Buffalo Sabres: A Franchise Revived (NHL 08)

[TehJester]

Dynasty Team: Buffalo Sabres
AHL Affiliate team: Rochester Americans
Arena: HSBC Arena, Buffalo New York
Period Length: 5 minutes
Difficulty: All-star (Plan on jumping to Superstar once I get a better feel)
Sliders: Default
Console: Xbox 360
Rules: NHL
Salary Cap: On

• Cap limit: 50,300,000
• Cap Minimum: 34,300,000

*** --- PLEASE Do NOT post until I say so --- ***

[TehJester]

Re: Buffalo Sabres: A Franchise Revived (NHL 08)

2002-03 and the 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. 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. He brought Larry Quinn back to the team and appointed him as the team's managing partner.

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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 tricks against the Washington Capitals at home. The Sabres won a sound 7-1.

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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.

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2005-06
‘Surprise Surprise’

Main article: 2005-06 Buffalo Sabres season

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 52 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[1]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 (Jay McKee, 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 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. 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.

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2006-07
‘Back to the blue and gold’

Main article: 2006-07 Buffalo Sabres season

On September 16, the Sabres unveiled new home and away jerseys featuring navy blue, yellow (gold), white, and silver 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, 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."[3]

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, J.P. 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 overtime 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. 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. Over 100 penalty minutes were distributed and Sabres coach Lindy 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 weeks later.
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 President's 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.[4] 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.

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2007-08 Off-season
‘Utter Shock..’

Main article: 2007-08 Buffalo Sabres season

As of July 2007 the Sabres have lost both of their co-captains, Daniel Briere (who went to the Philadelphia Flyers) and Chris Drury (who went to the New York Rangers). They also lost short time player Danius Zubrus, who ended up on the New Jersey Devils. Fan reaction has been nothing short of outrage, with many fans calling for the immediate firing of managing partner Larry Quinn.[citation needed] The Sabres managed to ink deals with Andrew Peters, Michael Ryan and goaltender Jocelyn Thibault to back up goalie Ryan Miller. On July 6th, the Buffalo Sabres matched the Edmonton Oilers 7 year $50 Million offer to keep star Thomas Vanek.
Ryan Miller says "It's a hard time for a lot of guys, but [Drury and Briere] better hope they didn't teach us too much because they're going to have to contend against us. Leadership is changing hands on our team, but the attitude still will be there. I'm going to make sure to the best of my abilities to keep them in our rear-view mirror."

** Source and credit to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffalo_Sabres **

[TehJester]

Re: Buffalo Sabres: A Franchise Revived (NHL 08)

NHL Stanley Cup History

[COLOR=black][B]2006-07 - Anaheim Ducks[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]2005-06 - Carolina Hurricanes[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]2003-04 - Tampa Bay Lightning[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]2002-03 - New Jersey Devils[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]2001-02 - Detroit Red Wings[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]2000-01 - Colorado Avalanche[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1999-2000 - New Jersey Devils[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1998-99 - Dallas Stars[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1997-98 - Detroit Red Wings[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1996-97 - Detroit Red Wings[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1995-96 - Colorado Avalanche[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1994-95 - New Jersey Devils[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1993-94 - New York Rangers[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1992-93 - Montreal Canadiens[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1991-92 - Pittsburgh Penguins[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1990-91 - Pittsburgh Penguins[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1989-90 - Edmonton Oilers[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1988-89 - Calgary Flames[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1987-88 - Edmonton Oilers[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1986-87 - Edmonton Oilers[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1985-86 - Montreal Canadiens[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1984-85 - Edmonton Oilers[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1983-84 - Edmonton Oilers[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1982-83 - New York Islanders[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1981-82 - New York Islanders[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1980-81 - New York Islanders[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1979-80 - New York Islanders[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1978-79 - Montreal Canadiens[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1977-78 - Montreal Canadiens[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1976-77 - Montreal Canadiens[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1975-76 - Montreal Canadiens[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1974-75 - Philadelphia Flyers[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1973-74 - Philadelphia Flyers[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1972-73 - Montreal Canadiens[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1971-72 - Boston Bruins[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1970-71 - Montreal Canadiens[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1969-70 - Boston Bruins[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1968-69 - Montreal Canadiens[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1967-68 - Montreal Canadiens[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1966-67 - Toronto Maple Leafs[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1965-66 - Montreal Canadiens[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1964-65 - Montreal Canadiens[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1963-64 - Toronto Maple Leafs[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1962-63 - Toronto Maple Leafs[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1961-62 - Toronto Maple Leafs[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1960-61 - Chicago Blackhawks[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1959-60 - Montreal Canadiens[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1958-59 - Montreal Canadiens[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1957-58 - Montreal Canadiens[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1956-57 - Montreal Canadiens[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1955-56 - Montreal Canadiens[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1954-55 - Detroit Red Wings[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1953-54 - Detroit Red Wings[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1952-53 - Montreal Canadiens[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1951-52 - [/B][/COLOR][COLOR=black][B]Detroit Red Wings[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1950-51 - [/B][/COLOR][COLOR=black][B]Toronto Maple Leafs[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1949-50 - [/B][/COLOR][COLOR=black][B]Detroit Red Wings[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1948-49 - [/B][/COLOR][COLOR=black][B]Toronto Maple Leafs[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1947-48 - [/B][/COLOR][COLOR=black][B]Toronto Maple Leafs[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1946-47 - [/B][/COLOR][COLOR=black][B]Toronto Maple Leafs[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1945-46 - [/B][/COLOR][COLOR=black][B]Montreal Canadiens[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1944-45 - [/B][/COLOR][COLOR=black][B]Toronto Maple Leafs[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1943-44 - [/B][/COLOR][COLOR=black][B]Montreal Canadiens[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1942-43 - [/B][/COLOR][COLOR=black][B]Detroit Red Wings[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1941-42 - [/B][/COLOR][COLOR=black][B]Toronto Maple Leafs[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1940-41 - [/B][/COLOR][COLOR=black][B]Boston Bruins[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1939-40 - [/B][/COLOR][COLOR=black][B]New York Rangers[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1938-39 - [/B][/COLOR][COLOR=black][B]Boston Bruins[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1937-38 - [/B][/COLOR][COLOR=black][B]Chicago Blackhawks[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1936-37 - [/B][/COLOR][COLOR=black][B]Detroit Red Wings[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1935-36 - [/B][/COLOR][COLOR=black][B]Detroit Red Wings[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1934-35 - [/B][/COLOR][COLOR=black][B]Montreal Maroons[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1933-34 - [/B][/COLOR][COLOR=black][B]Chicago Blackhawks[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1932-33 - [/B][/COLOR][COLOR=black][B]New York Rangers[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1931-32 - [/B][/COLOR][COLOR=black][B]Toronto Maple Leafs[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1930-31 - [/B][/COLOR][COLOR=black][B]Montreal Canadiens[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1929-30 - [/B][/COLOR][COLOR=black][B]Montreal Canadiens[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1928-29 - [/B][/COLOR][COLOR=black][B]Boston Bruins[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1927-28 - [/B][/COLOR][COLOR=black][B]New York Rangers[/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][B]1926-27 - [/B][/COLOR][COLOR=black][B]Ottawa Senators[/B][/COLOR]
[I][SIZE=1][COLOR=black][B]*The NHL assumed control of Stanley Cup competition after 1926*[/B][/COLOR][/SIZE][/I]

[TehJester]

Re: Buffalo Sabres: A Franchise Revived (NHL 08)

You may post now, Thanks.

[TehJester]

Re: Buffalo Sabres: A Franchise Revived (NHL 08)

[bad_philanthropy]

Re: Buffalo Sabres: A Franchise Revived (NHL 08)

Are you planning on playing any games with Rochester as well? Good start so far. Sabres sure lost a lot of scoring punch in the forward unit.

[TehJester]

Re: Buffalo Sabres: A Franchise Revived (NHL 08)

Are you planning on playing any games with Rochester as well? Good start so far. Sabres sure lost a lot of scoring punch in the forward unit.

I will play some of the Rochester American games. It'll help me get a feel for the players down there and if I feel they could hold a spot on my Sabres club.

[doncoryell]

Re: Buffalo Sabres: A Franchise Revived (NHL 08)

I remember the good old days of this team when they had the "French Connection".

Good luck with the Sabres.

For those who don't remember, or are too young and they are before your time, the "French Connection" was their all-time greatest scoring line consisting of Perrault, Robert and Martin.

[TehJester]

Re: Buffalo Sabres: A Franchise Revived (NHL 08)

I remember the good old days of this team when they had the "French Connection".

Good luck with the Sabres.

For those who don't remember, or are too young and they are before your time, the "French Connection" was their all-time greatest scoring line consisting of Perrault, Robert and Martin.

Yeah I have a picture of the French connection and a Perrault card in a frame on my wall. Thanks for the good comments too!

[TehJester]

Re: Buffalo Sabres: A Franchise Revived (NHL 08)

I'd also like to introduce myself a little bit. I'm fairly new on OS and so far I've loved these forums. I'm pretty much a sports gamer with the occasional RTS computer game I like to play (Starcraft, Warcraft III).

I hope enough people follow this and leave me some suggestions or questions, don't be shy I will try my best to answer any questions you have. For example if you wanted to know how good or what your favorite NHL/AHL team is doing then feel free to ask.

[TehJester]

Re: Buffalo Sabres: A Franchise Revived (NHL 08)

[TehJester]

Re: Buffalo Sabres: A Franchise Revived (NHL 08)

[doncoryell]

Re: Buffalo Sabres: A Franchise Revived (NHL 08)

Yeah I have a picture of the French connection and a Perrault card in a frame on my wall. Thanks for the good comments too!

I am a Canadians fan myself.

I have the first edition of Strat-O-Matic Pro Hockey. The game contains players from Mike Bossy's rookie season. I consider it a "Hall of Fame" edition because there are many players from that season that are now in the Hall of Fame. (Perrault, Gilbert, Bossy, Clarke, Dryden, LaFleur, both Phil & Tony Esposito, etc.)