Buffalo Sabres Logo

Buffalo Sabres Logo PNG

Even incompatible things are compatible. This was proven by the New York hockey team, as the Buffalo Sabers logo features a bison and a cold weapon. The reason for such an emblem was the club’s name, whose leadership, in search of a name, rejected standard, unexpressive, and boring options.

Meaning and History

The “Buffalo Sabres” is a hockey team whose logo features a mighty and aggressive bison, reflecting its spirit. Indeed, “katanas,” “sabs,” “sabers,” and “swords,” as fans call them (since, in addition to the wild animal, the Buffalo Sabres logo previously had two sabers), always try to demonstrate a fighting spirit and a ready-to-win attitude.

Although there is no text on the Buffalo Sabers logo, it still reflects the exact name of the team and the city where the club is located. The logo consists of two parts as if it were two words. The first represents the collective image of a “buffalo, bull, bison” – a representative of a large artiodactyl. The second conveys the sharpness of the skates the hockey players wear on the ice, so sabers are determination, a striking moment, and maneuverability. Although there are only two objects on all emblems, they still differ from each other. The franchise has had five variants in total.

What is Buffalo Sabres?

The Buffalo Sabres is a professional hockey team founded in 1970 as an expansion franchise. The team is based in Buffalo, New York, and is a member of the Eastern Conference (Atlantic Division) of the NHL. Terry Pegula has owned the team since 2011.

1970 – 1996

Since the city was believed to be named after the American Bison that once roamed the state of New York in huge herds, this animal was chosen for the first Buffalo Sabres logo. The original logo was a blue circle with a yellow outline. It featured two crossed sabers with yellow handles, and between them was a running white buffalo.

1996 – 1999

In the late 1990s, the team introduced a new logo and color scheme. The “Buffalo Sabres” moved away from the blue-yellow gamma in favor of black, red, and silver. The sabers from the logo were removed and replaced with the head of a buffalo with red eyes. This silver-black buffalo with a red outline was the emblem of the “Sabres” until 2006.

1999 – 2006

The “Sabres” logo underwent another slight redesign. The fourth logo received better color reproduction and improved graphics.

2006 – 2010

The return in 2007 to the original blue-yellow color scheme was a successful decision, but this design was considered one of the worst logos in sports history. The Buffaslug logo featured a yellow buffalo with white horns and bright red eyes. The animal was depicted in profile, helping to create the effect of a realistically running buffalo.

2010 – 2020

The “Sabres” logo returns to the original 1970 look, albeit with some changes, such as improved graphics and some modern details. The current personal identification mark is an improved version of the debut logo. After several transformations, the team management concluded that the most successful symbolism was the first. Therefore, the team returned it in 2010 and has not changed it since. Now, all elements are complemented by thin contour lines, which make the drawing precise and focused.

The bull looks incredibly menacing, although the designers removed the bright red eye color, replacing it with a dark shade. The animal is still depicted attacking from the left. Two surrounding strokes indicate that the hoofed animal is rapidly moving forward: the stripes are located above and below the torso. Thanks to the edging, the sabers also became much more expressive.

2020 – today

In 2020, the hockey team decided to return to its first logo finally, so all colors were replaced with classic ones. The circle acquired a royal blue hue, and the outer ring and saber handles became bright gold. Silver accents disappeared, making the elements no longer stand out and appear convex. The designers also slightly adjusted the details, making the drawing harmonious. Now, the name Sabers, chosen to emphasize the sharpness of the skates, is much better reflected in the long and well-sharpened blades of edged weapons. At the same time, two thin lines above and below the buffalo convey a rapid gliding motion. The red eye, which was not on the first emblem of the Buffalo Sabers, expresses a warlike mood and the ability to defeat any opponent.

Font and Colors

The buffalo image underwent the most experimentation. In the debut and current version, it is depicted in full; from 1996 to 2006, the emblem only featured the head until 2010 – part of the withers. But the menacing facial expression remained unchanged. The head was always tilted forward as if for a powerful attack on the enemy. The animal sharply extended its sharp horns, demonstrating readiness for attack.

Depending on the period, the central image was supplemented with various details. Often, it was a blue circle with a yellow border and two crossed sabers at the bottom. In other cases, the emphasis is on the withers or mane of the artiodactyl, highlighting the powerful horns.

Although there is no text on the emblem, it is sometimes accompanied by a separate inscription. The team name is rendered in a custom font and placed in two lines.

The emblem has undergone several minor experiments with color. For some time, it included red, gray, white, and black tones, but now the white-blue-yellow palette predominates.

Buffalo Sabres color codes