The NHL will be unveiling their quarter-century roster for every team, each featuring two rosters composed of three forwards, two defensemen, and one goalie. These rosters will be revealed from Dec. 30 to Jan. 30, including the league’s newest franchises, the Seattle Kraken, Vegas Golden Knights, and Utah Hockey Club.
The Arizona Coyotes franchise that relocated to Utah over the summer will have a separate roster than Utah has. The Arizona Coyotes will be announced on Jan. 1 and the Utah Hockey Club will be announced on Jan. 31.
The Buffalo Sabres are slated to be the 17th team announced, with their roster revealed on Jan. 15. During their first decade, the Sabres made the playoffs five times, including back-to-back appearances in the Eastern Conference Final during the 2005-2006 and 2006-2007 seasons. However, the team has not qualified for the playoffs in the past 13 seasons. As a result, most of the players highlighted will likely come from the earlier, more successful years of the franchise’s history.
First Quarter-Century Team: Forwards
LW- Jason Pominville | C- Jack Eichel | RW- Thomas Vanek
Over 10 seasons with the organization, Jason Pominville recorded 217 goals (10th in franchise history), 304 assists (eighth), and 521 points (eighth). Pominville served as the Sabres’ captain during the 2007-2008 season and again from 2011 to 2013. One of his most iconic moments came during the 2006 NHL Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Ottawa Senators. With the Sabres leading the series 3-1 in a best-of-seven, a Game 5 win would secure their spot in the conference finals. Early in overtime, while shorthanded, Pominville stole the puck from Daniel Alfredsson, maneuvered around goaltender Ray Emery, and scored the game-winning goal to clinch the series. To this day, it remains one of the most memorable goals in Sabres history.
Eichel, drafted second overall by the Sabres in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, was seen as the player who could “save” the franchise. He spent six seasons in Buffalo, appearing in 375 games and contributing 139 goals (21st in team history), 216 assists (18th), and 355 points (18th). Eichel was an electrifying presence on the ice, producing highlight-reel plays on a nightly basis. In the 2019-2020 season, cut short by COVID-19, he was on pace for a career-high 90 points and seemed poised to be a Hart Memorial Trophy finalist if the Sabres had made the playoffs. However, his relationship with the organization soured in 2020, leading to his eventual trade to the Vegas Golden Knights.
Vanek was one of the league’s most prolific goal scorers during his time with the Sabres. He burst onto the scene in 2005-2006, scoring 25 goals as a rookie. Over his eight-and-a-half seasons with Buffalo, he scored 40 goals twice, reached the 30-goal mark four times, and never dipped below 20 goals in a season. In 598 games with the Sabres, Vanek tallied 254 goals (fifth in team history), 243 assists (12th), and 497 points (11th). A vital part of the mid-2000s Sabres teams, Vanek’s contributions cement his place among the franchise’s all-time greats.
First Quarter-Century Team: Defensemen
Rasmus Dahlin |Brian Campbell
Dahlin was selected first overall by the Sabres in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft and is already on his way to becoming a generational defenseman for the franchise. He is poised to break multiple team records, currently ranking third in franchise history for goals by a defenseman (72), just two shy of surpassing Mike Ramsey for second place. Dahlin is also third in assists (243) and points (315) among defensemen in team history. His leadership qualities were further recognized when he was named the Sabres’ captain before the start of the current season, solidifying his role as the team’s cornerstone both on and off the ice.
Campbell spent seven and a half seasons with the Sabres and was a vital member of the teams that made back-to-back appearances in the Eastern Conference Finals. Known for his physicality and defensive reliability, Campbell wasn’t a prolific scorer but brought the kind of shutdown presence every team needs on the blue line.
One of Campbell’s most unforgettable moments came on April 22, 2006, during overtime of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals against the Philadelphia Flyers. He delivered a thunderous open-ice hit on R.J. Umberger, leaving him sprawled on the ice—a moment that remains one of the most iconic hits in NHL history. Sabres and hockey fans alike still talk about that hit as a defining moment in his career.
First Quarter-Century Team: Goaltending
Ryan Miller
Miller spent nine seasons with the Sabres, solidifying his legacy as one of the greatest goaltenders in franchise history. He holds the record for the most games played by a goaltender (540) and the most wins (284). His 2.60 goals-against average (GAA) ranks third in team history, while his .916 save percentage is tied for second. Additionally, he ranks second in shutouts with 28.
Miller’s standout season came in 2009-2010, when he won the Vezina Trophy as the league’s top goaltender. He played 69 games that campaign, posting a stellar 41-18-8 record, a 2.22 GAA, and a .929 save percentage (SV%.) Widely regarded as one of the best American goaltenders in NHL history, Miller is unquestionably the second-best goaltender in Sabres history, with no serious competition for the top spot on this list.
Second Quarter-Century Team: Forwards
LW- Chris Drury | C- Derek Roy | RW- Daniel Briere
Drury may not have spent much time with the Sabres, but his impact during his three seasons (2003-2007) was undeniable. Serving as captain for his entire tenure—sharing the role with Briere from 2005 to 2007—Drury was a leader both on and off the ice. He tallied 30-plus goals in each of his final two seasons, recording 67 points in 2005-2006 and 69 points in 2006-2007. One of his most iconic moments came in Game 5 of the 2007 Eastern Conference Semifinals against the New York Rangers. With the series tied 2-2 and the Sabres trailing 2-1 late in the third period, Drury tied the game with just 7.7 seconds remaining, sending HSBC Arena into a frenzy. The Sabres went on to win in overtime thanks to Maxim Afinogenov’s game-winner and ultimately took the series 4-2.
Roy spent eight productive seasons with the Sabres, playing 549 games and amassing 161 goals, 266 assists, and 427 points. A key figure in the mid-2000s teams, Roy excelled as the second-line center and played a significant role on both the first and second power-play units. Known for his two-way game, he contributed effectively at both ends of the ice. His best season came in 2007-2008 when he set a career high with 81 points in 78 games—a testament to his consistency and versatility.
Briere, like Drury, had a relatively short tenure in Buffalo, playing four seasons (2002-2007). Yet his contributions during the team’s mid-2000s success were pivotal. Sharing the captaincy with Drury from 2005 to 2007, Briere posted his best season in 2006-2007, scoring 32 goals and setting a career-high with 95 points. His skill, leadership, and offensive output made him a cornerstone of the team during that era.
Second Quarter-Century Team: Defensemen
Rasmus Ristolainen | Henrik Tallinder
Ristolainen spent eight seasons with the Sabres, appearing in 542 games (seventh in franchise history among defensemen) and recording 46 goals (ninth), 199 assists (eighth), and 245 points (seventh). From 2015 to 2019, he was at his peak, producing 40-plus points in each of those seasons. A workhorse on the blue line, Ristolainen averaged more than 20 minutes of ice time per game in every season except his rookie season, when he averaged 19 minutes. Despite his contributions, he was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers after the 2020-21 NHL season, cutting short what could have been a key role in ending the Sabres’ playoff drought.
Tallinder played eight seasons with the Sabres from 2002 to 2010, with a brief return during the 2013-2014 season. Known for his lockdown defensive style, he appeared in 532 games and was instrumental in the team’s back-to-back Eastern Conference Final appearances from 2005 to 2007. Unlike today’s Sabres defensemen, such as Dahlin and Owen Power, who are encouraged to contribute offensively, Tallinder was tasked with shutting down opponents and he excelled in that role. He averaged more than 20 minutes of ice time in four of his eight seasons and logged more than 19 minutes in six of them, showcasing his reliability on the blue line.
Second Quarter-Century Team: Goaltending
Linus Ullmark
Ullmark, drafted by the Sabres in the sixth round of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, made his debut during the 2015-2016 season but became a full-time player with the team from 2018 to 2021. Over his 117 games with the franchise, Ullmark made an impressive mark in a short span. He ranks fourth all-time in SV% (.912) and fifth in GAA (2.78) among Sabres goaltenders. Toward the end of his time in Buffalo, he was just beginning to hit his prime. In the tumultuous 2020-2021 shortened season, despite battling injuries, he managed a solid performance in 20 games, posting a 9-6-3 record, a 2.63 GAA, and a .917 SV%. Ullmark stands out as one of the “what could have been” stories for the Sabres.
And there you have it—my predictions for the Sabres’ quarter-century team. A few notable players, such as Drew Stafford, Robin Lehner, and Afinogenov, narrowly missed the cut. Given the Sabres’ struggles during 14 of the past 25 years, it wouldn’t be surprising if the actual roster closely resembles this list.
