When Buffalonians talk about hockey, there never seems to be as much pride in their voices as there is when you ask them about the Bills – or even the Bandits. That’s not entirely their fault. The Bills are arguably the lifeblood of the city and the Bandits are bringing back-to-back National Lacrosse League championships to KeyBank. Meanwhile, the Sabres have failed to make a solid playoff push since 2011.
That said, Buffalo still has a lot, or at least these five studs, to be proud of when it comes to hockey. These current National Hockey League (NHL) players take the ice every night in different jerseys and make Buffalo proud.
Marcus Foligno, Minnesota Wild
Marcus Foligano has called Buffalo home in multiple ways. The left winger was drafted by his hometown team, the Buffalo Sabres, in the fourth round (No.104) of the 2009 NHL entry draft, following in his father’s footsteps. Foligno spent his first few years playing in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and with the Rochester Americans in the American Hockey League (AHL). His NHL debut took place in Buffalo in 2011 in a game against his older brother, Nick.
Foligno would spend the next six seasons in Buffalo before being traded to his current team, the Minnesota Wild, in 2017.
Nick Foligno, Chicago Blackhawks
Like his little brother, Nick Foligno, a veteran left winger for the Chicago Blackhawks, also calls Buffalo home. He was selected in the first round, 28th overall, by the Ottawa Senators in 2006. His rookie season was spent bouncing back and forth between Ottawa in the NHL and the Binghamton Senators in the AHL. He would settle in Ottawa for the following four seasons until he was traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2012, where he eventually became captain. He was a key leader in earning the Blue Jackets their first playoff series win in franchise history and went on to win the Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award and the King Clancy Memorial Trophy for exemplary leadership on and off the ice following his 2016-17 season. He held his captaincy until 2021, when he was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs. His run with the Leafs was cut short, only logging six regular season games before suffering a season-ending injury, landing him a free agent spot. He later signed a two-year deal with the Boston Bruins before joining the Chicago Blackhawks in 2023.
Patrick Kane, Detroit Red Wings
Patrick “Showtime” Kane is one of the most decorated players in the modern day NHL – and a proud product of Buffalo. Currently playing as a right winger for the Detroit Red Wings, he was drafted first round overall to the Chicago Blackhawks in 2007, where he played an outstanding 15 seasons. In his rookie season, he was an instant success, earning himself the Calder Trophy for Rookie of the Year. Kane also assisted in bringing the Stanley Cup back to Chicago for the first time in 49 years in 2010, again in 2013, and for the third time in 2015. Following his 2013 cup performance, he was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy for his fantastic playoff performance. Kane’s hardware doesn’t end there; following his 2015-16 season, he took home the Art Ross Trophy for highest-scoring player of the season with 106 points, the Hart Trophy for MVP and the Ted Lindsay Award for Outstanding Player. Following a short stint with the New York Rangers, he was traded to his current team.
Dennis Gilbert, Ottawa Senators
Defenseman Denis Gilbert currently plays for the Ottawa Senators. Selected 91st overall in the 2015 draft by Chicago, he played with the Blackhawks for two seasons before having stints with the Colorado Avalanche and Calgary Flames. . Once again a free agent, Gilbert signed a one-year contract with his hometown Sabres before being traded to the Ottawa Senators with teammate Dylan Cozens.
Miles Wood, Colorado Avalanche
Miles Wood is currently a left winger for the Colorado Avalanche. He was drafted 100th overall in 2013 by the New Jersey Devils. After playing one season of collegiate hockey at Boston College, he signed his first entry-level contract with the Devils in 2016. Wood played with the Devils for seven consecutive seasons until 2023, when he signed a six-year contract with the Colorado Avalanche.
Honorable Mention
Alex Tuch, Syracuse, NY
Alex Tuch is a notable name in Buffalo, despite not being from Buffalo. The Syracuse native is currently a right-winger for the Sabres, he was drafted 18th overall by the Minnesota Wild in 2014 but would not debut until early 2017. He spent his next two seasons helping Boston College to advance to the Frozen Four before signing a three-year entry-level contract with Minnesota. Tuch was traded to the Vegas Golden Knights during their 2016-17 expansion draft, where he played a strong role in the Golden Knights’ postseason push to the Cup Final. Tuch played with Vegas for four seasons before being traded to his current home in Buffalo, where he is a key player on the ice.
Buffalo may still be waiting on the Sabres to return to playoff glory, but in the meantime, these players are proudly representing the 716 on NHL ice.
The sports desk can be reached at sports@ubspectrum.com
