1970–71 Buffalo Sabres season

The 1970–71 Buffalo Sabres season was the Sabres' first season in the National Hockey League.

1970–71 Buffalo Sabres
Division5th East
1970–71 record24–39–15
Home record16–13–10
Road record8–26–5
Goals for217
Goals against291
Team information
General managerPunch Imlach
CoachPunch Imlach
CaptainFloyd Smith
ArenaBuffalo Memorial Auditorium
Average attendance9,721
Team leaders
GoalsGilbert Perreault (38)
AssistsPhil Goyette (46)
PointsGilbert Perreault (72)
Penalty minutesTracy Pratt (179)
WinsJoe Daley (12)
Goals against averageDave Dryden (3.37)

The Sabres had the first pick in the 1970 NHL Amateur Draft, which they used to select Gilbert Perreault. Led by Perreault's NHL rookie record of 38 goals,[1] the Sabres would 24–39–15, ahead of the Vancouver Canucks and Detroit Red Wings in the Eastern Division. However, they finished 19 points behind the Toronto Maple Leafs in the division, and finished 19 points short of a playoff berth.

The Sabres played their home games in the Buffalo Memorial Auditorium. "The Aud" was previously home of the Buffalo Bisons AHL team. To make way for the Sabres the Bisons folded following the 1969–70 AHL season, which saw the Bisons win their fifth and final Calder Cup. For the Sabres first season played the Aud had an ice hockey seating capacity of only 12,280 for hockey. The arena would be renovated following the season to expand capacity.[2]

Offseason

The Buffalo Sabres, along with the Vancouver Canucks, joined the NHL in the 1970–71 season. The Sabres' first owners were Seymour and Northrup Knox, scions of a family long prominent in western New York. The team's name, selected through a fan contest,[3] was chosen because it was known as a weapon carried by leaders, and it is also swift and strong on offense as well as defense. The Knoxes had tried twice before to get an NHL team, first when the NHL expanded in 1967, and then unsuccessfully attempting to buy the Oakland Seals with the intent of moving them to Buffalo. At the time of their creation, the Buffalo Sabres exercised their option to create their own AHL farm team, the Cincinnati Swords. On June 9, 1970, the 1970 NHL Expansion Draft was held to fill the Sabres' and Canucks' rosters.

NHL draft

In 1970, two new franchises were awarded in the NHL — the Buffalo Sabres and the Vancouver Canucks. Sabres general manager/coach Punch Imlach chose his favorite number, number 11, for the roulette wheel spin to determine which franchise would have the first choice in the 1970 Entry Draft.[4] Ultimately, the Canucks were allocated numbers 1–10 on the wheel, while the Sabres had 11–20. When league president Clarence Campbell spun the wheel, he initially thought the pointer landed on 1. However, while Campbell was congratulating the Vancouver delegation, Imlach asked Campbell to check again. As it turned out, the pointer was on 11.[5] This was the first year that the Montreal Canadiens did not have a priority right to draft Québécois junior players. Consequently, Perreault was available and taken first overall by the Sabres.[6]

Round # Player Nationality College/Junior/Club Team
1 1 Gilbert Perreault  Canada Montreal Junior Canadiens (OHA)
2 15 Butch Deadmarsh  Canada Brandon Wheat Kings (WCHL)
3 29 Steve Cuddie  Canada Toronto Marlboros (OHA)
4 43 Randy Wyrozub  Canada Edmonton Oil Kings (WCHL)
5 57 Mike Morton  Canada Shawinigan Bruins (QMJHL)
6 71 Mike Keeler  Canada Niagara Falls Flyers (OHA)
7 84 Tim Regan  United States Boston University (ECAC)
8 97 Doug Rombough  Canada St. Catharines Black Hawks (OHA)
9 107 Luc Nadeau  Canada Drummondville Rangers (QMJHL)

Transactions

Date
Details
October 1, 1969 To St. Louis Blues
Roger Lafreniere
To Buffalo Sabres
Cash
December 9, 1969 To St. Louis Blues
George Morrison
To Buffalo Sabres
Cash
June 10, 1970 To New York Rangers
Cash
To Buffalo Sabres
Ted Hodgson
June 10, 1970 To Detroit Red Wings
Tom Webster
Buffalo Sabres
Roger Crozier
August 31, 1970 To Toronto Maple Leafs
Cash
To Buffalo Sabres
Floyd Smith
Brent Imlach
October 1, 1970 To St. Louis Blues
Gary Edwards on loan
To Buffalo Sabres
Cash
October 1, 1970 To California Golden Seals
Howie Menard
To Buffalo Sabres
Cash
October 2, 1970 To St. Louis Blues
Craig Cameron
To Buffalo Sabres
Ron Anderson
October 9, 1970 To Pittsburgh Penguins
Cash
To Buffalo Sabres
Dave Dryden
October 19, 1970 To St. Louis Blues
Bill Sutherland
Buffalo Sabres
Cash
November 4, 1970 To St. Louis Blues
Bob Baun
To Buffalo Sabres
Larry Keenan
Jean-Guy Talbot
November 24, 1970 To Los Angeles Kings
Mike McMahon Jr.
7th-round pick in 1971 (Pete Harasym)
8th-round pick in 1971 (Lorne Stamler)
To Buffalo Sabres
Dick Duff
Eddie Shack
January 24, 1971 To Pittsburgh Penguins
Jean-Guy Lagace
To Buffalo Sabres
Terry Ball

Free Agency

September 1970 Signed
Murray Kuntz
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