Buffalo Jr . Sabres The Buffalo Jr . Sabres are a Junior " A " ice hockey team from Buffalo , New York . They are a part of the Ontario Junior A Hockey League . History . This franchise was established in Buffalo , New York in 1975 when the Buffalo Jr . Sabres joined the New York / Pennsylvania Junior Hockey League , taking the place of the departing franchise West Seneca Cougars . During its history , a half - dozen former Buffalo Sabres of the NHL served as head coach or assistant coach . Larry Mickey coached from 1975 to the end of the 1977 season . The following year the Junior Sabres were led by Jim Lorentz . Lorentz coached the team from the 1978 - 79 season to the 1981 - 82 . Former NHL 1st round draft choice Morris Titanic took over the team for the 1982 - 83 season and coached until 1985 . Ric Seiling served during an assistant coach briefly . Beginning with the 2012 - 13 season , Michael Peca will serve as head coach as well as general manager , the post he was first named to in August 2011 . The team continued in various leagues , including The Western New York Junior Hockey League , The North American Hockey League and the Golden Horseshoe Junior B Hockey League , before suspending operations for one season after the 1985 – 1986 season . The 1985 – 86 season saw Buffalo balance a schedule between the Ontario Hockey Association ' s Golden Horseshoe league and a split season with the NAHL . In the 1987 – 1988 season the team began operating again headed by Kris Hicks ( Head Coach ) and Chuck Giambra ( General Manager ) . They were now known as the Niagara Scenic and were playing a full schedule in the North American Hockey League . The team moved to the Eastern Junior Hockey League for the 1994 – 1995 season and then joined the Metro Junior A Hockey League beginning in 1995 – 1996 . After the Metro folded , the Scenics moved into the Ontario Provincial Junior Hockey League beginning with the 1998 - 99 season . Heading into the 1999 - 2000 season , the franchise renamed itself the Buffalo Lightning . In 2005 , the Lightning made a deal with the National Hockey League ' s Buffalo Sabres to restore the name " Junior Sabres " and again wear the Sabres ' classic Blue and Gold jerseys . In 2008 the Buffalo Jr . Sabres were bought out by the Buffalo Sabres and the Buffalo Sabres Alumni Association . Former Buffalo Sabre Larry Playfair took over as team president , while former Buffalo Sabre Grant Ledyard took the position of head coach / general manager . In January 2012 Ledyard stepped down from his role as head coach . Russ Certo assumed the role of interim head coach for the remainder of the season , which included a first round playoff series victory over the Hamilton Red Wings before falling in the second round to the Oakville Blades . Peca officially added the role of head coach to his duties at the end of the 2011 - 12 season . Under Peca ' s leadership , the Jr . Sabres finished the 2012 - 13 regular season as the OJHL ' s West Division champions and claimed the top seed in the South - West Conference for the 2013 playoffs . That regular season saw forward Tyler Gjurich score 53 goals and a total 97 points in 53 games , leading the entire league in points . Goaltender Parker Gahagen registered seven shutouts among his 29 wins . It was the first time since the 1993 - 94 season that the Jr . Sabres claimed first place in its division , while Gjurich became only the second player in franchise history to score 50 or more goals ( the first was Brian Gionta during the 1996 - 97 season during the Niagara Scenic era ) . The 2012 - 13 roster also produced seven NCAA hockey - bound prospects as of March 1 , 2013 : Gjurich ( Maine ) , Gahagen ( Army ) , Josh Kielich ( Canisius College ) , Darrin Trebes ( Fredonia State ) , Derek Patterson ( Plattsburgh State ) , Nathan Pelligra ( Manhattanville College ) and Nolan Sheeran ( Canisius College , beginning 2014 - 15 ) . On October 22 , 2013 , it was announced the Jr . Sabres Junior A team will join six younger - level teams , also carrying the Jr . Sabres name , in an expanded program that would play at the HarborCenter , the multi - use facility being constructed by the Buffalo Sabres which opened in 2014 . The team previously played at the Northtown Center . Season - by - season results . Playoffs . MetJHL Years OJHL Years