2007-08 Buffalo Sabers
What an up and down season for Sabers fans. After roaring into a season that had the best record in the league and leading in goals, with Buffalo fans buying out every ticket for a team poised to get the Stanley Cup. Unfortunately, other teams on the ice were ready for the Sabers, and fought them until they ran out of steam - and things just got worse from there. After a hand wringing overtime loss to the Ottawa Senators, the Sabers lost their captains to free agency. On Black Sunday, as it is now known, Daniel briere and Chris Drury went to the Flyers and Rangers, respectively, easily the Sabers’ biggest rivals. There is definitely a question mark on the Sabers’ future now. But fans can rest assured that their team can play, and play well.
Previous Seasons
The drought that came along with Buffalo Sabres tickets over the last few seasons may be at an end. The Sabres, who finished in fifth place in the Northeast Division for the last three years, didn't plunge into the free agent market like most of the NHL so any improvement has to come from players already on the roster. If the Sabres can make the leap, the HSBC Center may be the scene of long lines for Buffalo Sabes tickets.
The Buffalo Sabres history begins with the city of Buffalo being awarded an NHL franchise in 1970 as part of an NHL expansion plan. The Sabres laid agood foundation for the future in their first year by choosing a well extablisged coach, Punch Imlach, and making a solid choice in their first draft pick, going with Gilbert Perreault as the #1 pick in the NHL draft. Perreault went on to lead the Sabres in scoring that year with 38 goals while Imlach guided the team to a competitive 24-39-15 record.
Year 2 for the Buffalo Sabres began well also. Buffalo used their draft choice to take Rick Martin. Martin and Perreault blended perfectly and the pair combined to give the Sabres a 74 point scoring spree over the course of the season. Combined with Rene Roberts, acquired late in the season from the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Sabres created a trio of quality players that soon became known as "The French Connection" because of their scoring prowess. The influence of Imlach continued with his ascension to GM as Imlach reached into the draft bag and pulled out defenseman Jim Schonfeld in 1972, and nabbed veteran Tim Horton to give the Sabres a formidable defense. Now loaded for bear, the Sabres broke through the playoff barrier.
That first trip to the playoffs in 1973 ended quickly as the Sabres were eliminated in their first playoff series by the Montreal Canadiens in 6 games but ignited hope in Buffalo for progress in the next season. Those hopes were dashed in 1973-74 by injuries to Perreault, goalie Roger Crozier, and the death of Tim Horton.
The Sabres rebounded from disappointment in 1974-75. The Sabres placed three players among the league leaders in scoring as Roberts, Perreault, and Martin tore up the NHL. Buffalo locked in a division title in the Adams Division and finished at 49-16-15. Advancing to the playoffs, the Sabres took the series against the Chicago Blackhawks in 5 games. 5 games later, after a series with the Montreal Canadiens, the Sabres advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals against the Phiadelphia Flyers, winners of the 1974 Stanley Cup. Although the Sabres would come back from two games down to even the series at 2-2, a heartbreaking loss eneded their championship hopes.
Can Buffalo Sabres ticket holders bank on the Stanley Cup Playoffs in the new season? Fans weren't happy when the Sabres stood pat on the roster and avoided the free agent frenzy that gripped the rest of the NHL. But with a good supply of talent on hand, the stability on the team may pay off in an NHL filled with transient talent. With Briere and Drury manning the center, and Hecht on the wing, Sabres ticket holders may be in for a pleasant surprise.
