On December 2, 1969, the National Hockey League granted two expansion franchises, growing the league from twelve to fourteen teams by adding teams in Buffalo and Vancouver. Shortly afterward, the Buffalo franchise ownership announced a \u201cName the Team\u201d contest to determine the team\u2019s identity. The contest received many creative entries, including names such as the Buzzing Bees, Mugwumps, and Flying Zeppelins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The name wound up becoming the \u201cSabres.\u201d A Sabre is pretty much a type of curved sword, primarily used by warriors during the 17th through 19th centuries. Ownership selected the name because they felt it was a good representation of both offensive strength and defensive capability, qualities they wanted the team to highlight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After choosing the team\u2019s name, the organization focused on establishing a strong visual identity. The Sabre\u2019s first logo featured a buffalo leaping over crossed swords within a blue circle outlined in yellow. This design effectively represented the team\u2019s name while creating a distinctive and recognizable brand. The blue and yellow color scheme became iconic and has remained closely associated with the franchise throughout its history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With the team\u2019s identity established, the next step was building the inaugural roster. Existing NHL teams could protect a certain number of players, leaving the rest available for selection by the expansion franchises through an expansion draft. The first overall pick in the 1970 expansion process was determined through a lottery-style system involving a carnival-style spinning wheel. Both the Sabres and the Vancouver Canucks were assigned numbers, and whichever number the wheel landed on received the first choice. The wheel landed on number eleven, giving the top pick to the Sabres. The team selected goal-scoring French-Canadian Gilbert Perreault, who quickly became the franchise\u2019s star and remains one of the best players in team history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Other notable players on the inaugural roster included experienced veteran Dick Duff, speedy forward Craig Ramsay, and defensive standouts Jerry Korab and Don Luce. With the roster in place, the Sabres entered their first NHL season in 1970\u20131971. Like many expansion teams, they experienced early struggles and finished with a record of twenty-four wins, thirty-nine losses, and fifteen ties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Despite these struggles, the Sabres soon developed into a competitive franchise. With Gilbert Perreault as their best player, the team added Rick Martin in the 1971 NHL Draft and acquired Rene Robert in a 1972 trade with the Pittsburgh Penguins. These three formed the legendary \u201cFrench Connection,\u201d named for their shared French-Canadian heritage and the popularity of a movie of the same name at the time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Led by the high-powered offense of the French Connection, the Sabres experienced one of their most successful seasons and advanced to the Stanley Cup Final in 1975. Although they fell short to the Philadelphia Flyers, known as the \u201cBroad Street Bullies\u201d for their physical play, the series remains a major point in the team\u2019s history, particularly for the infamous \u201cFog Game,\u201d which has become one of the most notable moments in league history. The \u201cFog Game\u201d was a game during the 1975 Stanley Cup Final in which, due to high humidity and no air conditioning, lots of fog covered the playing surface, which made sight very difficult.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After the dramatic 1975 Stanley Cup Final, the Sabres regrouped, determined to build on their success. The loss to the Flyers was rough, but the French Connection continued to dominate offensively, with Perreault, Martin, and Robert leading the team in scoring. In the following seasons, the Sabres remained a strong contender in the NHL, though injuries and an increasingly competitive league prevented them from reaching another Final immediately. The team focused on strengthening its defensive corps and goaltending, aiming to balance the high-powered offense that had made them famous.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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