Sabres in the Community | November and December

The Buffalo Sabres were proud to support the Western New York community this holiday season.

From toy drives to bed building, below is a rundown of ways Sabres players got involved in November and December.

HOCKEY FIGHTS CANCER

The Sabres hosted their annual Hockey Fights Cancer Night on Nov. 1, supporting Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. Postgame, Sabres players met with children from Courage of Carly. The night featured a 50/50 raffle, autographed mini helmets and an online auction of memorabilia and experiences, all of which benefitted Roswell Park.

TURKEYS FOR TICKETS

The Buffalo Sabres “Turkeys for Tickets” initiative, held in collaboration with Tops Friendly Markets, collected 2,774 turkeys to support local families in need. The donations benefitted the Buffalo City Mission and FeedMore WNY, helping to provide meals to local families during the holiday season. Sabres employees and alumni assisted with the collection and organization of donations, ensuring the event’s efficiency and success.

CLIFTON HOSTS FIREFIGHTERS

During the Buffalo Sabres’ game against the Utah Hockey Club on Dec. 7, defenseman Connor Clifton hosted firefighters from Buffalo Local 282 in a suite at KeyBank Center. Clifton’s father, Tim Clifton, also a firefighter, joined in on the festivities with the group. After the game, Clifton and several Sabres players met with the firefighters, providing an opportunity for personal interaction and appreciation. This event was part of the Sabres’ ongoing efforts to engage with and honor local community members.

HOLIDAY ANGELS

The Sabres partnered with Child and Family Services and AMR for the 2024 Sabres Holiday Angels program. This adopt-a-family initiative enabled players fans to provide gifts to families in need during the holiday season. Participants registered online to receive details about their assigned families, including age, gender, clothing size, and interests, to assist with gift selection. Unwrapped gifts were collected at designated drop-off locations.

TUCH'S TOY DRIVE

On Dec. 18, Alex Tuch visited The Summit Center to personally deliver gifts collected through the AT9 Foundation’s Holiday Toy Drive. The drive, which ran from Nov. 26 to Dec. 16, supported families with children attending The Summit Center. The AT9 Foundation and the Sabres encouraged the community to donate new, unwrapped toys at various drop-off locations across Western New York or through online wish lists.

JJ'S JAMMIE DRIVE

JJ’s Jammie Drive, in partnership with Trusted Nurse Staffing, is in its second year of collecting new pajamas and donations in support of local children in need through OLV Charities. Fans can donate online at sabres.com/jammies until January 17, helping bring comfort to children across the community. Sabres forward JJ Peterka is actively supporting the drive, encouraging fans to contribute and help make a difference.

JJ, along with staff from the Sabres and Trusted Nurse Staffing, visited Sleep In Heavenly Peace to help build beds for kids in need in the WNY community.

QUICK HITS

On Thanksgiving, Rasmus Dahlin and his partner, Carolina Matovac, visited the Ronald McDonald House to serve meals to families staying there. The visit aligns with the mission of The Rasmus Dahlin Foundation, launched earlier this year, which is dedicated to improving the lives of children in the Buffalo community.

Dennis Gilbert, Sam Lafferty and Beck Malenstyn took to the ice with local youth hockey programs, helping young players develop their skills and sharing their love for the game.