Pennsylvania, and the northern third or so of New Jersey (including Newark). No, not monosodium glutinate — Madison Square Garden.
The games on NHL Power Play on ESPN+ will be blacked out for viewers in the above coverage area. If you’re a fan and in that area, you’ll need MSG — more on where you can find it below.
If, instead, you live outside the New York vicinity, you can simply sign up for ESPN+ to watch them all.
In addition, nine of Buffalo’s 2023-24 regular season games will be on ESPN, TNT, or ABC. Some of these nine may also be simulcast on ESPN+. None will be on MSG.
| Date | Time (ET) | Teams | TV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tue Oct 17 | Lightning at Sabres | ESPN | |
| Wed Nov 1 | Sabres at Flyers | TNT | |
| Fri Nov 24 | Penguins at Sabres | TNT | |
| Wed Dec 13 | Sabres at Avalanche | TNT | |
| Wed Dec 27 | Bruins at Sabres | TNT | |
| Wed Jan 17 | Blackhawks at Sabres | TNT | |
| Sat Feb 10 | Blues at Sabres | ABC | |
| Wed Mar 6 | Sabres at Maple Leafs | TNT | |
| Sun Apr 7 | Sabres at Red Wings | TNT |
Buffalo Sabres Streaming Only Games
Six Buffalo Sabres games are streaming-only. They will be on Hulu or ESPN+:
- Dec 5 : Detroit at Sabres
- Feb. 27 : Sabres at Florida
- Mar 2 : Vegas at Sabres
- Mar 9 : Edmonton at Sabres
- Mar 14 : New York Islanders at Sabres
- Mar 30 : Toronto at Sabres
Superpower Your Sports Streaming With a VPN
For the sake of privacy, security, and access, you should be using a VPN. They are low-cost and easy to use. We’ve been using them for years and our top pick is ExpressVPN. Other brands worth checking out include Hotspot Shield and CyberGhost.
i Our VPN Buyer’s Guide provides a complete introduction and all you need to know to choose the best VPN for your needs.
How to Stream All the Buffalo Sabres Games
Streaming Buffalo Sabres games isn’t hard, but it does depend greatly on your location. If you’re in the New York area, you are considered “in-market,” which is fancy media-speak for “local.” It means you’ll be watching the majority of Sabres live games through MSG Network.
If you live outside the great state of New York and its adjacent regions, then congratulations! Subscribe to ESPN+ and you’re done.
Since the lion’s share of fans will be in-market, we’ll go into some more detail.
Fubo: The Cheaper Option for Sabres, Mets, and Knicks Fans
Fubo (formerly called FuboTV) has all the stations you need for peak Buffalo viewing — except TNT. Seven games will be exclusively on TNT this season, so why would any Buffalo Sabres fan pick Fubo?
Because it’s one of two streaming services that carries MSG, which offers not just Buffalo Sabres games, but the Jersey Devils, NY Islanders, NY Rangers, and the NBA’s Knicks. It’s also got SportsNet New York, home of the Mets.
You’ll have to do some soul-searching on whether the tradeoff is worth it.
If it helps, Fubo hooks you up with over 150 sports-packed channels for just $94.98/mo. Plus, it’s got a slick user interface you can use on up to 10 screens at home and 2 on the go. And you get a whopping 1,000 hours of permanent cloud DVR storage.
If you shell out an additional $9.99/mo, you can also get NHL Network, NBA TV, and MLB Network channels through the Sports Lite add-on.
Our Fubo review has more information.
DIRECTV STREAM for Fans of the Buffalo Sabres and the Yankees
DIRECTV STREAM offers all the channels you need to follow the Buffalo Sabres, including TNT. Plus, it’s the only service with YES, which is where you’ll find the Yankees come baseball season or the Brooklyn Nets for basketball, and it’s got SportsNet NY for Mets action.
The downside? It’s a bit more expensive (around $11/mo more, as of this writing). You need the second tier up, the 100+ channel Choice Package ($108.99/mo), to get all those juicy RSNs.
DIRECTV STREAM sports a modern interface, provides unlimited cloud DVR storage (up to 9 months), and allows unlimited devices streaming at home and on the go.
Want more details? See our DIRECTV STREAM review.
Get DIRECTV STREAM Free for 5 Days
Other Streaming Options
There are other options to watch the nationally televised games. Just note that these all do not carry MSG, and if you live in the New York area, Buffalo Sabres games will be blacked out. They do, however, all have TNT.
- Hulu + Live TV: Dozens of well-chosen live channels plus Disney+ and ESPN+ all for $76.99/mo
- Sling TV: A modular approach to live TV, and the cheapest way to watch ESPN, all for just $40.00/mo.
- YouTube TV: A similar service to Hulu’s Live TV plan.
Unblock Your Favorite Events & Teams With a VPN
If you can’t watch your favorite events or teams because of your location, a VPN will allow you to get the access you are entitled to, plus extra security and unequaled privacy. Check out our VPN Guide for everything you need to know, including our top pick ExpressVPN.
Other brands worth checking out include Hotspot Shield and CyberGhost.
Devices to Stream Buffalo Sabres Games Live
All the streaming services mentioned in this article support most devices, such as:
- Amazon Fire TV
- Android Mobile
- Android TV-based smart TVs
- Apple TV
- Chromecast
- iOS (iPhone/iPad)
- Roku
- Samsung smart TVs
- Web Browsers
Also supported are LG and VIZIO smart TVs and Xbox gaming systems (except for DIRECTV STREAM). Hulu and ESPN+ are also compatible with PlayStation gaming units.
Wrapping Up
In a nutshell: if you live outside the greater New York zone, go with ESPN+ to watch just about every Buffalo Sabres game. Within New York’s territory, you’ve got basically two options: Fubo and DIRECTV STREAM. DIRECTV STREAM is probably the better way to go for most fans.
Get DIRECTV STREAM Free for 5 Days
FAQs
Where are the Buffalo Sabres playing next?
The 2023-24 NHL regular season is over.
How are the Sabres doing this season?
The Sabres are currently 0-0 in the Atlantic Division. Here are the current standings:
| Team | W | L |
| Florida Panthers | 3 | 0 |
| Boston Bruins | 2 | 1 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | 1 | 2 |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | 0 | 2 |
| Buffalo Sabres | 0 | 0 |
| Detroit Red Wings | 0 | 0 |
| Montreal Canadiens | 0 | 0 |
| Ottawa Senators | 0 | 0 |
How can I watch the Sabres’ divisional rivals?
- Boston Bruins — NESN
- Detroit Red Wings — Bally Sports Detroit
- Florida Panthers — Bally Sports Florida
- Montréal Canadiens — ESPN+
- Ottawa Senators — ESPN+
- Tampa Bay Lightning — Bally Sports Sun
- Toronto Maple Leafs — ESPN+
How can I watch other NHL teams?
We have the following guides to help you watch NHL games involving other teams.
Eastern Conference
Metropolitan
Western Conference
Central
Featured photo: Buffalo Sabres vs Ottawa Senators at the Canadian Tire Center (2014) / photo by R. D. Barry under CC BY-SA 2.0 via Flickr
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