A 10-year playoff drought and another roster rebuild won’t prevent the Buffalo Sabres from playing in one of the National Hockey League’s outdoor games in 2022.
The league announced Thursday that the Sabres and Toronto Maple Leafs will meet in Hamilton, Ont., at Tim Hortons Field, home of the Canadian Football League’s Hamilton Tiger-Cats, for the Heritage Classic on March 13. Puck drop is scheduled for 3 p.m., and since this was supposed to be a home game for Buffalo, the club’s season ticket holders, including those with partial plans, will have a presale opportunity.
The game will be broadcast on TNT in the United States and Sportsnet in Canada.
“It’s an honor to play in the Heritage Classic game,” Sabres General Manager Kevyn Adams said in a statement. “It will be an incredible atmosphere and we are thrilled to be able to play the Maple Leafs in this special event. Many of us fell in love with hockey while playing on the pond or in backyards, so this will give us a chance to get back to our roots while celebrating the game of hockey.”
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This will be the Sabres’ third outdoor game and their second since the memorable Winter Classic against the Penguins at Ralph Wilson Stadium on Jan. 1, 2008, when an announced attendance of 71,217 saw Sidney Crosby score a game-winning shootout goal. Exactly 10 years later, Buffalo played the Rangers at New York’s Citi Field, a 3-2 overtime loss for the Sabres.
Though the location and proximity between the two teams align perfectly for an outdoor clash, it’s somewhat surprising the Sabres will participate in one of the NHL’s marquee events during what could be a difficult season in Buffalo.
The Sabres are coming off their fourth last-place finish in eight years, and while they impressed in the final month under Don Granato, the franchise is handing the keys to a young core, led by Rasmus Dahlin, Dylan Cozens and Casey Mittelstadt.
Sam Reinhart and Rasmus Ristolainen, centerpieces for the Sabres since arriving as high draft choices, were traded this summer to the Florida Panthers and Philadelphia Flyers, respectively. Goalie Linus Ullmark bolted for Boston, and defenseman Jake McCabe signed with Chicago.
Jack Eichel, the face of the franchise who was drafted second overall in 2015, is awaiting a trade after asking to be moved because of a disagreement between he and the team stemming from how he wishes to treat the herniated disk in his neck.
Tim Hortons Field, the home of the CFL's Hamilton Tiger-Cats, opened in 2014 on the site of the Ti-Cats' longtime home, Ivor Wynne Stadium. It has a capacity of about 24,000 but can be expanded to around 40,000 for special events.
This will be an opportunity for the Sabres’ fans in Southern Ontario to attend their first game in-person since 2019-20, as cross-border travel has been restricted amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
Broadcast schedule
The Heritage Classic won't be the only time that fans will be able to see the Sabres on national television. As part of the league's new broadcast deals, Buffalo's home game against the Pittsburgh Penguins on March 23 also will be shown on TNT.
Additionally, the Sabres will have eight games on ESPN+ and Hulu: vs. Boston (Oct. 22), at San Jose (Nov. 2), vs. Edmonton (Nov. 12), vs. Anaheim (Dec. 7), at Vegas (Feb. 1), vs. Minnesota (March 4), vs. Carolina (April 5) and at Carolina (April 7). These games, as well as the two on TNT, are exclusive to those networks/services as part of the league's broadcast deal.
The Sabres' other 72 games will air on MSG.
