In one calendar year, how many Stanley Cup winners played for the Sabres?

While watching the Edmonton Oilers defeat the Dallas Stars 6-1 over the weekend, I saw a familiar face to the Buffalo Sabres. Evander Kane had three assists in the Oilers victory. It helped the team go up 2-1 in the Western Conference finals.

If Kane and the Oilers are able to continue to ride through and become Stanley Cup Champions he would join a list of former Sabres that have hoisted the cup. Kane played in Buffalo from 2015 to 2018 before going to the San Jose Sharks.

It's remarkable to look at the number of players who hoisted the Cup, abd then played in Buffalo in 2018.

Two players, both Conor Sheary and Scott Wilson had played for the NHL Champion Pittsburgh Penguins in 2017. The Sabres probably hoped it would bring them Stanley Cup experience. It did but for other players after they left Buffalo.

Zach Bogosian, who played for the Sabres in 2018, would go onto win the Stanley Cup in 2020 with the Tampa Bay Lightning. In August that season, he recorded his first career playoff point in a postseason win against the Columbus Jackets.

Ryan O'Reilly also on the 2018 Buffalo Sabres was traded to the St. Louis Blues that summer.

Many blamed him for the issues the Sabres were having at the time. However, he soon became a leader for the Blues leading them to their first ever Stanley Cup victory. He had 23 playoff points and was the recipient of the Conn Smythe trophy.

In 2021, the player that many called the savior of the franchise, Jack Eichel, was traded fo the Vegas Golden Knights. Two years later he hoisted the cup as the Golden Knights won their first ever championship. Eichel led the league with 26 playoff points on the tournament.

Last season, four players were apart of the Florida Panthers Stanley Cup victory. Sam Reinhart, Kyle Okposo, Evan Rodrigues, and Brandon Montour all played for Buffalo in 2018. They all hoisted the cup last season.

The four of them joined by Jack Eichel were a part of the 2018/2019 season. The Sabres that season had a 10-game winning streak in November of that month. They still failed to make the postseason.

Another player on that roster who played for Buffalo in 2018 was Jeff Skinner. Skinner was a fixture for the Sabres the past few years before moving on to the Oilers. He now has been nursing an injury has only played one playoff game against the Kings this postseason.

But the Edmonton Journal just reported that he is skating on the third line in practice. If he joins the lineup with Kane, he could also join the long list of Sabres who will hoist the cup if they finish it out.