Buffalo Sabres The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo , New York . They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League ( NHL ) . History . Founding . The Sabres , along with the Vancouver Canucks , joined the NHL in the 1970 – 71 season . Their first owners were Seymour Knox III and Northrup Knox , scions of a family long prominent in Western New York . Buffalo had long been a hotbed for hockey . The Buffalo Bisons had been one of the pillars of the American Hockey League ( AHL ) , winning the Calder Cup in their final season . Wanting a different name other than " bison " that was so common among Buffalo sports teams , the Knoxes immediately commissioned a name - the - team contest . The winning choice , " Sabres , " was chosen because Seymour Knox felt a sabre was a weapon carried by a leader . He also noted that a sabre is swift and strong on offense as well as defense . The Knoxes had tried twice before to get an NHL team , first when the NHL expanded in 1967 , and then unsuccessfully attempting to buy the Oakland Seals with the intent of moving them to Buffalo . At the time of their creation , the Sabres exercised their option to create their own AHL farm team , the Cincinnati Swords . French Connection . The Sabres , playing their first of many seasons at the Buffalo Memorial Auditorium , got off to a good start before they even hit the ice when they , despite being disputed by the Vancouver Canucks , and by spinning a roulette wheel , won the NHL draft lottery , and picked future Hockey Hall of Fame center Gilbert Perreault first overall in the 1970 NHL Amateur Draft . Perreault was available to the Sabres , as this was the first year that the Montreal Canadiens did not have a priority right to draft Québécois junior players . Perreault scored 38 goals in his rookie season of 1970 – 71 , at the time a record for most goals scored by a rookie in the NHL , and was awarded the Calder Memorial Trophy as Rookie of the Year . Despite Perreault ' s star play , the Sabres did not make the playoffs . In the team ' s second season , 1971 – 72 , rookie Rick Martin , drafted fifth overall by Buffalo in 1971 , and Rene Robert , acquired in a late - season trade from the Pittsburgh Penguins , joined Perreault and would become one of the league ' s top forward lines in the 1970s . Martin broke Perreault ' s record at once with 44 rookie goals . They were nicknamed " The French Connection " after the movie of the same name and in homage to their French - Canadian roots . The Sabres made the playoffs for the first time in 1972 – 73 , just the team ' s third year in the league , but lost in the quarterfinals in six games to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Montreal Canadiens . Game 6 at the Aud ended with the fans serenading their team in a chant of " Thank you Sabres ! Thank you Sabres ! " , a moment many consider to be the greatest in team history . Fog and the bat . After a subpar year in 1974 that saw them miss the playoffs , the Sabres finished in a tie for the best record in the NHL in the 1974 – 75 regular season . Buffalo would advance to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in team history to play against the rough Philadelphia Flyers ( who had been recently nicknamed the " Broad Street Bullies " ) , a series which included the legendary Fog Game ( game three of the series ) . Due to unusual heat in Buffalo in May 1975 , portions of the game were played in heavy fog . Players , officials , and the puck were invisible to many spectators . During a face - off and through the fog , Sabres center Jim Lorentz spotted a bat flying across the rink , raised his stick , and killed it . Many superstitious Buffalo fans considered this to be an " Evil Omen , " pertaining to the result of the series . It was the only time that any player killed an animal " during " an NHL game . The Sabres won that game thanks to Rene Robert ' s goal in overtime . However , Philadelphia would wind up taking the Cup Final to six games , winning the series 4 games to 2 . The French Connection , joined by 50 – goal scorer Danny Gare , continued to score prolifically for the Sabres in 1975 – 76 , but the team lost in the quarterfinals to the New York Islanders . The Sabres continued to coast through the late 1970s behind the French Connection of Perreault , Martin , Robert and Gare , but they were unable to return to the Final despite a regular season Conference championship in 1980 and being the first team to beat the Soviet Olympic team when they toured the United States . Leaving the Aud . The 1995 – 96 season was the first season under coach Ted Nolan and the last for the Sabres at Buffalo Memorial Auditorium , or the Aud . Nolan brought an exciting brand of hockey to Buffalo . During his coaching tenure , his Sabres were referred to as the " hardest - working team in hockey " . Even though the Sabres failed to have success in the win column and played before an average of only a little over 13 , 000 fans , fourth - fewest in the history of the team at the Aud , the fans had a special love affair with the team . Brad May , Rob Ray and Matthew Barnaby became the 1990s version of the characters from the movie Slap Shot , " The Hanson Brothers . " This season also featured the debut of " walk - on " veteran player Randy Burridge . After attending training camp on a try - out basis , Burridge earned a spot on the roster . He scored 25 goals that season and was second in team scoring to Pat LaFontaine . Burridge also earned the Tim Horton Award for being the unsung hero and was voted team Most Valuable Player . 1996 – 97 — 2005 – 06 : Black and red era . New arena and new attitude . Nolan and the Sabres rebounded in 96 – 97 , their first at Marine Midland Arena , by winning the Northeast Division ( their first division title in sixteen years ) , with Nolan winning the Jack Adams Award as the NHL ' s top coach , Dominik Hasek winning both the Hart and Vezina Trophies ( the first goaltender to do so since Montreal ' s Jacques Plante in 1962 ) , Michael Peca taking home the Frank J . Selke Trophy as the best defensive forward in the NHL , and general manager John Muckler honored as Executive of the Year . However , the regular season success was all overshadowed by what had taken place during the playoffs . Tensions between Nolan and Hasek had been high for most of the season , however , after being scored upon in game three of the first - round against the Ottawa Senators , Hasek left the game , forcing backup Steve Shields to step in . Hasek claimed he felt his knee pop , and the team doctor pronounced him day - to - day . Buffalo News columnist Jim Kelley wrote a column that night for the next day ' s newspaper that detailed the day ' s events , which irked Hasek . After the Senators won game five , Hasek came out of the Sabres ' training room and physically attacked Kelley , tearing his shirt . Despite issuing an apology , things went downhill afterwards . Shields starred as the Sabres rallied to win the series against Ottawa . But before the next series against the Philadelphia Flyers , the NHL announced that Hasek had been suspended for three games — with the Sabres informing the league that Hasek was healthy ( Hasek most likely would not have been suspended had he not been cleared to play ) . Set to return in game four with the team down by three games in the series , Hasek told the Sabres ' coaching staff he felt a twinge in his knee and left the ice after the pregame skate . Shields turned in another season - saving performance as Buffalo staved off the almost inevitable sweeping elimination with a win . Again before the fifth game , Hasek declared himself unfit to play and Buffalo lost 6 – 3 , losing the series in five games . New owners . Despite the infighting , the season was a fitting tribute to Seymour Knox , who died on May 22 , 1996 . During the season , his brother Northrop sold the team to Adelphia Communications . Timothy Rigas , son of Adelphia founder John Rigas , took over as team president . His first act was to fire general manager John Muckler , who had a noted feud with Nolan . All - Star goaltender Hasek , who supported Muckler , openly told reporters at the NHL Awards Ceremony that he did not respect Nolan , placing new GM Darcy Regier in a tough position . He offered Nolan just a one - year contract for a reported $ 500 , 000 . Nolan refused on the grounds that his previous contract was for two years , " before " he was Coach of the Year . Regier then pulled the contract off the table and didn ' t offer another one , ending Nolan ' s tenure as Sabres coach . Nolan was offered several jobs from the Tampa Bay Lightning and New York Islanders , which he turned down , and was out of the NHL until June 2006 when he was named coach of the Islanders . After Nolan , former Sabres captain Lindy Ruff , Buffalo ' s current bench boss , was hired as head coach on July 21 , 1997 , agreeing to a three - year deal . Seemingly in the blink of an eye , the Sabres organization , after having their most successful season in nearly two decades , had now rid itself of both the reigning NHL Executive ( Muckler ) and Coach of the Year ( Nolan ) . Behind Hasek , left - winger Miroslav Satan ( who led the team in scoring ) , right - winger Donald Audette , center Michael Peca , and several role - playing journeymen including pest Matthew Barnaby , the Sabres reached the Conference Final in 1998 , but lost to the Washington Capitals in six games . " No Goal ! " . In 1999 , Miroslav Satan scored 40 goals . The Sabres would add centers Stu Barnes from the Pittsburgh Penguins and Joe Juneau from the Capitals . Michal Grosek had the best season of his career , and the team finally returned to the Stanley Cup Finals , this time against the Dallas Stars . In the sixth game , Dallas Stars winger Brett Hull ' s triple - overtime goal — as Hull ' s skate was clearly visibly in Hasek ' s crease — ended the series , and the Stars were awarded the Cup . In 1999 , it was illegal to score a goal if an offensive player ' s skate entered the crease before the puck did . At the time , even " The Dallas Morning News | " hockey writer Keith Gave ( a lifelong Red Wings fan who had just been employed by Dallas ) questioned the legality of the goal . NHL officials , however , maintained that Hull ' s two shots in the goal mouth constituted a single possession of the puck since the puck deflected off Hasek , and their ruling stood , citing that they " were going to change the rule the following year anyway . " It is widely speculated that , by the time the Sabres mentioned the foul , the red carpet had already been unrolled at center ice , and the officials refused to acknowledge the non - call . ESPN ' s " Page2 " staff has ranked the call as the fifth worst officiating call in sports history . Conversely , Al Strachan of the Toronto Sun wrote " There should have been no controversy whatsoever . When Hull first kicked the rebound on to his stick , he had neither foot in the crease . At the instant he kicked the puck , he became in control of it . It was only in the follow - through of that kick that his left foot moved into the crease . " Buffalo sports fans , who have suffered through some of the biggest misfortunes in sports history ( such as " Wide Right " and " Music City Miracle " ) , refer to the game as " No Goal , " a phrase still used in western New York to this day . Over the years , the only successful franchise is the National Lacrosse League ' s Buffalo Bandits who have won four Champions Cups . The rule was changed for the following season , allowing players to be inside the goaltender ' s crease as long as they do not interfere with the goalie . The next year was a disappointing season . The team struggled in the regular season , due to injuries to Hasek as well as other tired and discouraged players . Doug Gilmour was acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks at the trade deadline and sparked the Sabres to a playoff berth . However , Gilmour was stricken by stomach flu during the post - season and even the return of Hasek could not prevent their first - round playoff series loss to the Flyers . Like the previous season , there would be another officiating controversy . In game two high - flying Flyers ' winger John LeClair put the puck in the net through a hole in the mesh . While replays appeared to showed the puck going in through the " side " of the net , the goal was allowed to stand . The Flyers would win the game 2 – 1 and go on to win the series 4 – 1 . Captain Michael Peca sat out 2000 – 01 due to a contract dispute , and eventually was traded to the Islanders in June 2001 for Tim Connolly and Taylor Pyatt . Even so , the Sabres still defeated the high - seeded Flyers in six games in the first round of the playoffs ( with a resounding 8 – 0 victory in the series - winning game ) . In the second round , they faced the underdog Penguins led by rejuvenated superstar Mario Lemieux and captain Jaromir Jagr , who had won his 5th Art Ross Trophy that season , losing on a seventh - game overtime goal scored by defenseman Darius Kasparaitis . Third jersey . The first third Jersey of the Buffalo Sabres was created in 2000 . The primary color was Sabre red , with black and gray stripes on the sleeves . It also featured the word " Buffalo " written on a black stripe outlined by gray near the waist . The logo was a black circle with two sabres crossing each other . The third jersey ran from 2000 – 2006 when the red jersey was retired . With the return to blue and gold came the return of the original Sabres Jersey which was worn from 1970 – 96 . The Sabres in 2006 made the original blue jersey their new third jersey . Missing the playoffs . After lengthy , and failed , negotiations with their star goaltender , the Sabres traded Hasek to the Detroit Red Wings in the summer of 2001 . Without Hasek and Peca , the Sabres missed the 2002 playoffs . In the summer of 2002 , John Rigas and his sons were arrested for bank , wire , and securities fraud for embezzling more than $ 2 billion from Adelphia ( Rigas eventually was convicted and presently is appealing a sentence of 15 years in prison ) . The league took control of the team , though the Rigas family remained owners on paper . The affair came as something of an embarrassment to the NHL . Only five years earlier , it had tightened its standards for vetting prospective owners after seeing John Spano buy the New York Islanders only to discover he ' d grossly inflated his net worth and committed massive bank and wire fraud . For a while , there were no interested buyers . Attendance sagged , and it looked like the Sabres would either move or fold . The leading candidate was Mark Hamister , a local businessman who owned the Arena Football League ' s Buffalo Destroyers . Hamister was the personal choice of NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman . However , over time it became obvious that Hamister ' s financial assets were highly suspect and that his bid was heavily dependent upon government financing . It also became known that Hamister had won an expansion af2 team in Dayton , Ohio and got numerous concessions from local government , but moved them to Cincinnati before they had ever played their first game in Dayton . He was also considering moving the Destroyers ( and as it turned out , did — to Columbus , Ohio ) . Under pressure from fans concerned that Hamister might move the Sabres , state officials scuttled a critical incentive package , effectively killing his bid . Another group who showed interest in the Sabres was headed by Sherry Bassin , co - owner of the Ontario Hockey League ' s Erie Otters , and included Alain Maislin , a Montreal trucking magnate , and Frank DuRoss , owner of the Rochester Raging Rhinos USL soccer team . Former Sabres coach Ted Nolan was a friend of Bassin , and there was speculation that he would be rehired as Sabres coach if Bassin assumed ownership . However , this partnership dissolved without ever making a formal offer to the NHL . 2002 – 03 and new ownership . With the season beginning under league control , general manager Darcy Regier would make minimal moves that could bolster the last placed Sabres . However , with the consultations of impending new ownership , the team began their rebuilding process around the trade deadline of March 10 , 2003 by clearing out veteran players . The first to go was long - time winger Rob Ray who was sent to Ottawa so he had a chance to win the Stanley Cup before retirement at season ' s end . The team then sent center and team captain Stu Barnes to the Dallas Stars for young winger Michael Ryan and a draft pick . The third deal that was completed at that time sent center Chris Gratton to the Phoenix Coyotes with a draft pick for a younger center , Daniel Briere and a draft pick . The trade of Barnes was widely believed to be a show of gratitude , to get him to a team that was a playoff contender . However , the move was a surprise to Barnes , who had become a fan favorite with the help of Sabres ' broadcaster Rick Jeanneret ' s calls of " Stuuuuuuuuuu Barnes . . . top shelf where momma hides the cookies ! " , and variations of that call after Barnes would score for the Sabres . Barnes stated that he had wanted to stay in Buffalo and broke down in tears in front of the assembled media after receiving word of his trade . After the two year period of uncertainty that left the Sabres franchise in limbo , the team was sold to Rochester , New York billionaire and former New York gubernatorial candidate Tom Golisano , whose bid included no government funding . Golisano was introduced as team owner on March 19 , 2003 . Golisano immediately drew the attention of fans with lowered ticket prices . 2003 – 04 . The team emerged from its struggles , and the Sabres narrowly missed the playoffs , which saw the debuts and / or development of prominent young players such as Daniel Briere . One memorable moment in 2003 – 04 was on New Year ' s Eve 2003 , when Maxim Afinogenov and Miroslav Satan both scored hat trick s against the Washington Capitals at home . The Sabres won a sound 7 – 1 . 2004 – 05 . The NHL canceled the 2004 – 05 NHL season due to a labor dispute ; however , the league and the NHL Players Association were able to devise a new Collective Bargaining Agreement in the summer of 2005 , thus enabling NHL hockey to return for the 2005 – 06 season . On January 19 , 2005 , the Sabres lost their main cable television broadcaster , as the Empire Sports Network ( which had been on the air from 1991 to 2005 ) ceased operations as a cost cutting move during the Adelphia scandal and reorganization ( Empire , like the Sabres , had been owned by Adelphia ) . Adelphia sold their rights to Sabres telecasts to accommodate that move . For the 2005 – 06 campaign , the Madison Square Garden Network ( MSG ) , a New York City - based channel which mostly broadcasts New York Rangers games , took the rights to broadcast Sabres games to television viewers in western New York . The agreement has since been re - upped through 2016 . 2005 – 06 . In 2005 – 06 , the Sabres raced to a hot start and stayed near the top of the standings all season long , finishing with their best season in over twenty years . On April 3 , they clinched their first Eastern Conference playoff spot since the 2000 – 01 season . The team finished the regular season with 53 wins , surpassing the 50 – win mark for the first time in franchise history . They also finished with 110 points , their first 100 – point season in 23 years and tied the 1979 – 80 club for the second - best point total in franchise history . The Sabres tied the Ottawa Senators and Carolina Hurricanes for the most wins in the Eastern Conference . They finished with the fifth - best record in the league , behind Detroit , Ottawa , Dallas and Carolina . However , the Sabres were seeded fourth in the Eastern Conference playoffs - - behind Ottawa , Carolina and the New Jersey Devils - - as they dropped their division to the Senators . The Sabres also finished with 25 road wins , another franchise record . Buffalo defeated the Philadelphia Flyers in the first - round of the 2006 Playoffs in six games . The Sabres on two occasions , showing their offensive prowess , scored seven or more goals in the series . In the second round of the playoffs , the Sabres defeated the top - seeded Sens in five games . Three of the victories came in overtime , including the series - clinching game five , which was won on a Short handed goal by Jason Pominville Video ] to send Buffalo to the Eastern Conference Final against the Carolina Hurricanes . It was the first time in NHL history that a series had been decided on a short - handed goal . Despite being without some or all of their four top defensemen ( Teppo Numminen , Dmitri Kalinin and Henrik Tallinder ) , and their top power play scorer , Tim Connolly , for much of the series , the Sabres fought back from a three - games - to - two deficit to force a seventh game by way of a 2 – 1 OT win in game six . In the deciding game , the Sabres were without their number one shot blocker ( Jay McKee ) . After Jochen Hecht scored from behind the net with 4 seconds left in the 2nd period , They led the Hurricanes 2 – 1 going into the final period . But blew the lead early in the third and gave up two more late goals for a 4 – 2 final score . The game - winning goal was scored on the power play by Hurricanes captain Rod Brind ' Amour after Brian Campbell was called for a delay of game penalty . Injuries took their tool on the sabres , as their 4 regular defensman were out with injuries . The ' Canes went on to defeat the Edmonton Oilers in seven games , winning the Stanley Cup . The Sabres finished the playoffs with the most last - minute goals in the 2006 playoffs . The Sabres ' better - than - expected season was recognized on June 22 , 2006 at the NHL Awards Ceremony , when Lindy Ruff edged Hurricanes coach Peter Laviolette 155 votes to 154 to win the Jack Adams Award as Coach of the Year . It was the closest vote in the award ' s history . After Nolan , Ruff is the second Sabres coach to win the award . 2006 – 07 . On September 16 , the Sabres unveiled new home and away jerseys featuring midnight blue , maize ( gold ) , silver , and white colors , along with third jerseys featuring the Sabres original blue jersey at an open practice at HSBC Arena . The new logo , a stylized bison , has been compared to Donald Trump ' s hair , Pikachu , a hamster or more commonly a banana slug , with some in the area even giving it the name " Sluggalo " or " Buffaslug " . An online petition against the new logo had eclipsed the 30 , 000 signature mark by that point , indicating that growing numbers of Sabres fans hadn ' t accepted the logo . Despite that , the team ' s jersey featuring the new logo topped sales of NHL merchandise . Sabres Managing Partner Larry Quinn ( hockey ) , when asked about the reaction of the fans said , " I can make a promise to our fans , if we ' re in the deciding game of the Stanley Cup , that old blue and gold jersey is going to be worn if we ' re at home , so we ' ll have the opportunity to win the Cup with it . And I ' ve also asked the league if we can wear our white vintage and they ' re looking to see if we can . " The new jerseys also featured numbers on the front of the jersey , which hadn ' t been seen in the NHL since the 1949 – 50 NHL season . Dallas , the New York Islanders , San Jose , and Tampa Bay would also add front numbers in the 2007 – 08 NHL season . The jersey ' s unveiling overshadowed the beginning of the team ' s training camp , opening with the most expensive group of Sabres to date . The team ' s payroll was over the league salary cap of $ 44 million US . Even at that price tag they were forced to let some key figures ( Jay McKee , Jean - Pierre Dumont and Mike Grier ) from their 2006 playoff run , and move on . On October 20 , 2006 , the Sabres defeated the Carolina Hurricanes in a 5 – 4 win , to set a new franchise record with their 12th consecutive regular - season victory . The previous record was held by the 1974 – 75 team that won 11 straight games at the end of that season . The Sabres started 10 – 0 , not only setting a new franchise record for consecutive wins to start a season , but becoming just the second team in NHL history to open a season with a winning streak of ten games . The streak was ended on October 28 , 2006 , in a 5 – 4 shoot out loss to the Atlanta Thrashers . The only other team to start a season with as many consecutive victories were the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1993 – 94 , who also started 10 – 0 . On November 5 , 2006 the Sabres defeated the New York Rangers in New York to set a new NHL record for consecutive road wins to start a season ( eight ) , which was extended to ten games ( tying the team record for consecutive road wins ) with a 7 – 4 win over the 2005 – 06 Stanley Cup Champion Hurricanes on November 13 , 2006 . It ended on November 18 , 2006 with a 4 – 1 loss at Ottawa to the Senators . Three Buffalo Sabres were voted by fans to be starters at the 2007 NHL All - Star Game in Dallas : goalie Ryan Miller , forward Daniel Briere , and defenseman Brian Campbell . Forward Thomas Vanek also participated in the NHL YoungStars Game . Briere won the All - Star MVP Award , tallying 1 goal and 4 assists . Lindy Ruff was the head coach for the Eastern Conference , who lost the game 12 – 9 . On February 22 , 2007 , in a 6 – 5 shootout win over the Ottawa Senators , the team was involved in a brawl after Senators winger Chris Neil hit Sabres captain Chris Drury , who was injured on the play . Some consider that the hit was late and from behind , though neither the referees nor the league penalized Neil . Despite Senator ' s coach Bryan Murray ' s insistence that his team was innocent , the melee was actually started with Heatley cross - checking Buffalo ' s Patrick Kaleta before the puck was dropped . The two had a minor scuffle , and were broken up by the officials . Both combatants remained on the ice . When the puck dropped , the main brawl began . The fight included Adam Mair immediately engaging Jason Spezza , Andrew Peters going after Dany Heatley , and both goalies , Martin Biron and Ray Emery fighting each other . Peters then went after the Senators goalie Emery , while head coach Lindy Ruff argued with Senators coach Bryan Murray through the glass , with former Sabres enforcer Rob Ray ' s MSG microphone picking up Ruff telling his counterpart " don ' t go after my fucking captain " . Over 100 penalty minutes were distributed and Ruff was fined $ 10 , 000 by the league . In an interesting turn of events , Sabres fans offered to raise money to pay Ruff ' s fine . Ruff thanked the fans for their support , but paid the fine on his own . Drury returned a few games later . The teams went back and forth for the remainder of the game , with Drew Stafford scoring the shootout winner for Buffalo . On a related note , Clarke MacArthur , called up from Rochester due to injury , scored his first NHL goal in this game . On March 30 , 2007 , in a 6 – 4 defeat of the New York Islanders , the team won 50 games for the second time in franchise history . The Sabres scored 5 goals on the special teams , 3 power play goals by Chris Drury , Drew Stafford , and Dainius Zubrus , and 2 short handed goals by Drury and Derek Roy . On April 3 , 2007 , in a 4 – 1 defeat of the Pittsburgh Penguins , the Sabres clinched the Northeast Division crown and the best record in the Eastern Conference . On April 7 , 2007 , in a 2 – 0 defeat of the Washington Capitals , the Buffalo Sabres won the Presidents ' Trophy for the first time in franchise history , giving the team the home ice advantage for their entire run in the 2006 – 2007 NHL playoffs . They also tied the 1974 – 75 team ' s franchise record for points in a season . In the April 9 , 2007 issue of " ESPN the Magazine " , the Buffalo Sabres ranked first of 122 major professional sports franchises in North America . Buffalo was cited for its player accessibility , low ticket prices , and exciting brand of hockey . Buffalo fans seem to have noticed , as the Sabres sold out every game for the 2007 season . The Sabres defeated the New York Islanders and then the New York Rangers to reach the Eastern Conference Finals . On May 19 , 2007 the Buffalo Sabres were eliminated by the Ottawa Senators after five games . The winning goal was scored in the first overtime by Ottawa captain Daniel Alfredsson at the 9 : 32 mark . Coincidentally , Jason Pominville had beaten Alfredsson to score the clinching overtime goal over Ottawa in game five of the previous year ' s Eastern Conference Semi - finals . 2007 – 08 . The Sabres lost both of their co - captains , Daniel Briere ( who went to the Philadelphia Flyers ) and Chris Drury ( who went to the New York Rangers ) during the free agency period . The Sabres nearly lost Thomas Vanek to the Edmonton Oilers who offered him a seven - year , $ 50 million offer sheet , but the Sabres matched the offer on July 6 . After these events , the team changed its policy of not negotiating contracts during the regular season . On October 16 , 2007 , they signed Jochen Hecht to a 4 year $ 14 . 1 million dollar contract . Long - time Sabres broadcast color commentator Jim Lorentz announced his retirement during the 07 – 08 preseason . Hockey Night in Canada ' s Harry Neale took over the position in October 2007 . The Sabres ' January 1 home game against the Pittsburgh Penguins was played outdoors at Ralph Wilson Stadium , home of the National Football League ' s Buffalo Bills . Officially , the game was called the AMP Energy NHL Winter Classic , but in Buffalo and the surrounding areas it was referred to as the " Ice Bowl " . The Sabres lost 2 – 1 in a shootout . The Sabres , like all of the NHL teams updated their jerseys as part of the league - wide switchover to Rbk Edge jerseys . The team did not make radical changes to the jersey design , adding an NHL crest below the neck opening . There will be no ' third jersey ' this season , although the team wore the 1970s design for the January 1 outdoor game . With a 3 - 1 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on April 3 , 2008 that eliminated the Sabres out of playoff contention , they became only the third team in NHL history to go from finishing first overall in the regular season standings to finishing out of the playoffs the following year . Both of the previous two teams to do so ended up winning the Stanley Cup the following year . 2008 – 09 . On June 10 , 2008 , the Sabres officially announced their new American Hockey League affiliate , beginning in the 2008 - 09 season , would be the Portland Pirates from Portland , Maine . This officially ends their 29 - year affiliation with the Rochester Americans . The Sabres will stock the Pirates with prospects for the next two seasons , with a parent club option for a third . . The Sabres entered the 2008 free agency period quietly , but on July 1st the Sabres signed goalie Patrick Lalime to a two - year worth $ 2 million . On July 4th , the Sabres traded Steve Bernier to the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for a second round draft pick in 2010 and a third round draft pick in 2009 ( Los Angeles ' selection ) . Just hours later Craig Rivet was traded to the Buffalo Sabres with a 2010 seventh - round pick in exchange for two second round selections in the 2009 and 2010 drafts . 2009 – 10 . General manager Darcy Regier announced on the first day of free agency that the Sabres have agreed to terms with unrestricted free agent defenseman Steve Montador to a two - year contract . The Sabres also signed free agent defenseman Joe DiPenta to a one - year contract on July 11 . They also extended contracts with three other players . On July 20 the Buffalo Sabres agreed to terms with Andrej Sekera on a multi - year deal and signed Clarke MacArthur to a one - year contract . On August 11 the Sabres signed Mike Grier to a one - year contract . Grier , already having played two seasons with the Sabres , returned after playing the last three with the San Jose Sharks . At the beginning of the season the Sabres announced the Buffalo Sabres Road Crew which saw appearances by the Sabres ’ coaching staff , GM Darcy Regier and broadcasting crew for charity . A total of four stops were scheduled throughout the season in Tampa , Florida , Washington , D . C . , Raleigh , NC and Atlanta at established Buffalo fan clubs . Many native Western New Yorkers now live in those four cities . On January 1 , 2010 , the Buffalo Sabres became the first team to win consecutive games when trailing by three or more goals since Dallas did it in January 2006 in beating Anaheim 4 - 3 in a shootout and Detroit 6 - 3 . Buffalo beat the Atlanta Thrashers 4 - 3 in overtime . It was Buffalo ' s second straight win in a game it trailed 3 - 0 , following a 4 - 3 victory over Pittsburgh . On March 3 , 2010 , the day of the trade deadline , the Sabres made two deals . The first was with the Columbus Blue Jackets which sent them Nathan Paetsch and a second - round draft pick in exchange for Raffi Torres . The Sabres ' second and final deal sent Clarke MacArthur to the Atlanta Thrashers for third and fourth - round draft picks . On March 27 , 2010 , the Sabres clinched their first playoff berth since the 2006 - 2007 season with a 7 – 1 rout of the Tampa Bay Lightning . On April 6 , 2010 , the Sabres clinched the Northeast Division title by defeating the New York Rangers by a score of 5 – 2 . On April 26 , 2010 , the third - seed Sabres were eliminated from the Stanley Cup playoffs by the sixth - seed Boston Bruins in six games . As a Sabres fan , your only goal really is to be a diehard fan and get all merchandise that pertains to the Sabres . Live and die Sabres hockey Broadcasters . Rick Jeanneret TV and radio Play - by - Play Denis Potvin TV and radio Color Analyst Rob Ray Studio Host and rinkside reporterKevin Sylvester Studio Host Mike Robitaille Studio Host This is a list of seasons completed by the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League . This list documents the records and playoff results for all seasons the Sabres have completed in the NHL since their inception in 1970 . " Note : GP = Games played , W = Wins , L = Losses , T = Ties , OTL = Overtime Losses , Pts = Points , GF = Goals for , GA = Goals against , PIM = Penalties in minutes " Players . Honored members . " Hall of Famers " " Retired numbers " < nowiki > * < / nowiki > When Rene Robert and Rick Martin were retired , Gilbert Perreault was present , as the entire " French Connection " line was given retirement together . Today , each linemate ' s banner is next to one another at First Niagara Center , with a banner above indicating their line ' s nickname . Franchise scoring leaders . These are the top - ten point - scorers in franchise history . Figures are updated after each completed NHL regular season . " Note : Pos = Position ; GP = Games Played ; G = Goals ; A = Assists ; Pts = Points ; P / G = Points per game ; * = current Sabres player " NHL awards and trophies . Presidents ' Trophy Prince of Wales Trophy Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy Calder Memorial Trophy Frank J . Selke Trophy Hart Memorial Trophy Jack Adams Award King Clancy Memorial Trophy Lady Byng Memorial Trophy Lester B . Pearson Award Lester Patrick Trophy NHL Plus / Minus Award Vezina Trophy William M . Jennings Trophy