The Buffalo Sabres have failed in one consistent way in recent years -- namely, that they haven't played Stanley Cup playoff hockey in nearly a decade-and-a-half. Thus, there's an inordinate amount of pressure on the Sabres to be a playoff team this year. And as we've seen in the NHL's overtime/shootout era, teams can make or miss the playoffs by only one or two standings points, so it's not an exaggeration to say that just about every game is going to be important to Buffalo's playoff hopes.

That's why we here at THN.com's Sabres site believed it worthwhile to examine each of the Buffalo's 31 opponents next season, and see if we can't make a solid guesstimate as to how the Sabres will fare against each of them. And after moving our way through the Atlantic, Metropolitan and Central Divisions, we're now starting our look at Pacific Division teams with a breakdown of Buffalo's chances against the Anaheim Ducks.

The Ducks missed the playoffs by 16 points last season, so they have a long road back to being true Cup threats. But Anaheim made some smart additions this summer, and they're going to be a tougher team to play against. How much tougher? Our best answer to that question is below.

BUFFALO SABRES VS. ANAHEIM DUCKS

NEW DUCKS PLAYERS: Mikael Granlund, C; Chris Kreider, LW; Ryan Poehling, C; Petr Mrazek, G

2024-25 SERIES: Sabres 2-0-0, Ducks 0-1-1

2025-26 GAMES AGAINST EACH OTHER:  January 10 at Buffalo; March 22 at Anaheim 

CAN THE SABRES BEAT THIS TEAM?  The Ducks have slowly been building their core for years now. Anaheim GM Pat Verbeek has been meticulously adding young talent to the group, and the Ducks now have a semblance of a winner. But clearly, Verbeek believes his team needed an influx of experienced players, as that's been happening a lot in Anaheim of late.

Verbeek picked up former New York Rangers captain Jacob Trouba last season, and this summer, he's added Trouba's Rangers teammate Chris Kreider to the mix. Kreider had a sub-par year in Manhattan last year, but he was hardly the only Blueshirts player in that department. And now, at age 34, Kreider has a fresh start with the Ducks.

Know Your Enemy, Sabres Central Edition: Are Winnipeg Jets Too Good To Lose To Buffalo?The Buffalo Sabres are facing a massive amount of pressure to end their 14-year Stanley Cup playoff drought next season. But if they're to do so, they're going to need to win the majority of series they play against every NHL team. And that includes taking on top-tier teams like the Central Division-champion Winnipeg Jets.

Similarly, signing veteran center Michael Granlund is also going to help Anaheim's bottom line. Granlund has bounced around more than a little -- the Ducks are the fifth team he's played on since 2022-23 -- but Granlund quietly had 22 goals and 66 points last season. He's 33 years old, but Granlund has enough left in the tank to help Anaheim's cause.

Given that Buffalo beat the Ducks in both games last season, you'd have to say that the Sabres can't afford to take a step back and allow Anaheim to win either game they have against them this coming year. The Ducks want to completely close the gap separating them from a playoff spot, but to do so, they'll have to be focused and motivated all season long, and new coach Joel Quenneville has his work cut out for him in maintaining a consistent standard of play for his new team.

That said, if the Sabres can round into form in the later part of the season, they're going to be a challenge for any team, the Ducks included. And the latter part of the year is when both games against the Ducks will be played.

In any case, Anaheim's fast, skilled core is going to pressure Buffalo's defense corps and goaltending, and the Sabres will run into one of the NHL's better young goalies in Lukas Dostal. The Ducks aren't going to be anybody's pushover next year, but the Sabres can't afford a letdown against a team they're deeper than -- at least, on paper.

Know Your Enemy, Sabres Central Edition: Will Mammoth Maul Buffalo As Utah Seeks First Playoff Appearance?The NHL's off-season rolls on, and every day brings with it more hockey talk. And in this ongoing THN.com series, we here at the Sabres site are focusing on the Buffalo Sabres' 2025-26 regular-season schedule -- and specifically, Sabres opponents who could get in the way of Buffalo's Stanley Cup playoff aspirations.

Anaheim still has some serious flaws. Their defense corps isn't going to be known as a shutdown crew anytime soon, and they're still going to have lessons to learn as is natural for a young group like theirs. So Buffalo has to show the Ducks they're a team that isn't going to let up out of overconfidence.

There's pressure on both teams, but the Sabres have more pressure on them than any other NHL team. And if Anaheim doesn't put its best foot forward, their games against Buffalo could once again see the Ducks in the loss column both times.