Sabre Noise
Fansided

Breaking down the rich history of the Buffalo Sabres logo

By Sion Fawkes

PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - DECEMBER 17: Mark Pysyk #13 of the Buffalo Sabres looks on during the third period of a game against the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG PAINTS Arena on December 17, 2021 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - DECEMBER 17: Mark Pysyk #13 of the Buffalo Sabres looks on during the third period of a game against the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG PAINTS Arena on December 17, 2021 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) /
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Buffalo Sabres
26 Mar 1997: Center Miroslav Satan of the Buffalo Sabres skates around the ice during a game against the New York Islanders at the Marine Midland Arena in Buffalo, New York. The Islanders won the game 3-2. /

1996-06 – The Goathead

When the Sabres relocated to their new arena, they unveiled a radically redesigned logo and color scheme. The colors were now red and black, with a bison’s head, nicknamed The Goathead, gracing the front of the jersey. On the shoulders, you saw a secondary logo comprising a stylized ‘B’ with a sabre running through it.

This logo and color scheme, though non-traditional in every aspect, became a hit with the Buffalo Sabres faithful that remains popular to this day. So much, there are fans out there who would love to see the look return as a throwback. A few have even suggested bringing back the jersey as an alternate, but in the team’s current colors of royal blue and gold.

In professional sports, radically redesigned logos rarely work. So for the Sabres to have concocted a popular logo that deviated dramatically from their original, they joined a rare club. In January 2022, Sports Logos did report the Goathead would return as an alternate in 2022-23. However, there has been little talk of a potential return since then.

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