We were in a downward spiral for the better part of the two prior seasons. The team was bankrupt, our owner was indicted for fraud, our best players were being traded away so we could lower the team's payroll, our paychecks were coming from different banks every two weeks, and nobody knew if the Buffalo Sabres were going to remain in Buffalo.
What started with Dominik Hasek being traded to Detroit a few months before quickly turned into the departure of fan favorites like Jason Woolley, Rob Ray and our captain Stu Barnes. There was even an announcement made at an earlier game that the team was going to be purchased by local businessman Mark Hamister, only to see his bid fall short for many reasons.
But then came March 2003 and Tom Golisano. The Rochester entrepreneur purchased the Sabres and saved the team from its financial woes, but the biggest moves were yet to come for the product on the ice.
On March 10, 2003, the day before the NHL Trade Deadline, the Sabres acquired Daniel Briere from the Phoenix Coyotes. A few months later, general manager Darcy Regier traded for Calgary Flames center Chris Drury, an acquisition that proclaimed, "The Sabres are back!" to the rest of the NHL.
The 2003-04 season was a first step towards success even though our team fell short of the playoffs, hanging in the race until the second to last game of the season. We were all hopeful for what the next season was going to bring.
But not so fast.
Collective bargaining differences between the NHL and the NHLPA forced the owner to lock the players out and the whole 2004-05 season was lost. It was lost for the NHL players, but not for the young prospects playing in the AHL, the best hockey league in North America that season. Players like Thomas Vanek, Jason Pominville, Derek Roy, Paul Gaustad and especially Ryan Miller were able to develop and play while everyone else was waiting to see if the NHL was going to be back for the 2005-06 season.
OK, enough backstory. Here's how I saw the 2005-06 season and what made it so special.