1970–71 Buffalo Sabres season

The 1970–71 NHL season was the first season of the Buffalo Sabres in the National Hockey League (NHL).

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, 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.

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, 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. 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. 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.

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

Transactions Date October 1, 1969 To St. Louis Blues Roger Lafreniere To Buffalo Sabres Cash December 9, 1969 To St. Louis BluesGeorge Morrison To Buffalo SabresCash June 10, 1970 To New York RangersCash To Buffalo SabresTed Hodgson June 10, 1970 To Detroit Red WingsTom Webster Buffalo SabresRoger Crozier August 31, 1970 To Toronto Maple LeafsCash To Buffalo SabresFloyd SmithBrent Imlach October 1, 1970 To St. Louis BluesGary Edwards on loan To Buffalo SabresCash October 1, 1970 To California Golden SealsHowie Menard To Buffalo SabresCash October 2, 1970 To St. Louis BluesCraig Cameron To Buffalo SabresRon Anderson October 9, 1970 To Pittsburgh PenguinsCash To Buffalo SabresDave Dryden October 19, 1970 To St. Louis BluesBill Sutherland Buffalo SabresCash November 4, 1970 To St. Louis BluesBob Baun To Buffalo SabresLarry KeenanJean-Guy Talbot November 24, 1970 To Los Angeles KingsMike McMahon Jr.7th-round pick in 1971 (Pete Harasym)8th-round pick in 1971 (Lorne Stamler) To Buffalo SabresDick DuffEddie Shack January 24, 1971 To Pittsburgh PenguinsJean-Guy Lagace To Buffalo SabresTerry Ball

Free Agency September 1970SignedMurray Kuntz

Claimed via Waivers Player Former team Date claimed off waivers Steve Atkinson St. Louis Blues November 1, 1970 Bob Baun Detroit Red Wings November 3, 1970 Paul Andrea California Golden Seals November 1970

Lost via Waivers

Player New team Date claimed off waivers Cliff Schmautz Philadelphia Flyers December 28, 1970

1970 NHL Intraleague Draft Round # Player Nationality Drafted From 2 18 Kevin O'Shea San Diego Gulls (WHL) 2 19 Cliff Schmautz Portland Buckaroos (WHL) 2 20 Brian McDonald Denver Spurs (WHL)

Regular season

Punch Imlach After being fired by the Leafs, it was expected that Imlach would join the NHL's new Vancouver franchise. Imlach, Joe Crozier, and Foster Hewitt had become partners in the Vancouver Canucks of the Western Hockey League and were in line to become owners of the Vancouver NHL team. But they didn't have the financial resources to buy the team, which went to Medical Investment Corporation (Medicor). Medicor bought the WHL Canucks for $2.8 million, with Imlach making a reported gain of more than $250,000. He was offered a job with the NHL Canucks, but instead accepted an offer from the NHL's other expansion team, the Buffalo Sabres, as their first coach and general manager in 1970.

Season standings

Record vs. opponents

Schedule and results

|1||W||October 10, 1970||2–1 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1970–71) ||1–0–0

|2||L||October 14, 1970||0–3 || style="text-align:left;"| @ New York Rangers (1970–71) ||1–1–0

|3||L||October 15, 1970||0–3 || style="text-align:left;"| Montreal Canadiens (1970–71) ||1–2–0

|4||L||October 17, 1970||1–4 || style="text-align:left;"| @ St. Louis Blues (1970–71) ||1–3–0

|5||T||October 18, 1970||1–1 || style="text-align:left;"| Pittsburgh Penguins (1970–71) ||1–3–1

|6||L||October 22, 1970||2–4 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Philadelphia Flyers (1970–71) ||1–4–1

|7||W||October 23, 1970||4–3 || style="text-align:left;"| Detroit Red Wings (1970–71) ||2–4–1

|8||L||October 25, 1970||0–4 || style="text-align:left;"| Chicago Black Hawks (1970–71) ||2–5–1

|9||L||October 27, 1970||2–7 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Vancouver Canucks (1970–71) ||2–6–1

|10||L||October 30, 1970||1–6 || style="text-align:left;"| @ California Golden Seals (1970–71) ||2–7–1

|11||L||November 1, 1970||2–4 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Los Angeles Kings (1970–71) ||2–8–1

|12||L||November 5, 1970||1–4 || style="text-align:left;"| Vancouver Canucks (1970–71) ||2–9–1

|13||L||November 7, 1970||2–11 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Montreal Canadiens (1970–71) ||2–10–1

|14||L||November 8, 1970||1–3 || style="text-align:left;"| Philadelphia Flyers (1970–71) ||2–11–1

|15||W||November 13, 1970||4–2 || style="text-align:left;"| California Golden Seals (1970–71) ||3–11–1

|16||T||November 15, 1970||2–2 || style="text-align:left;"| Montreal Canadiens (1970–71) ||3–11–2

|17||W||November 18, 1970||7–2 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1970–71) ||4–11–2

|18||L||November 21, 1970||0–3 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Minnesota North Stars (1970–71) ||4–12–2

|19||T||November 25, 1970||4–4 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1970–71) ||4–12–3

|20||T||November 26, 1970||2–2 || style="text-align:left;"| New York Rangers (1970–71) ||4–12–4

|21||L||November 29, 1970||1–2 || style="text-align:left;"| California Golden Seals (1970–71) ||4–13–4

|22||T||December 3, 1970||4–4 || style="text-align:left;"| Boston Bruins (1970–71) ||4–13–5

|23||W||December 6, 1970||1–0 || style="text-align:left;"| Minnesota North Stars (1970–71) ||5–13–5

|24||L||December 9, 1970||1–6 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Chicago Black Hawks (1970–71) ||5–14–5

|25||L||December 10, 1970||2–8 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Boston Bruins (1970–71) ||5–15–5

|26||L||December 12, 1970||3–5 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Detroit Red Wings (1970–71) ||5–16–5

|27||L||December 13, 1970||0–4 || style="text-align:left;"| Toronto Maple Leafs (1970–71) ||5–17–5

|28||L||December 16, 1970||0–4 || style="text-align:left;"| @ New York Rangers (1970–71) ||5–18–5

|29||W||December 17, 1970||4–3 || style="text-align:left;"| Los Angeles Kings (1970–71) ||6–18–5

|30||L||December 19, 1970||0–2 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1970–71) ||6–19–5

|31||L||December 20, 1970||2–4 || style="text-align:left;"| Toronto Maple Leafs (1970–71) ||6–20–5

|32||L||December 22, 1970||2–7 || style="text-align:left;"| New York Rangers (1970–71) ||6–21–5

|33||T||December 26, 1970||4–4 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Montreal Canadiens (1970–71) ||6–21–6

|34||W||December 27, 1970||5–2 || style="text-align:left;"| Detroit Red Wings (1970–71) ||7–21–6

|35||L||January 1, 1971||4–9 || style="text-align:left;"| Boston Bruins (1970–71) ||7–22–6

|36||L||January 3, 1971||3–5 || style="text-align:left;"| Chicago Black Hawks (1970–71) ||7–23–6

|37||W||January 7, 1971||7–4 || style="text-align:left;"| Detroit Red Wings (1970–71) ||8–23–6

|38||L||January 9, 1971||2–3 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Detroit Red Wings (1970–71) ||8–24–6

|39||T||January 10, 1971||2–2 || style="text-align:left;"| Los Angeles Kings (1970–71) ||8–24–7

|40||L||January 13, 1971||2–4 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Chicago Black Hawks (1970–71) ||8–25–7

|41||W||January 14, 1971||2–1 || style="text-align:left;"| St. Louis Blues (1970–71) ||9–25–7

|42||W||January 16, 1971||4–3 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Minnesota North Stars (1970–71) ||10–25–7

|43||T||January 17, 1971||4–4 || style="text-align:left;"| Montreal Canadiens (1970–71) ||10–25–8

|44||T||January 21, 1971||5–5 || style="text-align:left;"| New York Rangers (1970–71) ||10–25–9

|45||L||January 23, 1971||1–7 || style="text-align:left;"| @ St. Louis Blues (1970–71) ||10–26–9

|46||W||January 24, 1971||6–4 || style="text-align:left;"| Philadelphia Flyers (1970–71) ||11–26–9

|47||T||January 27, 1971||3–3 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Los Angeles Kings (1970–71) ||11–26–10

|48||W||January 29, 1971||4–2 || style="text-align:left;"| @ California Golden Seals (1970–71) ||12–26–10

|49||W||January 31, 1971||6–1 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Vancouver Canucks (1970–71) ||13–26–10

|50||W||February 4, 1971||5–2 || style="text-align:left;"| Los Angeles Kings (1970–71) ||14–26–10

|51||L||February 6, 1971||3–4 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Boston Bruins (1970–71) ||14–27–10

|52||L||February 7, 1971||3–4 || style="text-align:left;"| Toronto Maple Leafs (1970–71) ||14–28–10

|53||L||February 9, 1971||3–6 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Vancouver Canucks (1970–71) ||14–29–10

|54||L||February 10, 1971||1–5 || style="text-align:left;"| @ California Golden Seals (1970–71) ||14–30–10

|55||W||February 12, 1971||3–0 || style="text-align:left;"| California Golden Seals (1970–71) ||15–30–10

|56||W||February 14, 1971||3–2 || style="text-align:left;"| Philadelphia Flyers (1970–71) ||16–30–10

|57||L||February 17, 1971||1–5 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Chicago Black Hawks (1970–71) ||16–31–10

|58||T||February 18, 1971||6–6 || style="text-align:left;"| Pittsburgh Penguins (1970–71) ||16–31–11

|59||L||February 20, 1971||5–6 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Detroit Red Wings (1970–71) ||16–32–11

|60||L||February 21, 1971||1–3 || style="text-align:left;"| St. Louis Blues (1970–71) ||16–33–11

|61||L||February 23, 1971||3–6 || style="text-align:left;"| Boston Bruins (1970–71) ||16–34–11

|62||L||February 25, 1971||2–3 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Philadelphia Flyers (1970–71) ||16–35–11

|63||L||February 27, 1971||0–2 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1970–71) ||16–36–11

|64||W||February 28, 1971||5–2 || style="text-align:left;"| Minnesota North Stars (1970–71) ||17–36–11