1971–72 Buffalo Sabres season

The 1971–72 Buffalo Sabres season was the Buffalo Sabres second season of operation in the National Hockey League (NHL). The Sabres failed to make the playoffs.

Offseason An $8.7 million (approximately $ in dollars) renovation took place after the 1970–71 inauguration of the Sabres and Buffalo Braves franchises. The arena's roof was raised 24 feet, making room for a new upper level. This raised the total capacity of the arena to over 17,000 for basketball and 15,858 for hockey, making it a more suitable home for the NBA and NHL.

Regular season For the second consecutive season the Sabres had a breakout rookie performance by their first round draft pick. Rick Martin would score 44 goals breaking the NHL rookie scoring record of 38 set the previous season by Gilbert Perreault. Despite the efforts of their young phenoms the Sabres would finish with a worse record than their inaugural season and again miss the Playoffs. During the season Eddie Shack was traded to Pittsburgh for Rene Robert.

Final standings

Record vs. opponents

Schedule and results

|1||W||October 10, 1971||2–1 || align="left"| Pittsburgh Penguins (1971–72) ||1–0–0

|2||L||October 12, 1971||1–9 || align="left"| @ St. Louis Blues (1971–72) ||1–1–0

|3||L||October 14, 1971||2–6 || align="left"| @ Boston Bruins (1971–72) ||1–2–0

|4||L||October 16, 1971||3–9 || align="left"| @ Montreal Canadiens (1971–72) ||1–3–0

|5||L||October 17, 1971||2–3 || align="left"| Minnesota North Stars (1971–72) ||1–4–0

|6||W||October 20, 1971||7–2 || align="left"| @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1971–72) ||2–4–0

|7||L||October 21, 1971||2–5 || align="left"| Chicago Black Hawks (1971–72) ||2–5–0

|8||L||October 23, 1971||1–5 || align="left"| @ Minnesota North Stars (1971–72) ||2–6–0

|9||L||October 24, 1971||2–3 || align="left"| St. Louis Blues (1971–72) ||2–7–0

|10||W||October 27, 1971||3–2 || align="left"| @ Los Angeles Kings (1971–72) ||3–7–0

|11||T||October 30, 1971||4–4 || align="left"| @ Vancouver Canucks (1971–72) ||3–7–1

|12||T||October 31, 1971||2–2 || align="left"| @ California Golden Seals (1971–72) ||3–7–2

|13||T||November 4, 1971||4–4 || align="left"| @ Detroit Red Wings (1971–72) ||3–7–3

|14||W||November 5, 1971||5–2 || align="left"| Philadelphia Flyers (1971–72) ||4–7–3

|15||T||November 7, 1971||3–3 || align="left"| Detroit Red Wings (1971–72) ||4–7–4

|16||L||November 11, 1971||2–4 || align="left"| Los Angeles Kings (1971–72) ||4–8–4

|17||L||November 13, 1971||2–5 || align="left"| @ New York Rangers (1971–72) ||4–9–4

|18||T||November 14, 1971||2–2 || align="left"| Montreal Canadiens (1971–72) ||4–9–5

|19||L||November 18, 1971||5–7 || align="left"| California Golden Seals (1971–72) ||4–10–5

|20||L||November 21, 1971||3–4 || align="left"| Toronto Maple Leafs (1971–72) ||4–11–5

|21||L||November 24, 1971||3–5 || align="left"| @ Los Angeles Kings (1971–72) ||4–12–5

|22||L||November 27, 1971||2–5 || align="left"| @ Vancouver Canucks (1971–72) ||4–13–5

|23||L||November 28, 1971||3–5 || align="left"| @ California Golden Seals (1971–72) ||4–14–5

|24||L||December 1, 1971||2–7 || align="left"| @ New York Rangers (1971–72) ||4–15–5

|25||W||December 2, 1971||2–0 || align="left"| Los Angeles Kings (1971–72) ||5–15–5

|26||L||December 4, 1971||1–5 || align="left"| @ St. Louis Blues (1971–72) ||5–16–5

|27||W||December 5, 1971||3–1 || align="left"| Minnesota North Stars (1971–72) ||6–16–5

|28||L||December 9, 1971||1–3 || align="left"| Chicago Black Hawks (1971–72) ||6–17–5

|29||T||December 11, 1971||3–3 || align="left"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1971–72) ||6–17–6

|30||L||December 12, 1971||2–4 || align="left"| Toronto Maple Leafs (1971–72) ||6–18–6

|31||L||December 15, 1971||1–2 || align="left"| @ Chicago Black Hawks (1971–72) ||6–19–6

|32||L||December 16, 1971||0–5 || align="left"| @ Philadelphia Flyers (1971–72) ||6–20–6

|33||L||December 18, 1971||1–8 || align="left"| @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1971–72) ||6–21–6

|34||W||December 19, 1971||5–1 || align="left"| Vancouver Canucks (1971–72) ||7–21–6

|35||T||December 23, 1971||4–4 || align="left"| Boston Bruins (1971–72) ||7–21–7

|36||T||December 25, 1971||4–4 || align="left"| @ St. Louis Blues (1971–72) ||7–21–8

|37||W||December 26, 1971||6–3 || align="left"| St. Louis Blues (1971–72) ||8–21–8

|38||L||December 29, 1971||3–7 || align="left"| Detroit Red Wings (1971–72) ||8–22–8

|39||T||December 31, 1971||3–3 || align="left"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1971–72) ||8–22–9

|40||T||January 2, 1972||4–4 || align="left"| California Golden Seals (1971–72) ||8–22–10

|41||L||January 6, 1972||2–5 || align="left"| Boston Bruins (1971–72) ||8–23–10

|42||L||January 9, 1972||1–2 || align="left"| Toronto Maple Leafs (1971–72) ||8–24–10

|43||L||January 13, 1972||2–5 || align="left"| New York Rangers (1971–72) ||8–25–10

|44||L||January 15, 1972||2–6 || align="left"| @ Montreal Canadiens (1971–72) ||8–26–10

|45||W||January 16, 1972||4–2 || align="left"| Montreal Canadiens (1971–72) ||9–26–10

|46||W||January 20, 1972||1–0 || align="left"| Vancouver Canucks (1971–72) ||10–26–10

|47||L||January 22, 1972||2–3 || align="left"| @ Detroit Red Wings (1971–72) ||10–27–10

|48||T||January 23, 1972||3–3 || align="left"| @ Boston Bruins (1971–72) ||10–27–11

|49||L||January 26, 1972||1–5 || align="left"| @ New York Rangers (1971–72) ||10–28–11

|50||L||January 27, 1972||1–3 || align="left"| Detroit Red Wings (1971–72) ||10–29–11

|51||T||January 30, 1972||2–2 || align="left"| Los Angeles Kings (1971–72) ||10–29–12

|52||L||February 3, 1972||2–4 || align="left"| New York Rangers (1971–72) ||10–30–12

|53||T||February 5, 1972||3–3 || align="left"| @ Minnesota North Stars (1971–72) ||10–30–13

|54||W||February 6, 1972||8–2 || align="left"| Boston Bruins (1971–72) ||11–30–13

|55||L||February 10, 1972||2–4 || align="left"| @ Detroit Red Wings (1971–72) ||11–31–13

|56||L||February 12, 1972||1–5 || align="left"| @ Boston Bruins (1971–72) ||11–32–13

|57||T||February 13, 1972||4–4 || align="left"| Philadelphia Flyers (1971–72) ||11–32–14

|58||L||February 17, 1972||0–2 || align="left"| Pittsburgh Penguins (1971–72) ||11–33–14

|59||L||February 19, 1972||1–4 || align="left"| @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1971–72) ||11–34–14

|60||L||February 20, 1972||0–4 || align="left"| Montreal Canadiens (1971–72) ||11–35–14

|61||W||February 23, 1972||2–1 || align="left"| @ Chicago Black Hawks (1971–72) ||12–35–14

|62||W||February 24, 1972||5–3 || align="left"| Chicago Black Hawks (1971–72) ||13–35–14

|63||T||February 27, 1972||4–4 || align="left"| California Golden Seals (1971–72) ||13–35–15

|64||L||March 1, 1972||1–4 || align="left"| @ Montreal Canadiens (1971–72) ||13–36–15

|65||L||March 2, 1972||3–4 || align="left"| New York Rangers (1971–72) ||13–37–15

|66||L||March 5, 1972||2–6 || align="left"| St. Louis Blues (1971–72) ||13–38–15

|67||L||March 8, 1972||3–6 || align="left"| @ California Golden Seals (1971–72) ||13–39–15

|68||L||March 10, 1972||2–3 || align="left"| @ Vancouver Canucks (1971–72) ||13–40–15

|69||L||March 11, 1972||3–5 || align="left"| @ Los Angeles Kings (1971–72) ||13–41–15

|70||W||March 14, 1972||4–3 || align="left"| @ Minnesota North Stars (1971–72) ||14–41–15

|71||T||March 16, 1972||3–3 || align="left"| @ Philadelphia Flyers (1971–72) ||14–41–16

|72||L||March 17, 1972||2–6 || align="left"| Vancouver Canucks (1971–72) ||14–42–16

|73||T||March 19, 1972||3–3 || align="left"| @ Chicago Black Hawks (1971–72) ||14–42–17

|74||W||March 22, 1972||4–3 || align="left"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1971–72) ||15–42–17

|75||T||March 23, 1972||4–4 || align="left"| Minnesota North Stars (1971–72) ||15–42–18

|76||T||March 26, 1972||2–2 || align="left"| Pittsburgh Penguins (1971–72) ||15–42–19

|77||L||March 30, 1972||1–3 || align="left"| @ Philadelphia Flyers (1971–72) ||15–43–19

|78||W||April 2, 1972||3–2 || align="left"| Philadelphia Flyers (1971–72) ||16–43–19

Legend:

Player statistics

Regular season Scoring Player GP G A Pts PIM +/- PPG SHG GWG 73 44 30 74 36−381905 76 26 48 74 24−401101 77 19 27 46 12−28402 76 4 30 34 105−12101 50 11 14 25 34−11400 67 14 10 24 26−22300 33 10 14 24 12−11201 61 6 18 24 98−20200 37 3 21 24 14−10300 78 11 8 19 38−18001 78 10 6 16 15−23010 46 9 7 16 12−20301 57 6 10 16 05002 52 6 9 15 44−19000 31 2 10 12 22−14100 43 1 11 12 58−21000 27 0 10 10 520000 12 6 3 9 2−5300 66 2 6 8 101−33100 34 3 4 7 0−2000 27 2 5 7 45−21001 8 2 2 4 0−2000 37 0 4 4 19−10000 24 2 1 3 4−14001 39 0 3 3 18−12000 14 2 0 2 2−3000 12 1 1 2 4−10000 2 1 0 1 0−1000 10 0 1 1 6−7000 4 0 1 1 0−1000 6 0 1 1 2−3000 63 0 0 0 100000 20 0 0 0 00000 9 0 0 0 2−13000 Goaltending Player MIN GPW LTGAGAA SO 3654 63 13 34 14 214 3.51 2 1026 20 3 9 5 68 3.98 0 Team: 4680 78 16 43 19 282 3.62 2

Awards and records The Sabres were not awarded any individual or team awards in the 1971–72 season.

Transactions Date May 25, 1971 To Detroit Red Wings Joe Daley To Buffalo Sabres Don LuceMike Robitaille November 16, 1971 To Philadelphia FlyersLarry Keenan To Buffalo SabresLarry Mickey December 16, 1971 To Los Angeles KingsDoug BarrieMike Keeler To Buffalo SabresMike ByersLarry Hillman January 14, 1972 To New York Rangers2nd-round pick in 1972 (Larry Sacharuk) Buffalo SabresJim Lorentz March 4, 1972 To Pittsburgh PenguinsEddie Shack To Buffalo SabresRené Robert March 5, 1972 To St. Louis BluesChris Evans To Buffalo SabresGeorge Morrison2nd-round pick in 1972 (Larry Carriere) March 5, 1972 To New York RangersPhil Goyette (Negotiating Rights) To Buffalo SabresCash

Intra-League Draft June 8, 1971From Chicago BlackhawksRay McKay June 8, 1971To Toronto Maple LeafsDon Marshall June 8, 1971From Toronto Maple LeafsRene Robert June 8, 1971From Montreal CanadiensHugh Harris June 8, 1971To Pittsburgh PenguinsRene Robert June 8, 1971From Minnesota North StarsDanny Lawson June 8, 1971From Pittsburgh PenguinsRod Zaine June 8, 1971From Detroit Red WingsTom Miller June 8, 1971From Toronto Maple LeafsKen Murray June 8, 1971To Los Angeles KingsGary Edwards

Reverse Draft June 7, 1971To Providence Reds (AHL)Brian Perry

Free Agency August 1971SignedJohn Gould September 1971SignedRick Dudley September 29, 1971SignedGary Bromley

Lost via retirement Player Jean-Guy Talbot

Draft picks

NHL draft

Round # Player Nationality College/Junior/Club team 1 5 Rick Martin Montreal Junior Canadiens (OHA) 2 19 Craig Ramsay Peterborough Petes (OHA) 3 33 Bill Hajt Saskatoon Blades (WCHL) 4 47 Bob Richer Trois-Rivières Ducs (QMJHL) 5 61 Steve Warr Clarkson University (ECAC) 6 75 Pierre Duguay Quebec Remparts (QMJHL)

Farm teams The Sabres terminated their relationship with the Salt Lake Golden Eagles of the Western Hockey League after one season, and applied to the American Hockey League for an expansion team. The Sabres initially wanted to place the team in Dania Beach, Florida but the league refused, so they instead placed it in Cincinnati, Ohio, and named the team the Cincinnati Swords; Joe Crozier was named coach and general manager. In the Swords' inaugural season they would post a 30–28–18 record placing 3rd in the West Division which would secure a playoff berth. The first round brought the 2nd seed Hershey Bears who were swept. In the second round the Swords faced off against the 1st seed Baltimore Clippers losing the series 4–2.

See also 1971–72 NHL season

References