The Buffalo Sabres will honor two of the biggest stars in team history this season. The Buffalo Sabres announced the induction of Jason Pominville and Thomas Vanek into the Buffalo Sabres Hall of Fame. It adds two more all-time Buffalo Sabres greats to the team’s own Hall of Fame. It’s also an excellent opportunity for young, rising Sabres stars to see what can be achieved with success in hockey-mad Buffalo.
The Sabres will induct the two stars from the Lindy Ruff 1.0 Era on January 14 before the team’s game against the Colorado Avalanche.
Pominville and Vanek’s Impact on Buffalo
The two stars were part of, arguably, the last great Buffalo Sabres teams. Pominville spent parts of the first nine seasons of his career with Buffalo. He scored at least 60 points four times in that stretch. Consequently, Pominville played a critical role in Buffalo’s back-to-back trips to the Conference Finals in 2006 and 2007. He scored a hat trick during the 2006 playoff run in Game 2 versus Philadelphia in the opening round. Later, Pominville scored the series-clinching shorthanded overtime goal versus Ottawa in the second round. Many consider it one of the defining moments in Sabres history, particularly in the 21st century.
The Sabres traded Pominville and a 2014 fourth-round pick at the 2013 trade deadline to Minnesota. In return, they acquired Johan Larsson, Matt Hackett, a 2013 first-round pick and a 2014 second-round pick. Pominville played his final two seasons in Buffalo, retiring after the 2018-19 season.
Vanek joined Buffalo in 2005-06, finishing his rookie season with 48 points in 81 games. His next season featured a career high in points, goals and assists, with 43 goals and 41 assists for 84 points. Famously, Vanek signed a seven-year offer sheet worth $50 million with Edmonton. Consequently, the Sabres matched that deal. The Sabres traded Vanek early in the 2013-14 season for Matt Moulson, a conditional 2014 first-round draft pick and a 2015 second-round draft pick.
Now, for the first time in ages, KeyBank Center can roar its approval of the two all-time Buffalo Sabres greats.
All-time Buffalo Sabres Greats Connect Past and Present
Pominville and Vanek join 44 members of the Sabres Hall of Fame, which honors all-time Buffalo Sabres greats. Buffalo announced the selection of both players last season. Consequently, it’s hard to argue with the induction of either player on merit or morale.
On merit, Pominville finished his Sabres career as a top-10 player in franchise history in games played, assists and points. He also served as a captain for the Sabres. Vanek, the fifth-overall draft pick in 2003, ranks fifth all-time in goals. All four players in front of him are already in the Sabres Hall of Fame. On morale, these selections make a ton of sense for Buffalo. As a franchise, the Sabres are in the process of finally building a winning culture after 14 seasons without making the playoffs.
This should be a reminder for the players who helped Buffalo break their historic playoff drought last season about what can be accomplished. It’s also a reminder of how beloved hockey is in Buffalo. Really, hockey is deeply ingrained and part of the culture. Sure, the Bills may have run Buffalo in the Josh Allen era. Correspondingly, the Sabres failed to make a dent in Buffalo during that time. Now, the Sabres can use this opportunity of renewed playoff success and the pomp and circumstance of a Hall of Fame induction to rebuild that connection with a fanbase that saw an entire generation go without any postseason appearances.
Two Buffalo Sabres all-time greats made a strong case for this honor. Potential rising Sabres stars should take notice.
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