The 2015 calendar year saw three Buffalo Sabres players make their NHL debuts, three notch their first NHL goals, and a handful of others make their debut with the Buffalo Sabres.
Most recently, it was Sam Reinhart who scored his first NHL goal on October 17, in a 2-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Reinhart had spent some time with the Buffalo Sabres during the 2014-2015 season, notching his first NHL point – an assist – in that stretch.
He was then assigned to the WHL’s Kootenay Ice, returning to the Buffalo Sabres for the start of the 2015-2016 season.
Reinhart got things started off with a bang, scoring his first NHL goal just about nine days into the Buffalo Sabres season.
Just two days prior, Jake McCabe had notched the first goal of his own NHL career.
McCabe’s first goal came on October 15, 2015, in a 3-2 loss to the Florida Panthers.
The 2012 draft pick had played seven games with the Buffalo Sabres in the 2013-14 season, and an additional two with the NHL club the next season, but the 2015-2016 season has been his first full year in the NHL.
And of course, first came Jack Eichel.
Eichel’s 2015 not only saw him get drafted second overall in June; he made his NHL debut and scored his first NHL goal that same night.
The goal came on October 8th, in the season-opening 3-1 loss to the Ottawa Senators.
Eichel wasn’t the only Buffalo Sabres player to make his NHL debut in the 2015 calendar year, though he’ll be the one most people remember first.
Others who made their NHL debuts: Andrey Makarov and Linus Ullmark.
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Makarov had been previously called up to the Buffalo Sabres in 2014, but while he dressed for a game, he never actually played.
That changed on April 4, 2015 when he was called upon to play in the Sabres’ game against the New York Islanders.
Makarov had 33 saves, allowing three goals against for a .917 save percentage in the 3-0 loss.
Ullmark made his North American debut with the Rochester Americans in late 2015, and was shortly thereafter recalled by the Buffalo Sabres.
The 22-year-old made his NHL debut on October 24, 2015 in a 4-3 loss to the New Jersey Devils.
He recorded his first NHL win just six days later, a 3-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers.
In addition to the aforementioned players, an additional ten players made their debuts with the Buffalo Sabres in the 2015 calendar year.
While these players had already appeared in at least one NHL game with another team, they made their Sabres debut in the year – and most of them are still with the Buffalo Sabres organization heading into 2016.
Those players: Zach Bogosian, Carlo Colaiacovo, Zac Dalpe, Jerry D’Amigo, Chad Johnson, Evander Kane, Robin Lehner, Anders Lindback, Cal O’Reilly and Ryan O’Reilly.
Next: Will Eichel Win the Calder?
Notice that there were significantly fewer NHL debuts in the 2015 calendar year than 2014; seven players made their NHL debuts with the Buffalo Sabres in an injury-riddled 2014.