Buffalo Sabres facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Buffalo Sabres |
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| Conference | Eastern |
| Division | Atlantic |
| Founded | 1970 |
| History | Buffalo Sabres 1970–present |
| Home arena | KeyBank Center |
| City | Buffalo, New York |
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| Colors | Royal blue, gold, white |
| Media | MSG Western New York WGR 550 Sabres Hockey Network |
| Owner(s) | Terry Pegula |
| General manager | Kevyn Adams |
| Head coach | Lindy Ruff |
| Captain | Rasmus Dahlin |
| Minor league affiliates | Rochester Americans (AHL) Jacksonville Icemen (ECHL) |
| Stanley Cups | 0 |
| Conference championships | 3 (1974–75, 1979–80, 1998–99) |
| Presidents' Trophies | 1 (2006–07) |
| Division championships | 6 (1974–75, 1979–80, 1980–81, 1996–97, 2006–07, 2009–10) |
The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team from Buffalo, New York. They play in the National Hockey League (NHL) as part of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team started in 1970, at the same time as the Vancouver Canucks, when the NHL added more teams.
The Sabres have played their home games at KeyBank Center since 1996. Before that, they played at the Buffalo Memorial Auditorium. The team is owned by Terry Pegula, who bought the club in 2011.
The Sabres have made it to the Stanley Cup Finals twice. They lost to the Philadelphia Flyers in 1975 and to the Dallas Stars in 1999. The Sabres and the Canucks are the oldest NHL teams that have never won the Stanley Cup. The Sabres currently have the longest streak of not making the playoffs in the NHL, which is 13 seasons.
Contents
Team History
Starting Out: The French Connection (1970–1981)
The Buffalo Sabres joined the NHL in the 1970–71 season with the Vancouver Canucks. The first owners were Seymour H. Knox III and Northrup Knox. Buffalo already had a history of professional hockey with the Buffalo Bisons in the American Hockey League (AHL).
The Knox brothers wanted a new name for the team. They held a contest, and "Sabres" was chosen. Seymour Knox thought a sabre (a type of sword) was a weapon used by a leader and could be good for both offense and defense.
In 1970, Buffalo became a big sports city. Besides the Sabres, the Buffalo Bills joined the National Football League, and the Buffalo Braves (basketball) also started playing. All three teams shared Memorial Auditorium. The Sabres became the most successful of the three.
When the Sabres first played, they used the song "Sabre Dance" as their unofficial anthem. It's still played today after goals and between periods.
In the 1970 NHL Amateur Draft, the Sabres had a chance to pick first. They won a special wheel spin and chose Gilbert Perreault. He scored 38 goals in his first season, a record for a rookie at the time, and won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the best rookie.
In their second season (1971–72), Rick Martin and Rene Robert joined Perreault. They formed one of the best forward lines in the 1970s. They were called "The French Connection" because they were all French-Canadian. Martin even broke Perreault's rookie goal record with 44 goals. The Sabres made the playoffs for the first time in 1972–73.
In the 1974–75 season, the Sabres had one of the best records in the NHL. They reached the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time, playing against the tough Philadelphia Flyers. One famous game was the "Fog Game" (Game 3), where the arena was so hot and humid that fog filled the ice. The Sabres won that game in overtime. However, the Flyers won the series 4–2.
The French Connection, along with 50-goal scorer Danny Gare, continued to play well in the late 1970s. But the Sabres couldn't get back to the Finals. The French Connection era ended when Robert was traded in 1979 and Martin in 1981. All three players (Perreault, Martin, Robert) had their jersey numbers (11, 7, and 14) retired. A statue of them was put up outside KeyBank Center in 2012.
New Rivals and Playoff Challenges (1981–1996)
From 1981–82 to 1996, the Sabres often finished in the middle of their division. They usually had to face strong teams like the Boston Bruins or Montreal Canadiens in the playoffs.
Gilbert Perreault reached 500 goals in the 1985–86 season and retired in 1986–87. The Sabres drafted Pierre Turgeon first overall in 1987. He quickly helped the team. In 1989, Alexander Mogilny joined the team. He was the first Soviet player to come to the NHL, opening the door for many others.
In 1992–93, star goaltender Dominik Hasek joined the Sabres. In the 1993 playoffs, the Sabres surprised the Bruins, winning their first playoff series in ten years. Brad May scored the winning goal in overtime, leading to the famous "May Day!" call from announcer Rick Jeanneret. However, the Sabres then lost to the Montreal Canadiens.
The Sabres moved to a new arena, Marine Midland Arena, in 1996–97. That season, they won their first division title in 16 years. Coach Ted Nolan won the Jack Adams Award as the NHL's top coach. Dominik Hasek won both the Hart and Vezina Trophies, becoming the first goalie to do so since 1962. Michael Peca won the Frank J. Selke Trophy as the best defensive forward.
The Black and Red Era (1996–2006)
Despite their success, there were problems between coach Ted Nolan and goalie Dominik Hasek. Hasek had an incident with a newspaper columnist. After the season, the team fired their general manager and then Nolan. Former Sabres captain Lindy Ruff was hired as the new head coach in 1997.
New Owners and Another Finals Trip
In 1997–98, the Sabres were sold to John Rigas, owner of Adelphia Communications. With Hasek, Miroslav Satan, Donald Audette, and Michael Peca, the Sabres reached the Eastern Conference Finals but lost.
In 1998–99, Miroslav Satan scored 40 goals. The team added Stu Barnes and Joe Juneau. The Sabres made it to the Stanley Cup Finals again, this time against the Dallas Stars. In Game 6, the Stars won the Stanley Cup with a controversial triple-overtime goal by Brett Hull. The rule about players being in the goalie's crease was changed after this.
The next season (1999–2000) was tough due to injuries. The Sabres lost in the first round of the playoffs. Captain Michael Peca sat out the 2000–01 season due to a contract dispute and was later traded. Even so, the Sabres beat Philadelphia in the first round of the playoffs. They then lost to the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 7 of the second round. After this, the Sabres traded Hasek to the Detroit Red Wings, ending an era of playoff success. Without Hasek and Peca, the Sabres missed the playoffs in 2002.
Ownership Changes and a Lockout
In 2002, the Sabres' owner, John Rigas, faced legal problems. The NHL took control of the team for a while. In 2003, the team was sold to a group led by Rochester, New York, billionaire Tom Golisano.
The 2004–05 NHL season was canceled because of a player lockout. But a new agreement was reached, and hockey returned for the 2005–06 season.
In 2005–06, the Sabres had their best record in over 20 years, making the playoffs. They won 52 games, a franchise record, and had 110 points. They beat the Philadelphia Flyers and the Ottawa Senators in the playoffs. The Sabres reached the Eastern Conference Final, but injuries hurt the team. They lost to the Carolina Hurricanes in seven games. Coach Lindy Ruff won the Jack Adams Award for Coach of the Year.
Back to Blue and Gold (2006–2010)
The Sabres started the 2006–07 season with a 10–0 winning streak, a new team record. They won the Presidents' Trophy for the first time, meaning they had the best record in the NHL. They beat the New York Islanders and New York Rangers to reach their second straight Eastern Conference Finals. However, they were eliminated by the Ottawa Senators in five games.
On July 1, 2007, the Sabres lost both of their co-captains, Daniel Briere and Chris Drury, who left as free agents. The team kept Thomas Vanek by matching a big contract offer from another team.
In 2007–08, the Sabres hosted the first-ever outdoor NHL Winter Classic game against the Pittsburgh Penguins. They lost 2–1 in a shootout. The Sabres did not make the playoffs that year, becoming one of the few teams to go from first overall to missing the playoffs in one season.
On October 8, 2008, Craig Rivet was named team captain. The Sabres made some trades and signed key players like Ryan Miller and Jason Pominville to long-term contracts. They missed the playoffs again in 2009.
In 2009–10, the Sabres made some trades, including getting Raffi Torres. They clinched a playoff spot on March 27 and won the Northeast Division title. However, they were eliminated by the Boston Bruins in six games in the first round of the playoffs.
The Pegula Era (2010–Present)
In November 2010, news broke that billionaire Terry Pegula wanted to buy the Sabres. Pegula, who founded a large energy company, bought the team for $189 million. The sale was approved by the NHL on February 18, 2011. It was said that another bidder wanted to buy the team but only if they could move it, which the Sabres had always opposed.
After Pegula took over, the Sabres played much better, finishing the regular season with a strong record. They made the playoffs for the second year in a row, defeating the Philadelphia Flyers in overtime to clinch a spot. They faced Philadelphia in the first round and lost in seven games.
Long Playoff Drought
The 2011–12 season started with the Sabres playing games in Finland and Germany. Jason Pominville was named the team's 13th captain. The team started strong but struggled after goalie Ryan Miller was injured. They missed the playoffs by a small margin.
The 2012–13 NHL lockout shortened the 2012–13 season. After a slow start, long-time head coach Lindy Ruff was fired in February 2013, ending his 16 seasons as coach. The team also traded away several key players, including captain Jason Pominville.
In the 2013–14 season, the team fired general manager Darcy Regier and interim head coach Ron Rolston. Former Sabres coach Ted Nolan returned as interim head coach. Pat LaFontaine was named president of hockey operations, and Tim Murray became the new general manager. Murray traded star goalie Ryan Miller and captain Steve Ott. The Sabres finished last in the NHL and missed the playoffs again.
The 2014–15 season was similar, with the team finishing last in the NHL. Some fans even cheered for losses, hoping it would help the team get a top pick in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft to select a highly talented player like Connor McDavid or Jack Eichel. The Sabres ended up with the second pick and chose Jack Eichel. Coach Nolan was fired, and Dan Bylsma was hired as the new head coach.
With new players like Eichel, Sam Reinhart, and Ryan O'Reilly, the team improved in 2015–16. Even though they missed the playoffs for the fifth year in a row, fans saw progress.
In 2017, the team fired both coach Dan Bylsma and general manager Tim Murray.
The Sabres hired former players Jason Botterill as general manager and Phil Housley as head coach. Former scoring leader Jason Pominville returned to the team.
On January 1, 2018, the Sabres played in the 2018 NHL Winter Classic again, losing to the New York Rangers.
In the 2017–18 season, Buffalo finished last in the NHL for the third time in five seasons. However, they won the draft lottery and picked Rasmus Dahlin first overall in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft.
The Sabres started the 2018–19 season very well, winning 10 games in a row and leading the league in points after 25 games. However, the team then struggled and missed the playoffs, leading to Housley's firing. Ralph Krueger was named head coach in May 2019.
In June 2020, Botterill was fired and Kevyn Adams became the new general manager.
On March 17, 2021, after a long losing streak, coach Ralph Krueger was fired. Don Granato became the interim head coach. The team continued to lose, tying an NHL record with an 18-game losing streak. Granato was named the permanent head coach.
In the 2022–23 season, the Sabres missed the playoffs for the 12th year in a row, setting an NHL record.
On April 16, 2024, Don Granato was fired. A week later, former coach Lindy Ruff was named the new head coach, returning for his second time with the team.
Team Information
Logos and Uniforms
The Sabres have mostly used a main logo with a bison on top of two crossed sabres inside a blue circle with gold trim. This logo was used from 1970 to 1996 and came back in 2020.
For many years, the Sabres wore white uniforms with blue and gold shoulders at home, and blue uniforms with gold stripes on the road.
In 1996, when they moved to KeyBank Center, the Sabres changed their colors to red, black, and silver. Their main logo became a "bison head."
The Sabres have had different third jerseys over the years, including a red one with "Buffalo" written on it. They also wore a special white jersey in 2001 with "NEW YORK" on it to honor the state after the September 11 attacks.
In 2006, the Sabres changed their colors to midnight blue, maize (gold), silver, and white. The new logo, a stylized bison, was often called the "Buffaslug." Even with the criticism, these jerseys sold well. The team later brought back their classic blue jerseys as a third option.
In 2010, the classic 1970–1996 logo was updated and became the main logo again, with modern blue and gold uniforms.
In 2013, a new gold and navy third jersey was introduced but only lasted two seasons.
The Sabres kept their uniforms similar when Adidas became their supplier. They were also the only NHL team to have numbers on the front of their jerseys for a while.
For the 2018 Winter Classic, the Sabres wore white uniforms with classic blue and gold colors, but with a different stripe design.
The 2019–20 season was the last for the navy and gold look. In August 2020, the Sabres showed off new uniforms that look like their original ones from the 1970s, bringing back the royal blue. They also released a "Reverse Retro" jersey, which was the old "crossed swords" logo but in the new blue, gold, and white colors.
In 2022, the Sabres announced that their black uniform from 1995 to 2006 would become their new third jersey.
Broadcasters
The Sabres have a team of broadcasters who call their games on TV and radio.
- Current Broadcasters
- Dan Dunleavy, who describes the play-by-play.
- Rob Ray, a former player who gives expert comments.
- Brian Duff, who hosts the studio show.
- Martin Biron, another former player who analyzes the games.
- Danny Gare, who sometimes fills in as a studio analyst.
- Past Broadcasters
Some famous past broadcasters include Rick Jeanneret, who was the play-by-play announcer for a very long time (1971–2022), and Jim Lorentz, a color commentator.
National Anthems
Before every Sabres home game, both the Canadian and U.S. national anthems are sung. This is because Buffalo is very close to the Canadian border, and many fans come from Canada. Doug Allen used to sing both anthems for many years.
Team Staff
The Sabres have a public address announcer, Jay Moran, who announces players and events during games.
In November 2021, the Sabres got an official team dog named Rick, a Newfoundland puppy trained as a service animal. He was later joined by Nikki, a golden retriever puppy.
Minor League Teams
The Sabres have two minor league teams where younger players develop their skills:
- The Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League (AHL). They play in Rochester, New York. The Americans have been affiliated with the Sabres for many years and have won three Calder Cup championships.
- The Jacksonville Icemen of the ECHL. They are based in Jacksonville, Florida.
Recent Season Records
Here's how the Sabres have done in their last five seasons:
Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, OTL = Overtime Losses/SOL = Shootout Losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against
| Season | GP | W | L | OTL | Pts | GF | GA | Finish | Playoffs |
| 2019–20 | 69 | 30 | 31 | 8 | 68 | 195 | 217 | 6th, Atlantic | Did not qualify |
| 2020–21 | 56 | 15 | 34 | 7 | 37 | 138 | 199 | 8th, East | Did not qualify |
| 2021–22 | 82 | 32 | 39 | 11 | 75 | 232 | 290 | 5th, Atlantic | Did not qualify |
| 2022–23 | 82 | 42 | 33 | 7 | 91 | 296 | 300 | 5th, Atlantic | Did not qualify |
| 2023–24 | 82 | 39 | 37 | 6 | 84 | 246 | 244 | 6th, Atlantic | Did not qualify |
Players and Staff
Team Captains
The Sabres have had many captains over the years, who are leaders on the ice. Some notable captains include:
- Floyd Smith, 1970–1971 (first captain)
- Danny Gare, 1977–1981
- Gilbert Perreault, 1981–1986
- Pat LaFontaine, 1992–1997
- Michael Peca, 1997–2000
- Daniel Briere and Chris Drury, 2005–2007 (co-captains)
- Jason Pominville, 2011–2013
- Jack Eichel, 2018–2021
- Kyle Okposo, 2022–2024
- Rasmus Dahlin, 2024–present (current captain)
Front Office Leaders
Kevyn Adams, a former NHL player, is the team's general manager since June 2020. Kim Pegula, who is part of the ownership group, is the team president.
Head Coaches
The Sabres have had 20 head coaches in their history. Many of them, like Lindy Ruff, Phil Housley, and Floyd Smith, also played for the Sabres during their careers. Lindy Ruff returned as head coach on April 22, 2024, for his second time coaching the team.
First-Round Draft Picks
The Sabres have had many high draft picks over the years. Some of their first overall picks include:
- Gilbert Perreault (1970)
- Pierre Turgeon (1987)
- Rasmus Dahlin (2018)
- Owen Power (2021)
Team Honors and Awards
Hockey Hall of Famers
Many players and important people from the Buffalo Sabres have been inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. This includes 13 former players and four "builders" (like general managers or owners) who helped shape the sport.
Some famous players in the Hall of Fame who played for the Sabres are:
- Gilbert Perreault
- Dominik Hasek
- Pat LaFontaine
- Phil Housley
- Dave Andreychuk
- Tim Horton
Retired Numbers
The Sabres have retired several jersey numbers to honor their greatest players. This means no other player on the team can wear that number again.
| No. | Player | Position | Career | Number Retirement |
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| 2 | Tim Horton | D | 1972–1974 | January 5, 1996 |
| 7 | Rick Martin | LW | 1971–1981 | November 15, 1995 1 |
| 11 | Gilbert Perreault | C | 1970–1987 | October 17, 1990 1 |
| 14 | Rene Robert | RW | 1972–1979 | November 15, 1995 1 |
| 16 | Pat LaFontaine | C | 1991–1997 | March 3, 2006 |
| 18 | Danny Gare | RW | 1974–1981 | November 22, 2005 |
| 30 | Ryan Miller | G | 2002–2014 | January 19, 2023 |
| 39 | Dominik Hasek | G | 1992–2001 | January 13, 2015 |
- 1 The numbers of Robert (14), Martin (7), and Gilbert Perreault (11) were all retired together as "The French Connection."
- The initials of team founders Seymour H. Knox III and Northrup R. Knox are also honored.
- The initials "RJ" honor longtime announcer Rick Jeanneret.
- The NHL retired Wayne Gretzky's No. 99 for all teams in 2000.
Buffalo Sabres Hall of Fame
The Sabres also have their own Hall of Fame to recognize important people in their history. This includes players, coaches, and staff.
Top Scorers (Regular Season)
These are the players who have scored the most points, goals, and assists in the Sabres' regular season history:
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Single-Season Records
These are some of the best individual performances in a single season for the Sabres:
- Most goals: Alexander Mogilny, 76 (1992–93)
- Most assists: Pat LaFontaine, 95 (1992–93)
- Most points: Pat LaFontaine, 148 (1992–93)
- Most wins (goalie): Ryan Miller, 41 (2009–10)
- Most shutouts (goalie): Dominik Hasek, 13 (1997–98)
NHL Awards and Trophies
Sabres players and coaches have won many important NHL awards:
- Presidents' Trophy: For the best regular season record (2006–07)
- Prince of Wales Trophy: For winning the Eastern Conference (1974–75, 1979–80, 1998–99)
- Calder Memorial Trophy: Best rookie player (Gilbert Perreault, Tom Barrasso, Tyler Myers)
- Hart Memorial Trophy: Most valuable player (Dominik Hasek twice)
- Jack Adams Award: Best coach (Ted Nolan, Lindy Ruff)
- Vezina Trophy: Best goalie (Don Edwards & Bob Sauve, Tom Barrasso, Dominik Hasek six times, Ryan Miller)
Images for kids
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Buffalo Sabres main logo
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Buffalo Sabres uniform
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Statue of The French Connection line outside KeyBank Center
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The Sabres playing a game in 1999
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Lindy Ruff at the 2006 NHL Awards
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Thomas Vanek
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The 2008 NHL Winter Classic
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Mikael Tellqvist
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Terry Pegula
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Jason Pominville
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Jack Eichel
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Phil Housley
See also
In Spanish: Buffalo Sabres para niños
