The Sabres joined the National Hockey League in 1970, along with the Vancouver Canucks. In the past 54 years, the team and the fans have enjoyed lots of highs and lows. Read on to learn more about some well-known or not so well-known Buffalo Sabres' facts.
Buffalo players have won almost every hockey award except the Cup
While hoisting Lord Stanley’s Cup has so far eluded Buffalo, individual players have won nearly every major hockey award over the years. That includes three Calder Trophy Rookies of the Year (Gilbert Perreault, Tom Barrasso and Tyler Myers), three Vezina Goaltenders of the Year (Barrasso, Dominik Hasek and Ryan Miller), two Frank Selke Trophy Best Defensive Forwards (Craig Ramsay, and Michael Peca) and two Bill Masterton Trophy winners (Don Luce and Pat LaFontaine).
As if that weren’t enough, Dominik Hasek won six Vezinas, one Hart Trophy as NHL MVP and the Lester Pearson MVP Trophy. Rob Ray earned a King Clancy Memorial Trophy, while Ted Nolan and Lindy Ruff won the Jack Adams Award as Coach of the Year.
Seven former players have coached the Sabres
Of Buffalo’s 20 head coaches since 1970, seven played for the team before becoming head coach. Forward Floyd Smith was first, playing for two seasons from 1970-72 before coaching the team to its first Stanley Cup Final appearance in 1975. Center Billy Inglis followed, becoming head coach in 1978. Former defenseman Jim Schoenfeld took the reins in 1985, but only lasted 43 games.
Forward Craig Ramsay, who played most of his career in Buffalo, spent part of the 1986-87 season behind the bench. Left winger Rick Dudley spent two years from 1989-91 as HC. Defenseman and left winger Lindy Ruff, longest-tenured Sabres head coach ever, was behind the bench from 1997 to 2013 and is now back in his old job. Fellow D-man Phil Housley coached the Sabres from 2017 to 2019.
The Sabres retired nine numbers, eight from the home team
Retired Sabres’ numbers include defenseman Tim Horton of restaurant fame (No. 2), left winger Rick Martin (No. 7), center Gilbert Perreault (No. 11), right winger Rene Robert (No. 14) and forward Danny Gare (No. 18).
Some other notable names are center Pat LaFontaine (No. 16) and goalies Ryan Miller and Dominik Hasek (30 and 39, respectively). In 2000, the NHL retired Edmonton Oilers forward Wayne Gretzky’s number, 99, league-wide, so Buffalo became part of that process.
The Blue and Gold played in the first NHL Winter Classic
The NHL Winter Classic, an annual outdoor event between two National Hockey League teams, first took place at Ralph Wilson Stadium on New Year’s Day 2008 in Orchard Park near Buffalo. The Sabres played against the Pittsburgh Penguins in front of a record crowd of 71, 217 fans.
While the final result wasn’t what Sabres fans hoped for, (Buffalo lost in a shootout) the event showcased Western New York as a place for hockey events of all kinds.
The Sabres joined the NHL as part of three major league Buffalo teams
The Buffalo Sabres became part of the National Hockey League in 1970. That same year, the American Football League Buffalo Bills officially joined the National Football League as part of the AFL-NFL merger.
Also in 1970, the Buffalo Braves debuted as part of the National Basketball Association (NBA). While the Braves left town in 1978, eventually becoming the L.A. Clippers, the Bills and Sabres are still around, cementing Western New York’s sports fan following.
Every Sabres home game features two national anthems
Unlike many NHL arenas, where singers often only perform the American or Canadian national anthem, depending on the country or the teams playing, crooners at KeyBank Center, home of the Sabres, sing both the U.S. and Canadian anthems before each game.
This tradition came about because Buffalo borders Canada and many fans cross over to watch the games. The Sabres were the first franchise to do this and continue it to this day.
Sabres spelling due to Canadian influence and fanbase
A saber is the normal American spelling. Many observers have wondered why Buffalo doesn’t spell its team name as the Sabers and this fact forces many sports writers to continually click “ignore” on their spell check each time they write about the team.
Blame Buffalo’s international border with Canada. Because of the boundary and the large number of Canadian fans, team owners Seymour and Northrup Knox decided to spell the name as “Sabres” in a nod to their neighbors across the river.
Team name came through a mail-in contest
Many sports teams located in Buffalo used the name Bisons in their name, including the city’s former minor league hockey team. New owners the Knox brothers wanted something different, so they asked fans to volunteer a new name through a mail-in contest. Over 14,00 answers came in, with names as diverse and bizarre as “The Flying Zeppelins”, “The Mugwumps”, “The Buzzing Bees” and “The Herd”.
The owners decided to go with a name Toronto filmmaker Harry Cole suggested, “The Sabres”. The reason was because a saber, or sword, is good at both attacking and defending, something every hockey team needs to do.
11 names are raised to the rafters at KeyBank Center
11 former Buffalo Sabres players and personnel are honored in banners hanging from the rafters at KeyBank Center in downtown Buffalo, the team’s home ice. They are, players Gilbert Perreault, Rene Robert, Rick Martin, Tim Horton, Danny Gare, Pat LaFontaine, Dominik Hasek and Ryan Miller. Founding owners Seymour and Northrup Knox and legendary broadcaster Rick Jeanneret also share this honor.
Team could have become the Hamilton Sabres
The Sabres have played in Buffalo, NY since 1970. The franchise went through several ownership changes over the years and like the NFL’s Buffalo Bills, could have left Western New York. In late 2007, then Sabres owner Tom Golisano received a call from Canadian businessman Jim Ballsillie. Ballsillie reportedly wanted to buy the team and relocate it to Hamilton, Ontario, a large city midway between Buffalo and Toronto.
Golisano was willing to sell the franchise, but not if it ended up leaving town. Golisano eventually sold the Sabres to Pennsylvania oil and gas developer Terry Pegula in 2011. Pegula and his wife Kim, the team’s co-owners, have no plans to sell the Sabres to anyone who wants to move them out of Buffalo.
Sources: 5 Obscure Buffalo Sabres Facts, Buffalo Sabres: Every retired number in franchise history, How the Sabres got their nameSabres hall-of-fame-play-by-play announcer Rick Jeanneret passes away