BUFFALO - Goaltender Martin Biron remembers the uncertainty the most.
It was the winter of 2002-03 and the Buffalo Sabres didn't have an owner, were being run by the NHL on a shoestring budget and had filed for bankruptcy protection, raising distinct fears of the franchise folding or relocating.
The players' paychecks were coming from different banks, and some were arriving late. It was no better on the ice, where a patchwork squad won 10 of its first 40 games.
“It was rock bottom,” Biron recalled last week. “It couldn't get any worse than that.”
How much things have changed for a franchise that, three years ago on Friday, hit its low point by declaring bankruptcy. The Sabres are suddenly flourishing with new owner B. Thomas Golisano providing stability and the league's new salary-cap structure providing cost certainty.
From bankruptcy to buoyancy, the Sabres have emerged to rank among the NHL's best teams through the first half this season and, just as impressive, are projected to turn a profit this year even if they don't make the playoffs.
“Why not?” Biron said, when asked if he could've envisioned this type of turnaround in such a short time. “The people kept saying three years ago that we have a plan of where this team is going to go. ... Maybe some people didn't trust in the plan, but it really worked out.”
“It seems like a long time ago,” added defenseman Jay McKee. “To see where things have come in those three years does nothing but give you a good feeling.”
With a 27-13-3 record, the Sabres' 57 points prior to Saturday's game against Los Angeles rank them in a tie with the Rangers for fourth in the Eastern Conference and eighth in the league. That puts Buffalo in the hunt to secure its first postseason berth since 2001 - a three-season playoff drought that is the longest in the team's 36-year history.
The Sabres' strong start, which included an 18-2-2 run through Dec. 30, has proven the preseason prognosticators wrong, many of whom discounted Buffalo because of the team's young and relative no-name lineup.
Buffalo is winning despite not having anyone among the NHL's top 50 point producers - center Tim Connolly's team-leading 33 points (eight goals, 25 assists), ties him for 73rd. The team also has a modest payroll of about $30 million. Co-captain Chris Drury, with a $2.9 million salary, is the team's top-paid player.
And the Sabres are showing resilience, continuing to produce despite missing their two best offensive threats, Daniel Briere and J.P. Dumont, who both had surgery in the past month to repair sports hernias.
Sabres fans are beginning to take notice. The team has sold out nine of its first 23 home games and has an average attendance about 17,000. That figure is about 2,000 more than the team averaged last season and 3,300 more than 2002-03.
“I don't want to sound funny, but it doesn't surprise me,” Sabres managing partner Larry Quinn said of his team's turnaround. “I know on a national level it does seem like this huge surprise and, `How did they ever do this?' But really, it's just coming up with a logical plan.”
The plan began with Golisano purchasing the team in April 2003. The Rochester-based billionaire best known for financing his own gubernatorial campaigns is credited with giving the franchise a clear direction and identity.
Under Golisano, the team has made several significant improvements to HSBC Arena and raised its profile in the community with marketing and charitable campaigns. The owner signed off on the Sabres' plan to build and stick with its young core of players.
Bill Collins has noticed a big difference under Golisano. Collins, co-owner of a Buffalo public relations firm, is a longtime Sabres season-ticket holder and heads a business group that backs the Sabres.
“I never lost faith that the Sabres would not be around ... but we were so fortunate to have the right guy come along,” Collins said. “People are coming back and they're feeling good not only about the team on the ice, but they're feeling good about the franchise.”
Quinn understands the fans' initial reticence after dealing with bankruptcy, the NHL lockout that wiped out last year and after the Sabres were knocked last summer for not signing any high-profile free agents.
“Fans go to sports because it gives them hope about their community and their life,” Quinn said. “And when we're going through bankruptcies and last place and going nowhere, it's very debilitating. ... I think it took a while for them to have confidence. That's OK.”
The players' paychecks were coming from different banks, and some were arriving late. It was no better on the ice, where a patchwork squad won 10 of its first 40 games.
“It was rock bottom,” Biron recalled last week. “It couldn't get any worse than that.”
How much things have changed for a franchise that, three years ago on Friday, hit its low point by declaring bankruptcy. The Sabres are suddenly flourishing with new owner B. Thomas Golisano providing stability and the league's new salary-cap structure providing cost certainty.
From bankruptcy to buoyancy, the Sabres have emerged to rank among the NHL's best teams through the first half this season and, just as impressive, are projected to turn a profit this year even if they don't make the playoffs.
“Why not?” Biron said, when asked if he could've envisioned this type of turnaround in such a short time. “The people kept saying three years ago that we have a plan of where this team is going to go. ... Maybe some people didn't trust in the plan, but it really worked out.”
“It seems like a long time ago,” added defenseman Jay McKee. “To see where things have come in those three years does nothing but give you a good feeling.”
With a 27-13-3 record, the Sabres' 57 points prior to Saturday's game against Los Angeles rank them in a tie with the Rangers for fourth in the Eastern Conference and eighth in the league. That puts Buffalo in the hunt to secure its first postseason berth since 2001 - a three-season playoff drought that is the longest in the team's 36-year history.
The Sabres' strong start, which included an 18-2-2 run through Dec. 30, has proven the preseason prognosticators wrong, many of whom discounted Buffalo because of the team's young and relative no-name lineup.
Buffalo is winning despite not having anyone among the NHL's top 50 point producers - center Tim Connolly's team-leading 33 points (eight goals, 25 assists), ties him for 73rd. The team also has a modest payroll of about $30 million. Co-captain Chris Drury, with a $2.9 million salary, is the team's top-paid player.
And the Sabres are showing resilience, continuing to produce despite missing their two best offensive threats, Daniel Briere and J.P. Dumont, who both had surgery in the past month to repair sports hernias.
Sabres fans are beginning to take notice. The team has sold out nine of its first 23 home games and has an average attendance about 17,000. That figure is about 2,000 more than the team averaged last season and 3,300 more than 2002-03.
“I don't want to sound funny, but it doesn't surprise me,” Sabres managing partner Larry Quinn said of his team's turnaround. “I know on a national level it does seem like this huge surprise and, `How did they ever do this?' But really, it's just coming up with a logical plan.”
The plan began with Golisano purchasing the team in April 2003. The Rochester-based billionaire best known for financing his own gubernatorial campaigns is credited with giving the franchise a clear direction and identity.
Under Golisano, the team has made several significant improvements to HSBC Arena and raised its profile in the community with marketing and charitable campaigns. The owner signed off on the Sabres' plan to build and stick with its young core of players.
Bill Collins has noticed a big difference under Golisano. Collins, co-owner of a Buffalo public relations firm, is a longtime Sabres season-ticket holder and heads a business group that backs the Sabres.
“I never lost faith that the Sabres would not be around ... but we were so fortunate to have the right guy come along,” Collins said. “People are coming back and they're feeling good not only about the team on the ice, but they're feeling good about the franchise.”
Quinn understands the fans' initial reticence after dealing with bankruptcy, the NHL lockout that wiped out last year and after the Sabres were knocked last summer for not signing any high-profile free agents.
“Fans go to sports because it gives them hope about their community and their life,” Quinn said. “And when we're going through bankruptcies and last place and going nowhere, it's very debilitating. ... I think it took a while for them to have confidence. That's OK.”
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