It shook the fan base’s confidence tremendously, and after two consecutive conference finals appearances, the Sabres finished out of the playoffs in 2007-08, during which time it sent top defenseman Brian Campbell to San Jose at the spring 2008 trade deadline to assist with Campbell’s pursuit of dollars to which the club could not commit.

However, later in the summer of 2008, signs that the club wanted to stop the bleeding emerged. Goaltender Ryan Miller was signed through 2012-13 and Thomas Vanek had, during the 2007-08 season, lived up to the big-money contract that Buffalo was forced to give up by Edmonton’s offer sheet. This season, with Thomas Vanek amongst the league’s leaders in goal scoring and Miller’s level of play returned to its 2006-07 peak, the team now has new hope despite the subtractions.

GM Darcy Regeir made up for the loss of Campbell with the July 2008 acquisition of Craig Rivet who was traded to Buffalo by San Jose with the Sharks’ 7th round choice in the 2010 Entry Draft for Buffalo's 2nd round choices in the 2009 and 2010 Entry Draft.

“Craig brings leadership and he's been around a long time,” says Roy.

What’s more, Patrick Kaleta, a hometown kid drafted in the sixth round of the 2004 draft, has emerged as an antagonist who draws penalties, which is traditionally in short supply around Nickel City.

“Patty plays the body a lot, scares teams, forechecks hard, does a lot of the little things well, and we need those guys (Kaleta and Rivet) to play at their best,” says Roy.

“It's awesome,” Kaleta says of being a Sabre. “I'm playing for the hometown team, playing for the team I grew up watching. It's amazing to put on this sweater.”

About his role, Kaleta is honest.

“I try to just go in there and give everything I've got, contribute any way I can. If I'm passive I'm not doing my job.”

Roy (52GP: 19-29-48 as of 2/5/09), who scored a career-high 32 goals last season, has done an excellent job replacing the departed Briere, and what’s more, he’s grittier than the Flyers’ injured star.

Despite the positives, the club was up and down, winning and losing, looking very average through the first 37 games of this season, compiling a 17-15-5 record.

Since New Years’ Day, the team is 10-5.

“We know we have a good team, but when everyone doesn't go out and work hard, we're pretty average,” says Roy. “We had a closed locker room meeting and we want to bring the message that everyone needs to bring their lunch box every day… (and recently) we’ve done that.”

Tomas Vanek sitting pretty with 32 goals and the offense is looking very good. Goaltender Ryan Miller, who recorded his fifth shutout of the season Wednesday night at home against Toronto, is having a rebound season (2.47GAA; .918SV%).

Holes, however, remain.

The club’s defense has improved from last year thanks to the return of Teppo Numminen, and the play of Rivet, but there is no dominant defenseman on board who frightens young forwards and scores (Rivet is big but purely a defensive defenseman). The intimidation battle isn’t one the Sabres’ defense will likely win. Additionally, Coach Lindy Ruff’s refusal to create a dedicated shut-down line has not made the Sabres any tougher to play against, which has been the team’s Achilles’ heel in recent playoff runs.

The Sabres look forward to making the playoffs after being absent last season. With a bit more grit (it’s time for GM Regeir to land a veteran defenseman and a checking forward or two); the club could be a dark horse in the East this spring.

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