Top 5 most heated rivalries in Buffalo Sabres history
The Buffalo Sabres have existed for over 50 seasons and they have concocted more than a few major rivalries since their inception.
The Buffalo Sabres traded Jack Eichel to the Vegas Golden Knights on November 4th, 2021. It sparked a potential inter-conference rivalry between a hard-luck franchise and one that had never experienced a losing season or even a missed playoff berth until Eichel arrived. So while a rivalry between the Sabres and Knights brews with each passing season there are five that the Sabres have engaged in for decades.
And those are the heated feuds we will talk about today. Whether they are just physical games in general, or cross-border battles for supremacy, here are five teams the Buffalo Sabres and their faithful following always get satisfaction from beating. Let’s start with the nearest market.
Who are the Buffalo Sabres biggest rivals? Team #1 – Toronto Maple Leafs
On March 3rd, 2022, Matthew Morris of The Hockey Writers labeled the Buffalo Sabres-Toronto Maple Leafs rivalry as the most underrated in the NHL. This came one day after the Sabres upset the Maple Leafs and just 10 before the Auston Matthews-Rasmus Dahlin incident.
This rivalry reminds me a lot of the Pittsburgh Steelers-Cleveland Browns tilt in the NFL – two cities separated by a highway, similar cultures, geographic features, and rich histories. But not only are the Sabres and Leafs connected with all the above criteria, just like Cleveland and Pittsburgh they also share interwoven histories.
The Maple Leafs had a borderline monopoly in what is known as the Golden Horseshoe, and the Sabres threw a wrench in that come 1970. It’s probably clear Leafs management wasn’t too fond of this upstart franchise. Then Punch Imlach, previously with the Leafs, headed up those first Sabres teams.
Like any other manager/coach coming from another franchise, Imlach brought numerous former Leafs with him, with longtime Leaf Tim Horton eventually joining in. Over the next five decades, dozens of players swapped sides, and we would need to write another dozen slideshows to name them all.
Of course, being the Original Six team that the Leafs are, they hold themselves to a set standard. Unfortunately for them and fortunately for those in the Queen City, the Sabres have owned the Leafs, leading the series by a substantial margin.
Article Source: Maple Leafs-Sabres Rivalry Is NHL’s Most Underrated by Matthew Morris
Boston Bruins
Some say the Maple Leafs are the Buffalo Sabres biggest rivals. But many others will point to the Boston Bruins. This is one of those strange rivalries that saw few incidents during the Sabres formative years, but has gained steam over the past 30. Not that the earlier days were not without incident.
One major moment occurred on December 13th, 1972, when Jim Schoenfeld crashed into Wayne Cashman as the latter pursued the puck. The two fell through the doors, sparking a massive brawl.
Of course, when you play in the same division, you are going to meet often in the playoffs. The Sabres and Bruins are no exception, having played against one another eight times, with the Sabres holding a 2-6 record. However, one of the most famous calls in NHL history came in a playoff sweep over the Bruins in 1993, which of course, was the May Day Goal.
And finally, we cannot end this section without mentioning the infamous Lucic-Miller incident on November 12th, 2011. Miller ventured outside the crease when Milan Lucic lost control of the puck. Just as Miller looked as though he were about to take control, Lucic nailed him, resulting in a concussion for the Sabres goaltender.
The incident did not warrant a suspension on Lucic. But he would receive a one-game ban after an illegal check on Zac Rinaldo of the Philadelphia Flyers.
Montreal Canadiens
While the Buffalo Sabres rivalry with the Montreal Canadiens is not as prevalent as those listed above, it is nonetheless one of the biggest. Despite a smaller number of incidents, the Canadiens rank #2 on the Sabres list for number of fights, behind only the Bruins. Want more fun? The Sabres also rank #2 on the Canadiens list, with Toronto clocking in at #3 for both teams.
As with the Bruins, the Sabres and Canadiens are quite familiar with one another during the Stanley Cup Playoffs, with the two teams meeting up seven times. The Sabres stand at 3-4 against their division rivals during the postseason, but they did win in their most recent meeting, which occurred back in 1998.
Overall, this rivalry is one of the more physical ones for the Sabres, given the number of fights. But if you are looking for arguably the most competitive rival that the Sabres have, and also one with the biggest brawl, the next team may fit that mold.
Ottawa Senators
Arguably right on par if not higher than the Buffalo Sabres rivalry with the Canadiens are the Ottawa Senators. February 22nd, 2007 is one such date that both franchises will always have circled in red. It was the day of the infamous brawl, instigated when Chris Drury took an unnecessary hit from Chris Neil.
Then head coach Lindy Ruff responded with a line that featured Patrick Kaleta, Andrew Peters, and Adam Mair. That’s when the game turned into something that resembled a battle royal on the ice, so much even goaltenders Martin Biron and Ray Emery got into it. And at one point, even the coaches looked as though they were about to square off.
There have been other notorious incidents over the years, but this one stands out the most among both franchises and fan bases. But classic battles have also erupted, including several playoff battles that started in the late 1990s when the Sabres knocked off the Senators four games to three in 1997.
On their way to the Stanley Cup Final in 1999, the Sabres swept the Senators, before defeating them in five games in 2006. Unfortunately, the Senators got the best of the Sabres in 2007, the same year in which the brawl occurred.
Neither team has done much since the Senators deep postseason run in 2017, as each have missed the playoffs between the 2017-18 and 2021-22 seasons. But now that they have improved in recent years, the Sens and Sabres might just start partying like it’s the late 1990s and early 2000s once more.
Article Source: Rivalry Week: Sabres vs. Senators by Melissa Burgess
Philadelphia Flyers
Numerous playoff series prompted me to pick the Flyers as the Buffalo Sabres fifth biggest rival. It started in the 1975 Stanley Cup Final, with the Flyers taking it from the Sabres in six games. The two teams have met in the playoffs nine times, with the Flyers holding a dramatic advantage record-wise.
Of course, when you think of heated rivalries involving the Flyers, the Pittsburgh Penguins come to mind. But NHL.com reminded hockey fans everywhere regarding the brutality of the dozens of contests that have taken place between the Sabres and Flyers.
One reason this rivalry isn’t as prevalent as the others on this list, however, is the fact that it comes in waves, before a trough envelopes. Following the 1974-75 season, the rivalry had its moments, but remained rather dormant before it erupted once more between 1997 and 2001.
After another few years of dormancy, another series of heated matchups ensued between 2005 and 2011. The Rasmus Ristolainen trade could even spark a fourth wave between the two teams, given the way the Sabres grew while the Flyers faltered over the 2021-22 season. And it can even grow more bitter if Isak Rosen becomes a viable NHL player.
light. Related Story. Sabres Bad Memories: The 2014-15 debacle
Overall, the five rivalries listed above, plus the infamous honorable mention in the first part of this article, are among the fiercest in Buffalo Sabres history. And while new rivalries will spring up, look for continued animosity between the Sabres and those historic opponents mentioned in these slides.
Article Source: Rival in Focus: Buffalo Sabres by Bill Meltzer