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Sabres Forward Pushing for Permanent Jersey

The Buffalo Sabres have one of the NHL's best third jerseys, and the players want to see it take over as the full-time uniform.

Nick Horwat

Jan 11, 2024; Buffalo, New York, USA; Buffalo Sabres right wing Tage Thompson (72) reacts after scoring a goal during the first period against the Ottawa Senators at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 11, 2024; Buffalo, New York, USA; Buffalo Sabres right wing Tage Thompson (72) reacts after scoring a goal during the first period against the Ottawa Senators at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports / Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports
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The Buffalo Sabres have some of the most iconic jerseys in NHL history. From the good, the bad, and the ugly, the Sabres have covered plenty of ground in sweater design over the last 54 years.

The organization recently brought back one of the most iconic Sabres’ uniforms as a third jersey, but some fans and players want to see it utilized on a full-time basis. Tage Thompson joined Daily Faceoff’s Morning Cuppa Hockey and discussed how much he loves the black and red “goathead” sweaters.

“We should go to those permanently,” Thompson said. “Those are my favorite jerseys. When you walk into the room and you know you’re wearing the goathead… it just feels different.”

The Sabres initially introduced the black and red goathead jerseys in 1996, not long before one of the franchise’s most successful runs. Between 1996 and 2006, the Sabres made the Eastern Conference Final three times, winning in 1999 before losing to the Dallas Stars in the Stanley Cup Final.

Following the 2005-06 season, the Sabres retired the goathead. A string of unimpressive and flat-out ugly uniforms followed and mirrored the play of the team. The team was bad and so were most of the sweaters.

When the NHL introduced the Reverse Retro jersey collection in 2021, the goathead was a feature, but not the main logo on the jersey. Adidas went with the alternate swords logo that was used on Buffalo’s third jerseys between 2000 and 2006.

The goathead finally made a proper return in the second iteration of the Reverse Retro in 2022, but with blue, yellow, and white as the main colors.

“When we had the blue and the white goatheads, I wasn’t a huge fan of them,” Thompson said. “The white gloves, that’s pretty flashy.”

That same season, however, the Sabres introduced a new third jersey and finally donned the proper black and red goathead for the first time in nearly 20 years. Not only do the players like the black and red look, they play better in them, too.

The Sabres are 18-7-2 while wearing their third jerseys.

“It’s sharp looking,” Thompson said. “It looks mean. The fans love it, too.”

The goathead might be utilized as pure nostalgia, but there’s no denying it’s one of the better, if not the best, uniforms and logos in the NHL.

It’s been 13 seasons since the Sabres made the Stanley Cup Playoffs. If wearing a certain jersey gives everyone a little extra motivation, then making that has to be something to consider in the near future.

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Nick Horwat
NICK HORWAT

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