The Buffalo Sabres were established in 1970 as an NHL expansion team 1)
The Sabres have played in Buffalo, New York since their founding in 1970 2)
Buffalo has made it to the Stanley Cup Final twice: in 1975 and 1999 3)
The Sabres are among the oldest NHL franchises without a Stanley Cup championship 4)
The Sabres’ famous “French Connection” line included Gilbert Perreault, Rick Martin, and René Robert in the 1970s 5)
Buffalo first qualified for the NHL playoffs in the 1972–73 season 6)
The Sabres won their division in 1974–75 and advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals, losing to the Philadelphia Flyers 7)
Buffalo acquired legendary goalie Dominik Hašek in 1992, who became one of the greatest goaltenders in NHL history with the Sabres 8)
The 1999 Finals loss to Dallas was marred by a controversial triple-overtime winning goal by Brett Hull 9)
Pat LaFontaine, Gilbert Perreault, Dominik Hašek, and Ryan Miller are among the Sabres’ all-time greats 10)
In 2007, Buffalo’s then-owner was approached by a potential buyer aiming to relocate the team to Hamilton, Ontario 11)
Gilbert Perreault’s number 11 is retired by the Sabres in honor of the franchise’s first draft pick and legendary center 12)
Goalie Ryan Miller’s number 30 is retired by the Sabres in recognition of his record-setting NHL career with Buffalo 13)
Buffalo recorded 53 wins in the 2006–07 NHL season, the franchise record for most wins in a single season 14)
The Sabres set their franchise record for most points in a single season with 113 points in both 1974–75 and 2006–07 15)
Buffalo’s 2006–07 season included a 53-22-7 record, culminating in a deep playoff run 16)
The Sabres experienced their worst record in 2014–15 with just 21 wins and multiple seasons of losing records in the 2010s 17)
The Sabres have qualified for the NHL playoffs 29 times in their 55 seasons through 2026 18)
The Sabres last made the playoffs in 2011 and have missed the postseason since then, including the 2025 season 19)
Several former Sabres players have gone on to become NHL head coaches, showing the franchise’s influence on the sport 20)
Buffalo players have won many individual NHL awards, including MVPs and Vezina Trophies, but never a Stanley Cup 21)
The Sabres have played their home games at the KeyBank Center (formerly First Niagara Center) since 1996 22)
The Sabres’ first head coach was George “Punch” Imlach, who guided the team through its early years 23)
The team name “Sabres” was chosen through a naming contest inspired by the weapon symbolizing strength and cutting edge 24)
The Sabres have had players with very high penalty minutes, reflecting their physical style, including Rob Ray’s 300+ minutes in multiple seasons 25)
Gilbert Perreault holds many of the team’s scoring records, including career goals, assists, and points 26)
The Sabres’ first-ever draft pick was Gilbert Perreault, selected 1st overall in 1970 27)
Buffalo was part of the NHL’s rapid expansion phase in 1970, doubling the league from 12 to 14 teams 28)
Buffalo’s longest winning streak in franchise history is nine games, reached most recently in the 2022–23 season 29)
The Sabres have officially retired the jersey numbers of four players, including Perreault, Hašek, Miller, and Martin 30)
The Sabres have been strongly supported by Buffalo’s community despite challenges on the ice, with long-standing fan loyalty 31)
Their main rivals include the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, and Boston Bruins, fueling some of the fiercest games 32)
In addition to Hašek and Miller, the franchise has had several notable goaltenders who achieved league-wide success 33)
The Sabres’ mascot is Sabretooth, a saber-toothed tiger caricature used for fan engagement 34)
The team colors are royal blue, gold, and white, reflecting the traditional hockey palette of the 1970s 35)
Their iconic buffalo silhouette with crossed sabres has evolved subtly over the decades but remains instantly recognizable 36)
The Sabres are part of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference of the NHL 37)
As of November 2025, the Sabres record is 7-8-4 with 18 points in the current NHL season 38)
Buffalo has selected numerous NHL stars in the entry draft, but also missed on several highly touted prospects 39)
The team’s long playoff absence since 2011 has been a major topic among fans and analysts 40)
Throughout their history, the Sabres have had standout power-play and penalty-kill units, contributing to eras of team success 41)
Buffalo’s Sabres enjoy passionate fan support, often selling out games regardless of team performance 42)
Several Sabres players have been inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, including Perreault, Hašek, and Martin 43)
Ownership changes and management turmoil have affected the team’s performance and stability at different points 44)
The Sabres organization has been active in local charity and community engagement programs off the ice 45)
Sabres vs. Maple Leafs have produced some of the oldest and most intense rivalries in hockey playoffs history 46)
Several Sabres players have represented their countries in Olympic competitions, showcasing international talent from the franchise 47)
Over decades, Buffalo’s approach has shifted between youth development, free agency signings, and rebuilds 48)
The Sabres have invested in strong development systems producing NHL-ready talent from their minor league affiliates 49)