1970–71 Buffalo Sabres season explained

League:	NHL
Season:	1970–71
Year:	1970
Team:	Buffalo Sabres
Division:	East
Divisionrank:	5th
Record:	24–39–15
Homerecord:	16–13–10
Roadrecord:	8–26–5
Goalsfor:	217
Goalsagainst:	291
Generalmanager:	Punch Imlach
Coach:	Punch Imlach
Captain:	Floyd Smith
Arena:	Buffalo Memorial Auditorium
Attendance:	9,721
Goalsleader:	Gilbert Perreault (38)
Assistsleader:	Phil Goyette (46)
Pointsleader:	Gilbert Perreault (72)
Pimleader:	Tracy Pratt (179)
Winsleader:	Joe Daley (12)
Gaaleader:	Dave Dryden (3.37)

The 1970–1971 Buffalo Sabres season was the Sabres' 1st season in the National Hockey League.

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]

See also: 1970 NHL Amateur Draft.

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 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

Claimed via Waivers

Player	Former team	Date claimed off waivers
		November 1, 1970
		November 3, 1970
		November 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.

Record vs. opponents

Schedule and results

Regular season results
No.	R	Date	Score	Opponent	Record
1	W	October 10, 1970	2–1	@ Pittsburgh Penguins (1970–71)	1–0–0
2	L	October 14, 1970	0–3	@ New York Rangers (1970–71)	1–1–0
3	L	October 15, 1970	0–3	Montreal Canadiens (1970–71)	1–2–0
4	L	October 17, 1970	1–4	@ St. Louis Blues (1970–71)	1–3–0
5	T	October 18, 1970	1–1	Pittsburgh Penguins (1970–71)	1–3–1
6	L	October 22, 1970	2–4	@ Philadelphia Flyers (1970–71)	1–4–1
7	W	October 23, 1970	4–3	Detroit Red Wings (1970–71)	2–4–1
8	L	October 25, 1970	0–4	Chicago Black Hawks (1970–71)	2–5–1
9	L	October 27, 1970	2–7	@ Vancouver Canucks (1970–71)	2–6–1
10	L	October 30, 1970	1–6	@ California Golden Seals (1970–71)	2–7–1
11	L	November 1, 1970	2–4	@ Los Angeles Kings (1970–71)	2–8–1
12	L	November 5, 1970	1–4	Vancouver Canucks (1970–71)	2–9–1
13	L	November 7, 1970	2–11	@ Montreal Canadiens (1970–71)	2–10–1
14	L	November 8, 1970	1–3	Philadelphia Flyers (1970–71)	2–11–1
15	W	November 13, 1970	4–2	California Golden Seals (1970–71)	3–11–1
16	T	November 15, 1970	2–2	Montreal Canadiens (1970–71)	3–11–2
17	W	November 18, 1970	7–2	@ Toronto Maple Leafs (1970–71)	4–11–2
18	L	November 21, 1970	0–3	@ Minnesota North Stars (1970–71)	4–12–2
19	T	November 25, 1970	4–4	@ Pittsburgh Penguins (1970–71)	4–12–3
20	T	November 26, 1970	2–2	New York Rangers (1970–71)	4–12–4
21	L	November 29, 1970	1–2	California Golden Seals (1970–71)	4–13–4
22	T	December 3, 1970	4–4	Boston Bruins (1970–71)	4–13–5
23	W	December 6, 1970	1–0	Minnesota North Stars (1970–71)	5–13–5
24	L	December 9, 1970	1–6	@ Chicago Black Hawks (1970–71)	5–14–5
25	L	December 10, 1970	2–8	@ Boston Bruins (1970–71)	5–15–5
26	L	December 12, 1970	3–5	@ Detroit Red Wings (1970–71)	5–16–5
27	L	December 13, 1970	0–4	Toronto Maple Leafs (1970–71)	5–17–5
28	L	December 16, 1970	0–4	@ New York Rangers (1970–71)	5–18–5
29	W	December 17, 1970	4–3	Los Angeles Kings (1970–71)	6–18–5
30	L	December 19, 1970	0–2	@ Toronto Maple Leafs (1970–71)	6–19–5
31	L	December 20, 1970	2–4	Toronto Maple Leafs (1970–71)	6–20–5
32	L	December 22, 1970	2–7	New York Rangers (1970–71)	6–21–5
33	T	December 26, 1970	4–4	@ Montreal Canadiens (1970–71)	6–21–6
34	W	December 27, 1970	5–2	Detroit Red Wings (1970–71)	7–21–6
35	L	January 1, 1971	4–9	Boston Bruins (1970–71)	7–22–6
36	L	January 3, 1971	3–5	Chicago Black Hawks (1970–71)	7–23–6
37	W	January 7, 1971	7–4	Detroit Red Wings (1970–71)	8–23–6
38	L	January 9, 1971	2–3	@ Detroit Red Wings (1970–71)	8–24–6
39	T	January 10, 1971	2–2	Los Angeles Kings (1970–71)	8–24–7
40	L	January 13, 1971	2–4	@ Chicago Black Hawks (1970–71)	8–25–7
41	W	January 14, 1971	2–1	St. Louis Blues (1970–71)	9–25–7
42	W	January 16, 1971	4–3	@ Minnesota North Stars (1970–71)	10–25–7
43	T	January 17, 1971	4–4	Montreal Canadiens (1970–71)	10–25–8
44	T	January 21, 1971	5–5	New York Rangers (1970–71)	10–25–9
45	L	January 23, 1971	1–7	@ St. Louis Blues (1970–71)	10–26–9
46	W	January 24, 1971	6–4	Philadelphia Flyers (1970–71)	11–26–9
47	T	January 27, 1971	3–3	@ Los Angeles Kings (1970–71)	11–26–10
48	W	January 29, 1971	4–2	@ California Golden Seals (1970–71)	12–26–10
49	W	January 31, 1971	6–1	@ Vancouver Canucks (1970–71)	13–26–10
50	W	February 4, 1971	5–2	Los Angeles Kings (1970–71)	14–26–10
51	L	February 6, 1971	3–4	@ Boston Bruins (1970–71)	14–27–10
52	L	February 7, 1971	3–4	Toronto Maple Leafs (1970–71)	14–28–10
53	L	February 9, 1971	3–6	@ Vancouver Canucks (1970–71)	14–29–10
54	L	February 10, 1971	1–5	@ California Golden Seals (1970–71)	14–30–10
55	W	February 12, 1971	3–0	California Golden Seals (1970–71)	15–30–10
56	W	February 14, 1971	3–2	Philadelphia Flyers (1970–71)	16–30–10
57	L	February 17, 1971	1–5	@ Chicago Black Hawks (1970–71)	16–31–10
58	T	February 18, 1971	6–6	Pittsburgh Penguins (1970–71)	16–31–11
59	L	February 20, 1971	5–6	@ Detroit Red Wings (1970–71)	16–32–11
60	L	February 21, 1971	1–3	St. Louis Blues (1970–71)	16–33–11
61	L	February 23, 1971	3–6	Boston Bruins (1970–71)	16–34–11
62	L	February 25, 1971	2–3	@ Philadelphia Flyers (1970–71)	16–35–11
63	L	February 27, 1971	0–2	@ Toronto Maple Leafs (1970–71)	16–36–11
64	W	February 28, 1971	5–2	Minnesota North Stars (1970–71)	17–36–11
65	T	March 3, 1971	3–3	@ Los Angeles Kings (1970–71)	17–36–12
66	T	March 5, 1971	2–2	Chicago Black Hawks (1970–71)	17–36–13
67	W	March 7, 1971	6–3	Vancouver Canucks (1970–71)	18–36–13
68	L	March 13, 1971	0–9	@ St. Louis Blues (1970–71)	18–37–13
69	W	March 14, 1971	5–0	@ Minnesota North Stars (1970–71)	19–37–13
70	W	March 18, 1971	5–3	St. Louis Blues (1970–71)	20–37–13
71	L	March 20, 1971	2–5	@ Montreal Canadiens (1970–71)	20–38–13
72	W	March 21, 1971	7–5	@ Boston Bruins (1970–71)	21–38–13
73	L	March 23, 1971	2–7	@ New York Rangers (1970–71)	21–39–13
74	W	March 26, 1971	3–1	Vancouver Canucks (1970–71)	22–39–13
75	W	March 28, 1971	4–2	Minnesota North Stars (1970–71)	23–39–13
76	W	March 31, 1971	6–4	@ Pittsburgh Penguins (1970–71)	24–39–13
77	T	April 1, 1971	3–3	Pittsburgh Penguins (1970–71)	24–39–14
78	T	April 4, 1971	3–3	@ Philadelphia Flyers (1970–71)	24–39–15

Player statistics

Forwards

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes

Player	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
	78	38	34	72	19
	60	15	46	61	6
	77	24	31	55	8
	62	20	29	49	6
	56	25	17	42	93
	57	20	18	38	12
	47	11	21	32	4
	69	2	28	30	71
	51	7	20	27	6
	75	4	23	27	168
	74	14	12	26	44
	53	7	13	20	12
	77	6	11	17	46
	78	6	10	16	159
	78	2	9	11	147
	74	4	5	9	68
	76	1	7	8	179

Defencemen

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes

Player	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
	13	0	0	0	6
	12	0	0	0	4
	3	0	0	0	2
	3	0	0	0	2
	2	0	0	0	0
	1	0	1	1	2
	57	0	7	7	36
	76	1	7	8	179
	78	2	9	11	147
	78	6	10	16	159
	75	4	23	27	168
	69	2	28	30	71

Goaltending

Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; SO = Shutouts; GAA = Goals against average

Player	GP	W	L	T	SO	GAA
	10	3	3	0	1	3.37
	44	9	20	7	1	3.68
	38	12	16	8	1	3.70

Awards and records

• Calder Memorial Trophy: Gilbert Perreault

External links

• Sabres on Hockey Database
• Sabres Ready and Touché films from the Sabres inaugural season

Notes and References

1. Web site: Gilbert Perreault Biography. Hockey Hall of Fame. legendsofhockey.net. July 11, 2012.
2. Web site: "The Aud" – Memorial Auditorium . sabresalumni.com . Sabres Alumni . July 11, 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120402035008/http://www.sabresalumni.com/history/theaud.php . April 2, 2012 .
3. Web site: WHATS IN A NAME . NHL.com . Sabres.com . July 11, 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110307140351/http://forty.sabres.nhl.com/history.asp?year=1968 . March 7, 2011 .
4. Web site: One on One with Gilbert Perreault. Hockey Hall of Fame. hhof.com. July 11, 2012.
5. Book: Duhatschek, Eric . Hockey Chronicles . 2001 . Checkmark Books . New York City . 0-8160-4697-2 . etal . registration .
6. Web site: First Overall Selections . July 11, 2012 . . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20010413165451/http://www.nhl.com/futures/firstoverall.html . April 13, 2001 . mdy .