Did you know the Buffalo Sabres owned the same odds as the Pittsburgh Penguins to land generational prospect Sidney Crosby in the 2005 NHL Draft? It's a frustrating memory for a franchise that's currently riding an league-record 14-year playoff drought.
In fact, there were four teams with identical odds (6.3%) to secure Crosby, who's managed to exceed the sky-high expectations saddled on his shoulders ahead of his hyped NHL arrival: the Sabres, Penguins, Columbus Blue Jackets and New York Rangers.
For a Buffalo organization that emerged from the 2004-05 lockout as an unexpected Stanley Cup contender, it's hard to even fathom how different the past two decades would have been if the future first-ballot Hockey Hall of Famer landed in Western New York instead of Western Pennsylvania.
It's an alternate reality worth exploring as Crosby and the Penguins deal with trade rumors concerning his future ahead of the 2025-26 season.
How the 2005 NHL Draft lottery changed the course of Buffalo Sabres franchise history
Since the 2004-05 season never took place, the 2005 lottery was based on two factors: how many playoff appearances each team had over the prior three years and whether they'd received the No. 1 pick at any point over the past four years.
The Sabres, who'd fallen out of contention soon after their Dominik Hasek-led run to the 1999 Stanley Cup Final, missed the postseason all three years but hadn't received the first overall pick. That put them in the top category of potential Crosby landing spots.
In hindsight, adding No. 87 to a roster that led one of the most exciting eras of Buffalo hockey would have been a sight to behold. We're talking about Daniel Briere, Chris Drury, Maxim Afinogenov, Thomas Vanek, Ales Kotalik, Tim Connolly, Derek Roy, Brian Campbell and Ryan Miller.
Although that group reached the Eastern Conference Finals in back-to-back years, it wasn't able to reach the Stanley Cup for a chance to end Buffalo's major championship drought. Crosby could have been the piece to put them over the top.
Instead, not only did the Sabres not land the No. 1 pick, they fell all way to the No. 13 spot and selected one of the biggest busts in franchise history: Marek Zagrapan. Other notable names who went in the top 12 included Anze Kopitar, Carey Price, Bobby Ryan, Jack Johnson and Marc Staal.
It's a painful list to review given it often felt like those Buffalo squads were one piece away.
Meanwhile, in the long-term view, there's no way the Sabres would be stuck in a 14-year playoff drought if Crosby was their cornerstone. Players are drawn to the chance to play alongside the best player in the world, so the team's problems acquiring high-impact talent wouldn't exist.
The trickle-down effect of a single player is massive and, as Buffalo enters another season with a highly uncertain outlook, it's easy to wonder what could have been if Crosby played his home games in the 716.
Is there any chance the Sabres acquire Sidney Crosby in a blockbuster trade with the Pittsburgh Penguins?
No. It's really that simple. If Crosby and the Penguins decide it's best for him to move on — the Pens' championship window is still a few years from reopening and trading the longtime face of the franchise could bring in multiple key assets for the future — he'll likely be able to pick his landing spot.
The 38-year-old Canadian center isn't going to choose a team that hasn't made the playoffs since 2011 with a front office, led by team owner Terry Pegula and general manager Kevyn Adams, that's been unwilling to spend to the salary cap over the past handful of years.
If Crosby can't finish his career in Pittsburgh, he's going to spend his remaining seasons trying to seriously chase a few more championship rings.
Perhaps there was a time at the peak of the 10-time All-Star's powers where he could have carried this Sabres roster on a deep playoff run. Although he's still an elite performer, he can't put an entire team on his back in his late-30s. That's too much to ask.
Make no mistake, if it's clear the Penguins are accepting offers on Crosby, Adams should absolutely make a courtesy call to Pittsburgh counterpart Kyle Dubas to see if there's any way to get in on the trade discussions. He has nothing to lose.
It's just not a realistic outcome, though. If the two-time Olympic gold medalist made a list of everything he's seeking in a new team, Buffalo might not check a single box.
Getting the franchise back in a place where top talent will at least consider joining the Sabres would be a sign the organization is at least moving in the right direction.
Alas, that's not the case as the 2025-26 campaign moves closer.