Question about Sabres History

[gregkash]

I was born in 1984 so I wasn't around for this.. I'm watching on youtube, the events after the aud took place. Specifically right now the banner lowering. (http://www.youtube.com/user/gregkash#p/f/18/tmR0c9jo51g) Now I was at this game but I was 13 and didn't think of it at the time, but on the championship banners there's a 1975 Adams Division, a 1975 Prince of Wales Conference, and that's the year of course we played Philly for the cup.

 

My question is, the one over is a 1980 we have an Adams banner, and a PRince of Wales banner, but we didn't play for the cup? Someone care to explain, cuz at least when I was growing up there was the Prince of Wales Conference and the Clarence Campbell Conference and the winner of each would face off for the cup...

 

So could someone clarify for me please?

[Assquatch]

Can't view youtube from work but is it possible the conference in which they played is just being listed on a division championship banner?

[shrader]

The banner is for having the most points in the conference that year. It worked that way back then for some reason.

 

Edit: I looks like they also advanced further than anyone in the conference that year. I'm not sure how the playoffs worked back then, but that season, two Campbell Conference teams, the Flyers and Islanders (in the same division too) met in the finals. The WHA merger made things interesting.

[Stoner]

In 1980, teams were seeded 1-16 regardless of conference. So you couldn't win a conference championship in the playoffs. The team with the most regular season points in the conference was deemed to be the winner of the conference. Same thing in 1975 when the Sabres won a tiebreaker with Montreal (wins). A divisional playoff format started in 1982, and the current conference format in 1994.