History of Buffalo Sabres in Timeline

The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team founded in 1970 and based in Buffalo, New York. They compete in the NHL's Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. The Sabres have played at KeyBank Center since 1996, after playing at the Buffalo Memorial Auditorium since their establishment. Terry Pegula has owned the Sabres since acquiring the team in 2011 from Tom Golisano.

1928: Another Bisons Hockey Team Played

From 1928 to 1936, another Bisons hockey team played before the Buffalo Bisons.

1936: Another Bisons Hockey Team Played

From 1928 to 1936, another Bisons hockey team played before the Buffalo Bisons.

1940: Buffalo Bisons' Existence

Since 1940, the Buffalo Bisons were a pillar of the American Hockey League (AHL).

1962: Dominik Hasek Winning Trophies

In 1996–97, Dominik Hasek won both the Hart and Vezina Trophies (the first goaltender to do so since Montreal's Jacques Plante in 1962).

1967: First Attempt to Get an NHL Team

In 1967, the Knoxes tried twice before to get an NHL team, first when the NHL expanded.

1970: Team Established

In 1970, the Buffalo Sabres were established along with the Vancouver Canucks, as the NHL expanded to 14 teams.

1970: Joined NHL

In 1970, the Buffalo Sabres, along with the Vancouver Canucks, joined the NHL in the 1970–71 season.

1970: Drafted Gilbert Perreault

In 1970, the Sabres drafted Gilbert Perreault.

1970: Debut Coincided with AFL-NFL Merger

The Sabres' debut in 1970 also coincided with the AFL–NFL merger in which the Buffalo Bills joined the National Football League, and the National Basketball Association's Buffalo Braves also began to play.

1971: Rick Martin Drafted

In 1971, rookie Rick Martin was drafted fifth overall by Buffalo.

1972: Made Playoffs for First Time

In 1972–73, the Sabres made the playoffs for the first time.

1973: Missed Playoffs

After the 1973–74 season, the Sabres missed the playoffs.

1974: Tied Franchise Record for Points

In 1974, The Buffalo Sabres tied the 1974–75 team's franchise record for points in a season.

1974: Drafted Fictitious Player

In 1974, the Sabres drafted a fictitious Japanese player named Taro Tsujimoto.

May 1975: Stanley Cup Final and "Fog Game"

In May 1975, the Sabres advanced to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in team history to play against the Philadelphia Flyers, including the Fog Game. During the game, Jim Lorentz killed a bat.

1975: Lost in Quarterfinals

Although Danny Gare scored 50 goals in the 1975–76 season, the team lost in the quarterfinals to the New York Islanders.

1975: Stanley Cup Final Appearance

In 1975, the Buffalo Sabres advanced to the Stanley Cup Final, but lost to the Philadelphia Flyers.

1976: Braves Owner Forced to Sell Team

In 1976, Paul Snyder, the Braves owner, was forced to sell his team.

1978: Logo added to uniforms

In 1978, the primary logo of the Buffalo Sabres was added to the shoulders of their uniforms.

1979: Second-Best Point Total

In 1979, the Buffalo Sabres tied the 1979-80 club for the second-best point total in franchise history.

1979: Wales Conference Championship

In 1979–80, the Sabres won the Wales Conference championship.

1981: Martin Traded

In 1981, Rick Martin was traded to the Los Angeles Kings.

1981: NHL Realignment

In 1981–82, the NHL realigned its conferences and adopted an intra-divisional playoff format for the first two rounds.

1983: First-Round Victory Over Montreal

In 1983, the Sabres had a first-round victory over Montreal.

1985: Missed Playoffs

The Sabres missed the playoffs in 1985–86.

1986: Missed Playoffs and Perrault Reached 500-Goal Mark

In 1985–86 season, Perrault reached the 500-goal mark and the Sabres missed the playoffs in 1986–87.

1987: Drafted Pierre Turgeon

In 1987, the Sabres drafted Pierre Turgeon with the first pick in the 1987 NHL entry draft.

1987: Last time since 1987

In 1987, was the last time Sabres won the draft lottery before 2018

1989: Alexander Mogilny Defected

In 1989, Alexander Mogilny became the first Soviet player to defect to the NHL with the help of Sabres officials.

1991: Empire Sports Network on the Air

In 1991, Empire Sports Network, which had been on the air since 1991, ceased operations.

1991: Traded Turgeon

In 1991, the Sabres traded Pierre Turgeon to the New York Islanders.

1992: Dominik Hasek Joined Team

In 1992–93, goaltender Dominik Hasek joined the team in a trade from the Chicago Blackhawks.

1993: Second Team to Open with a Ten-Game Winning Streak

In 1993, The Buffalo Sabres became just the second team in NHL history, after the 1993–94 Toronto Maple Leafs, to open a season with a ten-game winning streak.

1993: First-Round Victory Over Boston

In 1993, the Sabres had a first-round victory over Boston.

1993: Faced New Jersey Devils in Playoffs

In 1993–94, with the NHL adopting a conference playoff format, the Sabres faced the New Jersey Devils in the Eastern Conference playoffs' first round.

1993: Upset Bruins and Swept by Canadiens

In the 1993 playoffs, the Sabres upset the Bruins in a four-game sweep in the Adams Division semifinals, but were then swept by the Montreal Canadiens.

1994: Playoff Loss to Flyers

In the lockout-shortened 1994–95 season, the Sabres had another first-round playoff loss to the Philadelphia Flyers.

1995: Missed Playoffs

In 1995–96, the Sabres finished fifth in the Northeast Division and missed the playoffs for the first time in nine years.

April 14, 1996: Final Game in Memorial Auditorium

On April 14, 1996, the final game in Memorial Auditorium was played, a 4–1 victory over the Hartford Whalers.

May 22, 1996: Death of Seymour Knox

On May 22, 1996, Sabres principal owner Seymour Knox died.

1996: Move to KeyBank Center

In 1996, the Buffalo Sabres moved to KeyBank Center, after having played at the Buffalo Memorial Auditorium since their inception.

1996: Logo and color change

In 1996, upon moving to what is now KeyBank Center, the Sabres changed their logo and colors, replacing blue and gold with red, black, and silver.

1996: Won Division Title

In 1996–97, the Sabres won their first division title in 16 years.

July 21, 1997: Lindy Ruff Hired as Head Coach

On July 21, 1997, Lindy Ruff was hired as head coach, agreeing to a three-year contract.

December 1997: Near Miss of Payroll

In December 1997, the Sabres nearly missed payroll.

1999: Conference Finals Appearance

In 1999, The Buffalo Sabres advanced to play Carolina in their first conference finals.

1999: Acquisition of Doug Gilmour

In 1999, the Buffalo Sabres acquired Doug Gilmour from the Chicago Blackhawks at the trade deadline.

1999: Stanley Cup Final Appearance and Controversial Goal

In 1999, the Buffalo Sabres reached the Stanley Cup Final against the Dallas Stars, who won the Presidents' Trophy. A controversial triple-overtime goal by Brett Hull in game six secured the Cup for the Stars. The legality of the goal was questioned due to Hull's skate being in the crease before the puck, sparking debate and a rule change for the following season.

2000: Playoff Victory and Loss

In 2000, The Buffalo Sabres defeated the Philadelphia Flyers in six games during the first round of the playoffs, winning the final game 8-0. However, in the second round, they faced the Pittsburgh Penguins and lost in seven games due to an overtime goal by Darius Kasparaitis.

2000: First third jersey created

In 2000, the Buffalo Sabres created their first third jersey, featuring Sabre red, black and silver stripes and a logo with two sabers crossing each other.

June 2001: Michael Peca Trade

In June 2001, after a contract dispute that caused him to sit out the 2000-01 season, Captain Michael Peca was traded by the Buffalo Sabres to the New York Islanders for Tim Connolly and Taylor Pyatt.

October 7, 2001: Modified jersey worn as tribute

On October 7, 2001, the Sabres wore a modified version of their white jerseys in a road game against the New York Rangers, replacing the "bison head" with the "NEW YORK" diagonal wordmark as a tribute to the state of New York after the September 11 attacks.

May 2002: Rigas Indictment

In May 2002, John Rigas and his sons were indicted for bank, wire, and securities fraud for embezzling over $2 billion from Adelphia. The NHL subsequently took control of the Buffalo Sabres, though the Rigas family remained owners on paper.

2002: NHL Takes Control of the Team

In 2002, The NHL took control of the Buffalo Sabres, though the Rigas family remained owners on paper.

March 2003: Sabres Begin Rebuilding Process

In March 2003, with the consultation of impending new ownership, the Buffalo Sabres began their rebuilding process by trading veteran players, including Rob Ray to the Ottawa Senators, Stu Barnes to the Dallas Stars, and Chris Gratton to the Phoenix Coyotes.

March 19, 2003: Tom Golisano Introduced as Team Owner

On March 19, 2003, Tom Golisano was introduced as the new owner of the Buffalo Sabres, leading a consortium that purchased the team after a period of uncertainty following the Adelphia scandal.

2003: Penguins all-time NHL losing streak

In 2003, the Pittsburgh Penguins' all-time NHL losing streak, tied by the Sabres in 2021.

2004: Sabres Fail to Make Playoffs

During the 2003-04 season, although the Buffalo Sabres improved their performance, they did not qualify for the playoffs.

2005: Dallas Stars Win Consecutive Games Trailing

In 2005, Dallas Stars won consecutive games when trailing by three or more goals.

2005: Playoff Berth

In 2005, the Buffalo Sabres finished with their best record in over 20 years and clinched their first playoff berth since the 2000-01 season.

2005: Empire Sports Network Ceases Operations, MSG Takes Over Sabres Telecasts

In 2005, the Buffalo Sabres lost their main cable television broadcaster when the Empire Sports Network, which had been on the air since 1991 and owned by Adelphia, ceased operations. Madison Square Garden Network (MSG) took over the rights to broadcast Sabres games to television viewers in western New York for the 2005-06 campaign.

June 22, 2006: Lindy Ruff Wins Jack Adams Award

On June 22, 2006, Lindy Ruff of the Buffalo Sabres won the Jack Adams Award as the NHL's coach of the year, edging out Peter Laviolette in the closest vote in the award's history.

September 16, 2006: New jerseys unveiled

On September 16, 2006, the Sabres unveiled new home and away jerseys featuring midnight blue, maize (gold), silver, and white colors. The new logo, a stylized bison, was widely criticized and nicknamed "Buffaslug".

November 13, 2006: NHL Record for Consecutive Road Wins

On November 13, 2006, the Buffalo Sabres set a new NHL record for consecutive road wins to start a season (eight), which was extended to ten games after a 7–4 win over the Carolina Hurricanes, tying the team record for consecutive road wins.

2006: First time since 2006-07 season

In 2006, Sabres became the first team to win 10 games in a row for the first time since the 2006–07 season and tied the franchise record on November 27, 2018.

2006: Playoff Berth and Division Title

In 2006, on March 27th, the Buffalo Sabres clinched their first playoff berth since the 2006-07 season with a 7-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning. On April 6, they secured the Northeast Division title with a 5-2 win against the New York Rangers.

April 9, 2007: Sabres Ranked First in North America by ESPN

On April 9, 2007, ESPN the Magazine ranked the Buffalo Sabres first out of 122 major professional sports franchises in North America due to their player accessibility, low ticket prices, and exciting brand of hockey.

July 1, 2007: Loss of Co-Captains

On July 1, 2007, the Buffalo Sabres lost both co-captains, Daniel Briere and Chris Drury, as free agents. They also matched an offer sheet for Thomas Vanek.

October 2007: Harry Neale Replaces Jim Lorentz

In October 2007, Harry Neale replaced Jim Lorentz as the broadcast color commentator for the Buffalo Sabres.

2007: Sabres Win Presidents' Trophy

In 2007, the Buffalo Sabres won the Presidents' Trophy for the first time in franchise history and reached the conference finals.

January 1, 2008: 2008 Winter Classic

On January 1, 2008, the Buffalo Sabres hosted the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2008 Winter Classic, played outdoors at Ralph Wilson Stadium. The Sabres lost 2–1 in a shootout.

October 8, 2008: Craig Rivet Named Team Captain

On October 8, 2008, defenseman Craig Rivet was named team captain of the Buffalo Sabres, marking the first single full-time captain since Stu Barnes from 2001 to 2003.

2008: Tyler Ennis NHL Debut

In 2008, Tyler Ennis, who was selected 26th in the 2008 draft, made his NHL debut.

2008: Affiliation with Portland Pirates and Player Contracts

In 2008, the Buffalo Sabres announced their new AHL affiliate would be the Portland Pirates, ending their 29-year affiliation with the Rochester Americans. Craig Rivet was acquired from the San Jose Sharks, and contracts were extended for Ryan Miller and Jason Pominville.

October 20, 2009: Daniel Paille Traded to Boston Bruins

On October 20, 2009, after playing only two games with the Buffalo Sabres that season, Daniel Paille was traded to the Boston Bruins for draft picks, marking the first trade of a player under contract between the two division rivals in their 39 years in the NHL.

2009: Trade Deadline and Captain Announcement

In 2009, during the trade deadline, the Buffalo Sabres signed Tim Connolly to an extension and acquired Mikael Tellqvist. Craig Rivet was named team captain in October 2008, and Dominic Moore came from the Toronto Maple Leafs during the 2009 draft.

September 18, 2010: Third jersey becomes primary home jersey

On September 18, 2010, the third jersey became the primary home jersey for the Buffalo Sabres, featuring a modern version of the classic 1970-1996 logo.

November 30, 2010: Terry Pegula interest in purchasing the Sabres reported

On November 30, 2010, it was reported that Terry Pegula had signed a letter of intent to purchase the Sabres for US$150 million. Larry Quinn initially denied the report.

2010: Acquisition of Mikael Tellqvist

In 2010, Mikael Tellqvist from the Phoenix Coyotes was acquired for a fourth-round pick in the 2010 draft.

2010: Sabres Season

In 2010, around the trade deadline, the team attempted to trade Craig Rivet but was unsuccessful initially, however, Rivet was eventually claimed by the Columbus Blue Jackets.

2010: Roster Changes for 2010-11 Season

In 2010, the Buffalo Sabres waived Tim Kennedy and allowed Henrik Tallinder and Toni Lydman to leave as free agents, while signing Jordan Leopold, Shaone Morrisonn, and Rob Niedermayer.

January 29, 2011: Agreement reached to sell the team to Pegula

On January 29, 2011, Terry Pegula and Golisano reached an agreement to sell the Buffalo Sabres, with Pegula purchasing the team for $189 million ($175 million with $14 million in debt included).

February 3, 2011: Official announcement of Pegula's purchase of the Sabres

On February 3, 2011, the Sabres and Golisano officially announced Pegula's purchase of the team at a press conference.

2011: Terry Pegula Purchase

In 2011, Terry Pegula purchased the Buffalo Sabres from Tom Golisano.

2011: Sabres participate in 2011 NHL Premiere series

In 2011, the Sabres began the 2011-12 season as part of the 2011 NHL Premiere series, playing games in Finland and Germany for the first time. Jason Pominville was named the Sabres' 13th full-time captain.

2012: 2012-13 NHL Lockout

In 2012, the NHL lockout eliminated the first part of the 2012-13 season, which ultimately began with a scheduled 48 games.

2012: Jersey Numbers Retired and Statue Erection

In 2012, the jersey numbers of the French Connection players were retired and a statue was erected in their honor at KeyBank Center.

February 20, 2013: Lindy Ruff's contract terminated

On February 20, 2013, after a 6-10-1 start to the season, Lindy Ruff's contract was terminated by general manager Darcy Regier, ending 16 seasons as head coach. Ron Rolston replaced Ruff.

November 13, 2013: Regier and Rolston dismissed

On November 13, 2013, the Sabres dismissed general manager Darcy Regier and head coach Ron Rolston. Ted Nolan was named interim head coach, and Pat LaFontaine was named president of hockey operations.

2013: New third jersey released

In 2013, the Sabres released a new third jersey, featuring a gold front and navy back design. The uniform was retired after two seasons.

January 9, 2014: Tim Murray named general manager

On January 9, 2014, Tim Murray was named general manager of the Sabres.

February 28, 2014: Ryan Miller and Steve Ott traded

On February 28, 2014, the Sabres traded Ryan Miller and Steve Ott to the St. Louis Blues for Jaroslav Halak, Chris Stewart, William Carrier, and two draft picks.

March 1, 2014: LaFontaine resigns as president of hockey operations

On March 1, 2014, Pat LaFontaine resigned from the Sabres to return to his previous position with the NHL.

2014: Pegulas purchased Buffalo Bills

In 2014, Pegulas purchased the Buffalo Bills separately.

2014: Trades

In 2014, the Sabres traded Robyn Regehr to the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for two second-round draft choices (one in 2014 and the other in 2015).

2014: Drafting of Sam Reinhart

In 2014, the drafting of Sam Reinhart resulted in an improved season in 2015-16.

March 26, 2015: Sabres fans cheer Coyotes goal

On March 26, 2015, during a Sabres' 4-3 overtime loss to the Arizona Coyotes, spectators, ostensibly Sabres fans, cheered after a game-winning goal by Coyotes center Sam Gagner.

May 28, 2015: Dan Bylsma hired as head coach

On May 28, 2015, Dan Bylsma was hired as the 17th head coach in franchise history.

2015: Trades

In 2015, the Sabres traded Robyn Regehr to the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for two second-round draft choices (one in 2014 and the other in 2015).

2016: Release of John Rigas

In 2016, John Rigas was released after serving eight years of a 15-year sentence for bank, wire and securities fraud.

2016: Spin-off of Television Broadcasts

In mid-2016, the team announced that its television broadcasts would be spun off to their own regional sports network, MSG Western New York.

April 20, 2017: Bylsma and Murray fired

On April 20, 2017, head coach Dan Bylsma and general manager Tim Murray were fired after the Sabres missed the playoffs for the sixth consecutive season.

2017: MSG agreement extension

In 2017, MSG's agreement for the rights to broadcast Sabres games to television viewers in western New York was extended.

2017: Hiring of Botterill and Housley; Pominville returns

In 2017, the Sabres hired Jason Botterill as general manager and Phil Housley as head coach. Jason Pominville returned to the team in a trade.

2017: Sabres participate in the 2018 Winter Classic

In 2017, the Sabres participated in the 2018 Winter Classic, losing 3-2 in overtime to the New York Rangers.

November 27, 2018: Sabres lead the league

On November 27, 2018, the Sabres became the first team in NHL history to lead the league in points after the first 25 games of the season after finishing last in the league the previous season.

2018: Winter Classic uniforms

During the 2018 Winter Classic, the Sabres wore white uniforms with the classic blue and gold shade, but with a different striping scheme from the original uniforms.

2018: Sabres win draft lottery

In 2018, the Sabres finished in last place in the NHL and won the draft lottery, selecting Rasmus Dahlin.

March 21, 2019: Sabres to play in 2019 NHL Global Series

On March 21, 2019, it was announced that the Sabres would play the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2019 NHL Global Series in Stockholm, Sweden.

May 2019: Ralph Krueger named head coach

In May 2019, Ralph Krueger was named the Sabres head coach.

November 9, 2019: Sabres play in Global Series

On November 9, 2019, the Lightning defeated the Sabres 5-3 in the Global Series.

2019: Final season of navy and gold look

The 2019-20 season marked the final season of the navy and gold look, as the Sabres announced the return to royal blue uniforms for the following season.

June 16, 2020: Botterill fired, Adams hired

On June 16, 2020, Jason Botterill was fired and replaced by Kevyn Adams.

August 11, 2020: Uniforms unveiled for upcoming season

On August 11, 2020, the Buffalo Sabres unveiled the uniforms for the upcoming season, similar to those worn in the franchise's early days. Jersey numbers are no longer displayed on the front.

2020: The Sabres finished last

In the 2020–21 season, the Sabres finished last.

March 17, 2021: Ralph Krueger fired

On March 17, 2021, head coach Ralph Krueger was fired and Don Granato was named interim head coach.

March 29, 2021: Sabres tie NHL losing streak record

On March 29, 2021, the Sabres tied the Pittsburgh Penguins' all-time NHL losing streak of 18 games after losing to the Philadelphia Flyers in overtime.

November 2021: Team dog added

In November 2021, the Sabres added an official team dog, named Rick, a Newfoundland puppy trained as a service animal.

2021: Doug Allen resigns

In 2021, Doug Allen resigned as the singer of the Canadian and U.S. national anthems at Sabres home games due to his refusal to take a COVID-19 vaccine.

2021: Sabres win draft lottery

In 2021, with their last-place finish in the 2020-21 season, the Sabres won the draft lottery and selected Owen Power with the first overall pick.

2021: Rich Gaenzler fired

Rich Gaenzler was fired as the in-game host in 2021 over an unrelated dispute.

August 31, 2022: Black uniform becomes third jersey

On August 31, 2022, the Sabres announced that their black uniform used from 1995 to 2006 would become their new third jersey. This same uniform also became the basis of their second "Reverse Retro" uniform.

2022: Heritage Classic uniforms

For the 2022 Heritage Classic, the Buffalo Sabres wore a variation of their classic uniforms, but without the blue shoulder yoke and with a cream base.

August 17, 2023: Death of Rick Jeanneret

On August 17, 2023, Rick Jeanneret died, leaving behind a significant legacy with the Sabres.

2023: Los Angeles Kings Beat Sabres Record

In 2023, The Buffalo Sabres record for consecutive road wins to start a season was beaten by the 2023–24 Los Angeles Kings.

2023: Sabres finish near playoffs

In 2023, The Sacramento Kings clinched a spot in the NBA playoffs, leaving both the New York Jets and the Buffalo Sabres with the longest active postseason drought among major professional leagues, with twelve seasons.

2023: Vegas Golden Knights win Stanley Cup with Eichel

In 2023, the Vegas Golden Knights won the Stanley Cup with Eichel.

2023: Affiliation with Jacksonville Icemen

Starting with the 2023-24 season, the Jacksonville Icemen became the Sabres' ECHL affiliate.

April 16, 2024: Head Coach Granato fired

On April 16, 2024, head coach Granato was fired one day after playing the final game of the season. This marked the seventh coaching change since the Sabres' playoff drought began.