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⁾