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Buffalo Sabres Then and Now: 2009-2010 Season

By Melissa Kania

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As the Buffalo Sabres prepare for the 2015-2016 NHL season to begin in just a few short weeks, it’s a good time to look ahead – but also a good time to look back. Today, we’ll specifically look back on the 2009-10 Buffalo Sabres season — and just how much has changed since then.

That Buffalo Sabres team was led by captain Craig Rivet and hosted players like team-leading scorer Derek Roy, Tim Connolly, Jason Pominville and Thomas Vanek. Jochen Hecht, Tyler Myers, Drew Stafford, Paul Gaustad — all played at least part of that season with the Buffalo Sabres.

The goaltenders for that Buffalo Sabres squad: Ryan Miller, Jhonas Enroth and Patrick Lalime.

Out of 29 players that appeared that season for the Buffalo Sabres, just two remain signed with the organization to this day: Tyler Ennis and Matt Ellis.

Two players from that team will be coaching in Buffalo in at least some capacity next season, in Rivet and Adam Mair. Rivet will be coaching as part of the Buffalo Jr. Sabres organization, while Mair will act as one of two player development coaches for the team.

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Another three, Patrick Lalime, Mike Grier and Toni Lydman, are also retired from playing professional hockey. Grier is an assistant coach at the high school where he previously played hockey, while Lalime has done broadcast work for RDS. Raffi Torres hasn’t played professionally in several years; neither has Tim Connolly.

Henrik Tallinder, Jochen Hecht, Tim Kennedy and Mark Mancari all spent last season playing overseas.

Perhaps the saddest part of reflecting back on that roster is seeing Steve Montador‘s name, knowing that just a few short years later, he would have passed on.

That leaves 15 players who are still in the NHL, including Myers and Stafford, who have both taken their talents to Winnipeg; Gaustad, who’s moved onto Nashville; Roy, who’s currently still looking for a contract for the upcoming season. How about Sekera, who signed with the Edmonton Oilers this offseason? Or Miller or Enroth, both of whom have moved onto Western Conference teams?

Aside from all the player changes, there have been a lot of regime changes since then.

Of course, Lindy Ruff is long gone as Buffalo Sabres head coach. Since then, there’s been Ron Rolston and Ted Nolan, and now, we enter the Dan Bylsma era.

Since that 2009-10 season, the biggest move has been the purchase of the Buffalo Sabres by Terry Pegula – and the ensuing moves. That included the hiring of Ted Black, who has since departed the team; the hiring of Russ Brandon, Tim Murray, and more. Add in new assistant coaches, player development coaches and even more personnel changes, and that’s quite a difference over the past years.

That 2009-2010 Buffalo Sabres team had four players score over 50 points; how many will this year’s coming team have?

Overall that season, the Buffalo Sabres went 45-27-10, reaching the 100-point mark to take first place in the NHL’s Northeast Division. They had a +28 goal differential and went to the conference quarterfinals, where they lost to the Boston Bruins.

How many points will this year’s Buffalo Sabres squad have, with guys like Jack Eichel, Sam Reinhart, Evander Kane and Ryan O’Reilly? Can the vast amount of change over the past few seasons finally work in Buffalo’s favor and bring them success soon? Are more changes coming?

Next: Least Penalized Sabres in History

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