Buffalo Sabres History: Part III (1992-2003)

The next chunk of Buffalo Sabres history was a busy time that featured a lockout-shortened season as well as the team’s second Stanley Cup Finals appearance. Unfortunately, Buffalo could not win it’s first championship and the series was surrounded in controversy due to Brett Hull’s ‘No Goal’ series clincher in 1999.

[See Also: Buffalo Sabres History Part I (1970-1981)]

The Sabres earned the reputation as the hardest working team in the NHL. The club had a tremendous work ethic but a lot of their success came as a result of the stellar play by the Dominator, Dominik Hasek.

Hasek wowed many across the league with his acrobatic saves and brought a unique style that was unparalleled. While he was traded away in June of 2001 and his exit was marred in controversy, Hasek’s tenure in Buffalo helped cement his legacy as one of the NHL’s all-time greats.

Buffalo said goodbye to an old friend in 1996, the Memorial Auditorium, when the club moved into their new home. The current First Niagara Center has gone through a variety of names. It started off as Crossroads Arena and soon became Marine Midland Arena. Then in 2000 it became HSBC Arena which it would remain until 2011.

The Sabres also switched out their traditional blue and gold uniforms during the 1996-1997 season in exchange for red, white and black. Some fans affectionately refer to these uniforms as the ‘goat head’ jersey and they would remain with the club until the 2006-2007. The club also introduced a third jersey that featured a hockey puck and two crossed sabres.

[See Also: Buffalo Sabres History Part II (1981-1992)]

This time period also saw the club change ownership. Original Sabres majority owner Seymour Knox died in 1996 and Northrup Knox sold the team to the John Rigas – owners of Adelphia Communications. In 2002, John Rigas was indicted on fraud and embezzlement charges and ultimately sentenced to 15 years in prison.

Rigas remained the owner but the NHL took control of the Sabres for two very difficult seasons for Sabres fans. The future was very unclear and many fans wondered if the club would remain in Buffalo. Then in 2003 the club’s future in Buffalo became stabilized when it was sold to B. Thomas Golisano.

Sabres history from 1992-2003 featured many big names including, arguably the best goaltender in NHL history, Dominik Hasek, defensemen Garry Galley, Jason Woolley, James Patrick, and Alexei Zhitnik, as well as forwards Stu Barnes, Michael Peca, Miroslav Satan, Pat LaFontaine and Alexander Mogilny. Here is a look at Buffalo Sabres history from the 1992-1993 season through the 2002-2003 season.

1992-1993 Season