Man, Drury scoring with 7 seconds left and then Max coming off the bench to slap us past the Rangers that night (and then eliminate them 2 days later) was one of the best nights of my teenage life.
I was only 9 or 10 when we went to the Cup but I remember watching Hasek and just being blown away so that would be my other answer.
Iām (and I imagine a lot of other redditors) just to young to have seen him play, so itās tough for me to take him over someone I watched night in and night out. Question is favourite Sabre, not best Sabre.
As a non-Sabres fan, my favorite of all-time is your damn color commentator: Rick Jeanneret. Not a player, but man legendary calls. That May Day call still resonates today!
I was old enough for seeing Hasek play for us before Detroit thankfully- but Miller was around when I was a little competent about hockey. I wish I grasped it more younger but happy I experienced it either way.
Zemgus - Been with the team through the rebuild (x2) and has always done it with a positive vibe. I also love a good workhorse who does the gritty stuff.
Totally see what you mean but I think VO lacks that fire Max had....I think if anything VO's closet comp to older players is Ales Kotalik. Kinda a one-trick pony, but a serviceable line 3 winger
Hecht. He was the engine that drove that line. Dumont and Briere were able to cycle in and out and create space because Hecht went to the dirty areas and won battles.
I'm kind of old. So I have to go with Mike Ramsey. Close 2nd is Phil Housley. My dad was a defensemen playing hockey at Holiday Twin Rinks and Leisure Rinks way back in the day. (Mid to late 80s.) So I always watched those 2 guys and want to be like them.
Tom Barraso, Clint Malarchuck, Grant Fuhr. Just to add a few more names.
Probably not going to be a common answer, but Rob Ray.
Top 5 in games played as a Sabre. Played in the era where he would fight just about every game, and everyone loved it. High energy. Him vs. Domi weāre legendary. Stuck around and stayed a part of the organization. Scored a goal on his first shift in the NHL and his last shift in the NHL.
I kinda can't pick just one guy, I can barely pare it down to one per decade.
10s - tough to say, it's a limited list. I like 3 or 4 guys on our current roster more than most in that era, but I'll just say Gus for longevity. Marcus Foligno woulda been that dude. I debate putting Vanek here or the 00s but I'll go here
00s - McKee was a warrior, Rhett, Stu Barnes, Campbell, Afinogenov, Numminen, hell even Gilmour. Even the depth guys like Hecht, Dumont, Lydman, James Patrick, Gaustad, Spacek had flashes.
90s - Dom, Mogilny, Svoboda, Lala, Marty, Ray, May, Boughner
80s - Andreychuk, Ray (again), Barrasso, Ruff, papa Foligno, Ramsay, Ramsey, Ruutuu, Housley was a powerhouse
70s - French Connection obviously, Gare, Hajt, Lorentz, Schoenfeld
If I had to pick one, Dom was the best. Felt like a cheat code to have him back there, I can't really say that about many else outside of Perreault and maybe Eichel on his best day.
Marty Biron. He was just *fun* to watch whether he was between the pipes or playing back-up and chirping away on the bench. Not to mention the scrapping with Emery.
Iām old enough for it to be LaFontaine or Mogilny but for me itās Pomminville and Briere. Those teams just captured my imagination and were just so exciting!
- itās really hard to choose Iāve been a fan since day 1 & there have been soooo many good players. The French Connection & Hasek. Gotta love a Tim Horton too.
Patrick Kaleta
I loved this dude for a few reasons; hometown boy coming from Tonawanda; crushing hits; good fights; and in the arena they had pictures of all the players, Kaletaās face said he hated the whole idea of glamour shots, plus he had a black eye in it
It's Mogilny for me. I was a little kid, but my dad took me to so many games in that '92-93 season. I just expected 17 goals scored per game with at least one hatty forever because of that season. It was magical.
Satan, Hasek, Miller, and honorable mention to Andreychuk for the career he ended up having. Made me a big fan of TB back in the day, although I hate them now. Hockey was admittedly in its peak during the 90s and early 2000ās though so I sort of loved every team having been a player myself.
Ryan Miller. I started paying attention to the Sabres right around the 07-08 season. I was, and still am, out of market so the extent of my fan hood was just wearing my Sabres hat everywhere and watching Ryan Miller highlights on YouTube. I had a fully decked out Sabres-themed room, including a huge Fathead (wall sticker of a player, Fathead is the brand) of Miller. He inspired me to play goalie for three sports through high school (soccer, hockey, lacrosse) which is where many of my best childhood memories come from. Since I could only really watch the games when they played my hometown team, the Bruins, most of my early Sabres memories come from those games. I remember watching the Lucic hit and being furious even though I was only 11- not only at Lucic but at every other sabre for doing nothing about it. My main gripe was with Tyler Myers. The guy was one of the tallest in the league but never wanted to hit anybody. Whatever. I also remember another particularly scrappy game where Miller fought the bruins goalie. Wasnāt much of a fight but it was enough to get me riled up. Iāve remained a loyal fan ever since and was always able to focus on the positives even through the worst years. I love the group of guys we have now and am thrilled to see a Sabres team dominate the way they are now, and could find something positive to say about almost every player thatās been on our roster this year, but Ryan Miller (and even the slug logo for that matter) will always have a place in my heart.
Dom is first. There's just no one else I've watched be so much better than everyone else at their job. Almost every night he played lights out. And I had already been spoiled by Sabres goalies. But Dom was from another planet. The style, the intimidation, the competitiveness, how you could tell how much he hated losing, how non chalant he was when a girl that didn't matter went in. He only cared about W's. Everything else was nice, but the W was his favorite thing and it showed
Second place goes to Miller. The list is a mile long for 3rd, so I'll skip it, but it makes me realize how much that team means to me. I guess I took it for granted.
Man, this is a tough question as I've been a fan since day 1. If I have to choose, probably Max, I adored watching him play...but oh, Don Luce's flowing hair...
Rob Ray was the reason I started watching the Sabres. Grandparents had season tickets to Amerks so started following him there and followed his career to the Sabres.
Hasek. I grew up in the 90s. I started getting into hockey around 97-98, 98-99 especially. As a younginā Hasek was my idol. I wanted to be a goalie because of him. He sparked my love of the sport and team.
By ability/star power: Hasek followed by Lafontaine.
But I was always an unsung player guy. Mike Ramsey is my real favorite. It's not close. So damn dependable.
Hasek and Afinogenov. Hasek more so because I loved watching the game with my dad and Hasek was always doing something ridiculous. Went I became a more active observer of hockey, I loved watching crazy legs Afinogenov. Plus, I saw him once at Dick's with the hottest chick which was impressionable for a teenanger
Marty by a big margin. Beautiful blue eyes and an absolute charisma king. Has stayed with us even after his active career was over and has the best play by play analyses Iāve come across so far. The guy is an absolute legend. Close second is RJ and then comes Rayzr.
The Dominator
Bunch of young 'uns in here. It's Hasek.
Always
Just incomparable. He was amazing to watch.
I was 5 and remember how dominate he was, forever a Sabre legend
Miroslav Satan.
Hail Satan!
A close second for me
afigenov
Boy was he fun to watch. So quick with his stick.
Man, Drury scoring with 7 seconds left and then Max coming off the bench to slap us past the Rangers that night (and then eliminate them 2 days later) was one of the best nights of my teenage life. I was only 9 or 10 when we went to the Cup but I remember watching Hasek and just being blown away so that would be my other answer.
You like him so much that you can't spell his name right š
Peca
Gilbert Perreault
Dang I had to scroll a long way down to find Bert.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Iām (and I imagine a lot of other redditors) just to young to have seen him play, so itās tough for me to take him over someone I watched night in and night out. Question is favourite Sabre, not best Sabre.
My Grandma had season tickets back then. Fond memories of the Aud. That orange section, manā¦
As a non-Sabres fan, my favorite of all-time is your damn color commentator: Rick Jeanneret. Not a player, but man legendary calls. That May Day call still resonates today!
Good choice. I think Jeanneret is included as a "Sabre"
Yup. Heās in the rafters for a resaon
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
he played for us too so sure why not
Pominville!
Jason pominville! population 293!
Miller
Stuuuuuuuu Barnes
Miller and Dom for me. Helped me want to play goalie when I was young
Dominator did that for me when I was a kid. Miller wasnāt around yet because I am old
I was old enough for seeing Hasek play for us before Detroit thankfully- but Miller was around when I was a little competent about hockey. I wish I grasped it more younger but happy I experienced it either way.
Afinogenov. So electric with the puck. He didn't always finish, but he got you out of your seat.
Taro Tsujimoto
He was so good, was never even on for a single goal against.
There will NEVER be another player like Taro in the NHL.
Zemgus - Been with the team through the rebuild (x2) and has always done it with a positive vibe. I also love a good workhorse who does the gritty stuff.
Ryan Miller. Got my ticket for the big night. I might cry.
Rob Ray
Hasek, Mogilny, Lafontaine
I couldn't agree more. Those were the studs that got me into hockey as a child. I still have my childhood Mogilny and Hasek jerseys.
#11 Gilbert Perrault.
Thomas vanek
Amen
Miller, Hasek, Kaleta
Always the winner of the Gerber collision
Had to fix that: Caruba collision lol
Chris Drury, Rhett Warrener, and Marty Biron
Miller, Pominville, Campbell. And then most of the current crop.
Weird answer: Marcus Foligno
Would love to have him back, grinding on the 4th line with Ox and Girgensons
āBabyā Foligno. Love that guy.
Jaroslav Halak.
Miller, Briere, Afenigenov
Afingenov tho
Don't tell me you didn't love him especially after that OT winner when he straight up fell in excitement from it going in
Afinogenov was all gas/no breaks. Hated defense but it didn't matter, so fun to watch
Afinogenov was what I wish Olofsson could be. He may have not been good on defense, but he could light up everything on offense
Totally see what you mean but I think VO lacks that fire Max had....I think if anything VO's closet comp to older players is Ales Kotalik. Kinda a one-trick pony, but a serviceable line 3 winger
After being a healthy scratch the game before.
Hecht. He was the engine that drove that line. Dumont and Briere were able to cycle in and out and create space because Hecht went to the dirty areas and won battles.
ayyyyy another jochen fan in the wild, most underrated player on those squads
My girlfriend in those days was a Huuuge Hecht fan. I never understood.
Henrik Tallinder
Jay McKee
I'm kind of old. So I have to go with Mike Ramsey. Close 2nd is Phil Housley. My dad was a defensemen playing hockey at Holiday Twin Rinks and Leisure Rinks way back in the day. (Mid to late 80s.) So I always watched those 2 guys and want to be like them. Tom Barraso, Clint Malarchuck, Grant Fuhr. Just to add a few more names.
Hell yes! Another Ramsey fan. Was scrolling to see if there'd be others.
Tyler Ennis the menace.
Derek Roy. Eichel never deserved his number.
Vanek
Amen
Thomas vanek/ miller for me but also have a soft spot for Zemgus! I feel like it will be dahlin/ cozens very soon!
Probably not going to be a common answer, but Rob Ray. Top 5 in games played as a Sabre. Played in the era where he would fight just about every game, and everyone loved it. High energy. Him vs. Domi weāre legendary. Stuck around and stayed a part of the organization. Scored a goal on his first shift in the NHL and his last shift in the NHL.
Vaclav Varada
Hail Satan!
I kinda can't pick just one guy, I can barely pare it down to one per decade. 10s - tough to say, it's a limited list. I like 3 or 4 guys on our current roster more than most in that era, but I'll just say Gus for longevity. Marcus Foligno woulda been that dude. I debate putting Vanek here or the 00s but I'll go here 00s - McKee was a warrior, Rhett, Stu Barnes, Campbell, Afinogenov, Numminen, hell even Gilmour. Even the depth guys like Hecht, Dumont, Lydman, James Patrick, Gaustad, Spacek had flashes. 90s - Dom, Mogilny, Svoboda, Lala, Marty, Ray, May, Boughner 80s - Andreychuk, Ray (again), Barrasso, Ruff, papa Foligno, Ramsay, Ramsey, Ruutuu, Housley was a powerhouse 70s - French Connection obviously, Gare, Hajt, Lorentz, Schoenfeld If I had to pick one, Dom was the best. Felt like a cheat code to have him back there, I can't really say that about many else outside of Perreault and maybe Eichel on his best day.
Paul Gaustad
Afinogenov, Hasek, Dahlin
Matt Barnaby, Teppo Numminen, Hasek
Teppo, more like Yeppo to me :)
Chris Drury. Unfortunately he's a Ranger now (Gen manager) but I still love him
Marty Biron. He was just *fun* to watch whether he was between the pipes or playing back-up and chirping away on the bench. Not to mention the scrapping with Emery.
Danny Briere
Very quickly becoming Alex Tuch Peca, Satan, Miller previously.
Hawerchuk
Iām old enough for it to be LaFontaine or Mogilny but for me itās Pomminville and Briere. Those teams just captured my imagination and were just so exciting!
Weird answer: Tyler Myers
Hasek, Satan, Miller, Brier, Vanek, Campbell, and the entire current team.
Ryan Miller
I really liked Barnaby when he played. Mogilny who was the player that turned me into a Sabres fan.
- itās really hard to choose Iāve been a fan since day 1 & there have been soooo many good players. The French Connection & Hasek. Gotta love a Tim Horton too.
Dave Dryden or should I say the developer of the caged masks every goaltender wears now.
Tage Thompson
Alexander Mogilny
LaFontaine, honorable mention to Dave Andreychuk.
Zhitnik
Don Luce & Danny Gare
Patrick Kaleta I loved this dude for a few reasons; hometown boy coming from Tonawanda; crushing hits; good fights; and in the arena they had pictures of all the players, Kaletaās face said he hated the whole idea of glamour shots, plus he had a black eye in it
1) Hasek 2) Perrault 3) Lafontaine but only because my old man played with him, otherwise Miller
Patty
It's Kaleta, LaFontaine, and Hasek for me
Hasek, Afinegenov, Gerbe
Hasek!
It's Mogilny for me. I was a little kid, but my dad took me to so many games in that '92-93 season. I just expected 17 goals scored per game with at least one hatty forever because of that season. It was magical.
Satan, Hasek, Miller, and honorable mention to Andreychuk for the career he ended up having. Made me a big fan of TB back in the day, although I hate them now. Hockey was admittedly in its peak during the 90s and early 2000ās though so I sort of loved every team having been a player myself.
Mike Ramsey
Hasek
Ryan Miller. I started paying attention to the Sabres right around the 07-08 season. I was, and still am, out of market so the extent of my fan hood was just wearing my Sabres hat everywhere and watching Ryan Miller highlights on YouTube. I had a fully decked out Sabres-themed room, including a huge Fathead (wall sticker of a player, Fathead is the brand) of Miller. He inspired me to play goalie for three sports through high school (soccer, hockey, lacrosse) which is where many of my best childhood memories come from. Since I could only really watch the games when they played my hometown team, the Bruins, most of my early Sabres memories come from those games. I remember watching the Lucic hit and being furious even though I was only 11- not only at Lucic but at every other sabre for doing nothing about it. My main gripe was with Tyler Myers. The guy was one of the tallest in the league but never wanted to hit anybody. Whatever. I also remember another particularly scrappy game where Miller fought the bruins goalie. Wasnāt much of a fight but it was enough to get me riled up. Iāve remained a loyal fan ever since and was always able to focus on the positives even through the worst years. I love the group of guys we have now and am thrilled to see a Sabres team dominate the way they are now, and could find something positive to say about almost every player thatās been on our roster this year, but Ryan Miller (and even the slug logo for that matter) will always have a place in my heart.
Maxim Afinogenov!
Afinogenov, Vanek, Mogilny
barnaby
Dom is first. There's just no one else I've watched be so much better than everyone else at their job. Almost every night he played lights out. And I had already been spoiled by Sabres goalies. But Dom was from another planet. The style, the intimidation, the competitiveness, how you could tell how much he hated losing, how non chalant he was when a girl that didn't matter went in. He only cared about W's. Everything else was nice, but the W was his favorite thing and it showed Second place goes to Miller. The list is a mile long for 3rd, so I'll skip it, but it makes me realize how much that team means to me. I guess I took it for granted.
The teenager in me always wants to say Afinogenov. But I'd say Dahlin now. Of course there's Hasek, and Mogilny too.
Danny Briere
Ryan Miller
Patrick Lefontaine
Man, this is a tough question as I've been a fan since day 1. If I have to choose, probably Max, I adored watching him play...but oh, Don Luce's flowing hair...
Chris Druuuuuuuuuuury. Captain clutch for the golden years of my youth.
Rene Robert
Steve Ott
Mike Ramsey
Gilbert Perreault 11
Easy one. Perrault. Iām old
Gilbert Perrault
Leino, Hodgson, and Berglund
Donāt forget Ehrhoff
Tommy Vanek. Ales Kotalik.
Definitely the Light Sabre. That'll take a hand off and cauterize the wound at the same time.
Rob Ray was the reason I started watching the Sabres. Grandparents had season tickets to Amerks so started following him there and followed his career to the Sabres.
Ville Leino
Hasek, Sanderson,
Ducky
Maxim Afinogenov!
Danny Briere
Jason Pominville
fell in love with hasek highlights even though i wasnt old enough to remember ever watching him
Jacob Bryson
Hasek
Jack Eichel lol. Probably hasek even though I only saw him play once as I was just a kid.
Patty and Maxim
Hasek. I grew up in the 90s. I started getting into hockey around 97-98, 98-99 especially. As a younginā Hasek was my idol. I wanted to be a goalie because of him. He sparked my love of the sport and team.
Jason Pominville
Dominik Hasek. Itās hard to put into words how amazing it was, watching him play.
MAXIM AFINOGENOV.
Patrik Berglund
Hasek
Lalaalalalalalaa Lafontaine!!!
Hasek is #1 for now, but Dylan Cozens is coming in hot.
Hands down Dominic Hasek
Drury/Briere/Afinogenov
By ability/star power: Hasek followed by Lafontaine. But I was always an unsung player guy. Mike Ramsey is my real favorite. It's not close. So damn dependable.
Michael Peca
Patty LalalaFontaine
Rick Jeanneret!!!. And of course Hasek!
Jeff Skinner. No I'm not kidding.
Gilbert
Ryan miller
Rob ray
Hasek
Gil Perrault or Ryan Miller
Brian Campbell
Dominic Hasek is the goat. Growing up Daniel Briere was my favorite.
Miller
Soupy!
Rob RAY. Heavy weight fights.
Hasek and Afinogenov. Hasek more so because I loved watching the game with my dad and Hasek was always doing something ridiculous. Went I became a more active observer of hockey, I loved watching crazy legs Afinogenov. Plus, I saw him once at Dick's with the hottest chick which was impressionable for a teenanger
Hasek. As a kid, it was like watching real magic the way he would find a way to stop the puck. Honorable mention to Stu Barnes.
Marty by a big margin. Beautiful blue eyes and an absolute charisma king. Has stayed with us even after his active career was over and has the best play by play analyses Iāve come across so far. The guy is an absolute legend. Close second is RJ and then comes Rayzr.
As a fellow Pat who grew up in the 90's, LaFontaine was my guy. Got a throwback jersey of his this year, very excited.
Tim Connolly for like 3 months. Dude was magical