For the first time in 19 years, the Buffalo Sabres are heading to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs—and a familiar face in net is a huge reason why. Former Detroit Red Wings goaltender Alex Lyon turned in a stellar performance, stopping 25 shots to help Buffalo clinch their series against the Boston Bruins. The Sabres hadn't seen the second round since 2007, making this a milestone moment for the franchise.

This playoff run marks a dramatic turnaround for Buffalo, who ended the NHL's longest active postseason drought when they finally qualified for the first time since 2011. But their success comes with a bittersweet twist for Red Wings fans: Detroit now holds the unwanted distinction of the longest current playoff drought, having not qualified since 2016.

What stings even more for the Wings is seeing so many former players thriving in the postseason with their new teams. Vladimir Tarasenko, who managed just 11 goals in Detroit last season, more than doubled that total with the Minnesota Wild this year and helped them secure their first playoff series win in 11 years. Now, Lyon is following a similar script.

Lyon originally joined the Red Wings as an unrestricted free agent in 2023, fresh from serving as backup to Sergei Bobrovsky during what would become the first of three straight Stanley Cup Final appearances. In Detroit, he posted a solid 35-27-6 record with a 2.96 goals-against average and .901 save percentage. But after the Wings acquired John Gibson from the Anaheim Ducks last offseason and still had Cam Talbot under contract, Lyon became expendable.

He signed a two-year, $3 million contract with the Sabres—a $1.5 million cap hit that's already proving to be a bargain. For Buffalo, Lyon's arrival has been nothing short of a game-changer, and for Red Wings fans, it's another reminder of what might have been.