2009 Buffalo Sabres

The Buffalo Sabres were cruising towards a playoff berth when injuries to key players Ryan Miller and Thomas Vanek derailed their dreams, and they ended the 2008-09 season in 3rd place in the Northeast Division. Confident that they have what it takes to make it to the playoffs, as long as their players stay healthy, the team didn’t make many offseason moves, though they did add defenseman Steve Montador and winger Mike Grier. Both Montador and Grier are veterans, and the Sabres are hoping that these seasoned pros can teach the younger players a thing or two. Buffalo fans are counting on a return to the playoffs this season, so expect HSBC Arena to be packed. Get your tickets now and get ready to watch the Sabres have a winning 2009-10 season!

The Buffalo Sabres were part of an NHL expansion for the 1970-71 season. By 1974-75, the team had the best record in the NHL and went to the Stanley Cup finals, where they lost to Philadelphia. This series included the famous Fog Game, played in a Buffalo heat wave that produced fog over the ice and made the game virtually invisible to the fans. The Sabres returned to the Stanley Cup finals in 1999, losing to Dallas in six games on a disputed goal by Brett Hull in triple overtime.

Playing in the HSBC Arena in downtown Buffalo, the Sabres look to build on more than 30 years of successful hockey. Buffalo is the main sports city in western New York. The Buffalo Bisons (Coca-Cola Field), a minor league baseball team that traditionally draws a million fans (and outdraws certain Major League teams), keeps people busy in the summer months. Yet for others, it isn't until the fall, when the Sabres and the Bills (at Ralph Wilson Stadium) begin to play that sports really return to western New York.