The very first thing you’ll hear earlier than the puck drops at a Buffalo Sabres residence recreation is the Canadian nationwide anthem. The Sabres are the one American skilled sports activities workforce to play “O Canada” earlier than each residence recreation, no matter whether or not their opponent is Canadian or not. What’s extra, the Sabres identify is spelled utilizing Canadian English and was created by a Toronto filmmaker.
The KeyBank Middle, residence of the Sabres, is lower than a 10-minute drive from the Canadian border—so shut which you can see Canada from the sector. Because of this, a big variety of Sabres season ticket holders reside in Southern Ontario. Hundreds of Canadians make the quick journey throughout the Niagara River every season to observe the workforce play, together with followers from the Larger Toronto Space who’re unwilling to pay the acute costs to attend Toronto Maple Leafs video games, the costliest tickets within the NHL.
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Right here’s a have a look at how Canada has influenced the Buffalo Sabres and why the workforce continues to have such shut ties to their neighbors three miles to the north.
Named in Honour of Canadians
The Sabres bought their identify in 1969 from Toronto filmmaker Harry Cole, who entered the suggestion in a name-the-team contest hosted by Seymour Knox III and Northrup Knox, the founding house owners of the franchise.
“Our identify denotes an aggressive, sharp and penetrating weapon on offense and a parrying weapon on protection,” Knox III mentioned in an announcement explaining the rationale behind their selection. Contemplating the variety of Sabres followers residing in Canada, particularly in Southern Ontario, the Knox brothers determined to honor these supporters through the use of the Canadian English variant of “saber”. The -res ending stands out towards the group’s fellow New York groups, the Rangers and Islanders, whose names each finish in -ers.
Historical past of Canadian Excellence
Buffalo has been residence to many Canadian hockey legends, together with the historic French Connection line of centre Gilbert Perreault, left-winger Rick Martin, and right-winger René Robert, who’re honoured in a statue outdoors of the KeyBank Middle.
The trio of French-Canadian forwards mixed for 1,116 objectives and a pair of,573 factors in 2,396 video games collectively and led the workforce to the playoffs each full season they performed with the Sabres. To today, Perreault leads the workforce in franchise objectives (512), assists (814), factors (1326), and video games performed (1191), whereas Martin leads the franchise in hat methods (21). Perreault was inducted into the Hockey Corridor of Fame in 1990 and is described as “probably the most naturally gifted forwards in NHL historical past.”
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The French Connection isn’t the one instance of Canadian excellence in Buffalo. In truth, 9 Canadians are featured among the many top-ten all-time factors leaders in franchise historical past, and 7 Canadians spotlight the top-ten in all-time franchise goaltender wins. Among the most memorable names in Sabres’ historical past are from Canada, together with Jim Schoenfeld, Pierre Turgeon, Danny Gare, and lots of extra.
Twelve Sabres gamers have been inducted into the Hockey Corridor of Fame. Of these 12, 9 (75%) are Canadian—Dave Andreychuk, Dick Duff, Grant Fuhr, Clark Gillies, Doug Gilmour, Dale Hawerchuk, Tim Horton, Gilbert Perreault, and Turgeon. As well as, Sabres play-by-play announcer Rick Jeanneret is a member of the Hockey Corridor of Fame as a hockey broadcaster. Jeanneret has introduced each season for the Sabres besides the primary, and travels from his residence in St. Catharines, Ontario for each name.
Tim Hortons Restaurant Chain
Tim Horton is a reputation everybody is aware of and loves in Canada and Buffalo. Born in Cochrane, Ontario, Horton recorded 115 objectives and 518 factors in 1,445 video games within the NHL and is a co-founder of the Canadian-famous fast-food restaurant chain. He was inducted into the Hockey Corridor of Fame in 1977.
In 1964, Horton opened his personal restaurant referred to as Tim Horton Donuts, which was later renamed Tim Hortons in Hamilton, Ontario. By 1968, it had change into a series and a multi-million greenback franchise. After Horton’s unlucky loss of life in a automotive accident close to St. Catharines, Ontario in 1974, his enterprise associate, Ron Joyce, purchased out the Horton household’s shares within the firm and commenced quickly increasing the chain. As of at this time, Tim Hortons has almost 5,000 eating places throughout 14 nations worldwide and is a Canadian and Buffalonian staple.
In 2014, a Sabres-themed Tim Hortons franchise opened outdoors the KeyBank Middle on the LECOM Harborcenter complicated to honour Horton’s Buffalo legacy.
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Canadian blood runs by way of the Sabres. There isn’t a different American skilled sports activities workforce with as deep a Canadian historical past. Subsequent time you’re on the KeyBank Middle for a recreation, be certain to maintain a watch out for items of Canadian historical past all through the sector. There’s much more than most individuals notice!
