The Sabres haven't been to the playoffs since the last time Ruff was the coach. It's now his job to get them back.

Managing, or ignoring, the noise from the outside will be a challenge for the Sabres, the youngest team in the NHL. Nearly half of the forward depth chart has changed since March.

Coach Lindy Ruff is back in Buffalo and tasked with the responsibility of providing focus and structure to a young Sabres roster in a bid to finally end what's grown into a 13-year playoff drought.

It’s finally going to happen. In Don Granato’s first full season as the head coach of the Buffalo Sabres, they missed the playoffs by just one point and the offense finally arrived as one of the preeminent threats in the league.