The NHL’s Buffalo Sabres celebrated the end of a 14-year postseason drought on Saturday, April 4.
The Sabres are chasing an Atlantic Division title as the regular season winds down. But a Detroit Red Wings loss clinched Buffalo a spot in the playoffs for the first time since 2010-11.
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Interestingly, Buffalo’s achievement leaves the NFL’s New York Jets all alone atop the playoff drought list with a 15-year playoff drought.
Consequently, ESPN’s Rich Cimini noted the Jets’ predicament in a story Saturday.
The @BuffaloSabres just clinched a playoff berth, ending their 14-year drought. That means …
The #Jets (15 years) stand alone — longest active drought in North American sports.
Aaron Glenn is consumed with ending it. My story: https://t.co/KzmXC7BJqf
— Rich Cimini (@RichCimini) April 4, 2026
“No longer are they linked in infamy, as the Sabres clinched a playoff berth Saturday to snap their 14-year postseason drought — the longest in NHL history — with six games to spare,” Cimini wrote.
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“The Jets are still going, at 15 years.”
After the Sabres clinched their berth, Sports Illustrated updated the list of North American pro sports’ longest playoff droughts.
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Consequently, here is the list:
New York Jets, NFL, 15 years
Los Angeles Angels, MLB, 11 years
Pittsburgh Pirates, MLB, 10 years
Charlotte Hornets, NBA, 9 years
Detroit Red Wings, NHL, 9 years
Atlanta Falcons, NFL, 8 years
Anaheim Ducks, NHL, 7 years
Colorado Rockies, MLB, 7 years
According to Cimini, Jets head coach Aaron Glenn, who went 3-14 in his first year leading New York, committed to getting the team back into championship contention.
“I want to leave a legacy, I do,” Glenn said in his introductory press conference. “When I’m gone, man, I’m looking at this team being a team that consistently puts themselves in a place to win.
“There’s not a day, there’s not an hour, there’s not a minute I don’t think about that.”
Medical staff assists New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) after a sack by Buffalo Bills defensive end Leonard Floyd (not pictured) in the 2023 season opener.| USA TODAY via Imagn Images
On the bright side, the Jets still have a long way to go to match the NFL record for playoff futility.
Unfortunately, that distinction belongs to the Chicago/St. Louis Cardinals, who went 25 seasons (1949-74) without making the postseason.
Also, in other sports, the Washington Nationals/Montreal Expos didn’t make the MLB playoffs for 29 straight years (1982-2011). Finally in the NBA, the Sacramento Kings snapped a 16-year drought by making the postseason in 2022.