Buffalo Sabres History: Who Wore It, Number 46
We continue our series about Buffalo Sabres history, with each day’s post highlighting a player to have worn the subsequent jersey number with the Buffalo Sabres. This series is not designed to say that any player is the ‘best’ to have worn that jersey number, but rather to allow fans to get a taste of the team’s history and learn more about some of the players in it.
Today’s post takes us to jersey number 46.
Surprisingly enough, #46 has only been worn by one player in Sabres history.
And get this – that player only ever played ONE regular season game with the Sabres, plus four playoff games, during the 1998-99 season.
So is this mysterious fellow?
Right winger Dean Sylvester, that’s who.
Sylvester was originally drafted by the San Jose Sharks in the 1993 NHL Supplemental Draft. After four years of college hockey with Kent State and Michigan State, he played in the IHL with the Kansas City Blades for parts of three seasons between 1995 and 1998. He also spent time with the Mobile Mysticks of the ECHL in the 1995-96 season.
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Sylvester came to the Buffalo Sabres organization as a free agent just before the 1998-99 season. He’d spend most of that season in Rochester, scoring 35 goals and 30 assists for 65 points in 76 regular season games with the Amerks. He also added 17 points (12-5) in 18 playoff games and appeared in five games (one regular season, one playoff) with the Sabres.
June 1999 saw Sylvester traded to the Atlanta Thrashers organization. He had 26 points in 52 games with Atlanta and also spent time with the Orlando Solar Bears, who were part of the IHL at the time. He split the 2000-2001 season between Orlando and Atlanta as well, before announcing his retirement in June 2001.
Throughout his career, he played in exactly 100 NHL games (regular season and playoffs combined) and had 37 points and 32 penalty minutes.
Other players to wear number 46 for the Sabres: None.