Sabres welcome Blue as team dog for 2023-24 season

There will be a new dog taking over KeyBank Center this season, and her name is Blue!

The Buffalo Sabres are proud to introduce Blue as the official team dog for the 2023-24 season. She is a 14-week-old Saint Bernard and Mastiff mix, who is currently training to become a service dog for a local veteran as part of the WNY Heroes’ Pawsitive for Heroes program.

Pawsitive for Heroes launched in 2014 and pays for service dog training with the help WNY Heroes receives from its sponsors. The dogs and their owners go through various courses together, properly preparing the dogs to serve those who've served. The Buffalo Sabres Foundation is sponsoring Blue’s training.

Blue was named following a fan vote and is the group’s third team dog in as many seasons. In 2021-22, the Sabres welcomed their first team dog, Rick, who was named after Hall-of-Fame play-by-play announcer Rick Jeanneret. Last season, the team’s dog Nikki was donated to WNYHeroes by the Warden family and named after fallen soldier Nick Warden. Rick is currently in the service of U.S. Coast Guard veteran Chris Kankiewicz while Nikki is in the service of Air Force veteran Sondra Lee Ramos.

Blue will attend select home games and other events this season to greet fans and cheer on the Sabres. She will then be paired with a veteran of her own, so the two can go through training together to build the trust and bond between the two.

Stay tuned on Sabres.com and the team’s official social media channels, including Blue’s account @SabresPup for content with her throughout the season.