‘the most significant building block of the Buffalo juggernaut took place during the 2004-05 lockout season. That year, Regier, Ruff, and the rest of the Buffalo staff didn’t shuffle papers in their offices or play a round of golf every day. Instead, the Buffalo bosses made regular beelines for Rochester, where the Americans went 51-19-4-6 for an AHL-best 112 points (a franchise record). Ruff, recalled Houda, was in Rochester four or five times a week, evaluating prospects…’.