The founding of the Buffalo Sabres is an interesting tale of dogged hard work by the Knox brothers mixed with a bit of vintage NHL chicanery. Follow the path the Knoxes took from prospective NHL owners, through their dalliance with the Oakland Seals and, finally, to the succwssful end of their pursuit of bringing NHL hockey to Buffalo.
Let James Cook with FOCO’s New Front Flip Bobblehead
James Cook has been at the center of the Bills offense these last few weeks and his front flips into the end zone are becoming something of a signature for the back. Now, FOCO has chosen to immortalize his touchdown celebration with a unique Gamebreaker Bobblehead which will be launching soon.
Continue readingNew Buffalo Bills Christmas Themed T-Shirts Available Now!
As the festive season dawns upon us, Buffalo Bills fans have an exciting reason to spread holiday cheer in their team’s colors! FOCO, the renowned sports merchandise brand, has unveiled two exclusive Buffalo Bills Holiday Themed T-Shirts that encapsulate the Bills’ spirit with a merry twist. The T-shirts serve as both an awesome new addition to any fan’s closet or for that perfect holiday gift.
Continue readingThe Instigator Podcast 12.12 – Lacking Depth
The Sabres tough Saturday carried to Tuesday and it got worse with Tage Thompson’s injury. We discuss how Buffalo’s injury woes at forward have thinned their lines, and Thompson’s injury exacerbates the problems. We talk about the holes in Buffalo’s lineup and how it’s past time for Jiri Kulich and other high-end prospects to get a look. We wrap up this week’s episode with a brief conversation on the team’s struggling power play and a few adjustments we’d make to clean it up.
Collect A Piece of Bills History with FOCO’s Thurman Thomas Bills Bobblehead
There have been many greats that have walked thorough those doors in Buffalo and absolutely put on a show each and every day they stepped on the field. When it is all said and done, hopefully current Bills stars, Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs, will follow in those footsteps of past Buffalo Bills greats as tonight, they continue to try and cement their legacy they are building in Buffalo and looking to get back on track versus a very shaky but trending upward Denver Broncos. Bills currently sit at 5-4 and if they have any hopes of winning the AFC East, they need to strap in and make smart decisions by capitalizing on teams that shouldn’t be able to compete with us in the Denver Broncos.
Continue readingGrow your Collection with a Charlie Brown Bills Bobblehead
FOCO’s impressive collection of Bills bobbleheads has grown once again. Just weeks ago, FOCO released an awesome Snoopy Buffalo Bills bobblehead and the Peanuts NFL collection has grown once again, this time with a Charlie Brown Buffalo Bills bobblehead. And no, Lucy isn’t there to yank the football away.
Continue readingThe Instigator Podcast 12.11 – Calling for Kulich
Alarm bells are going off in Edmonton and we start this week’s show talking about everything that seems to be ailing the Oilers. We also tie in our Oilers discussion, and their need to stay competitive with the push the Sabres will start to feel when it comes to making a big trade of their own.
We also talk about Buffalo’s young stars, namely Matthew Savoie and Jiri Kulich. Savoie has arrived after his two week conditioning assignment and will likely slot into the lineup this week. But even though Kulich has been scoring at a torrid pace, he hasn’t earned a call up just yet. We talk about where in the lineup he could fit and how much longer the Sabres can realistically wait before bringing him up.
The Instigator Podcast 12.10 – Neck Guard Adoption and Listener Questions
We took listener questions and ran through topics like the Shane Wright plan, expectations for Devon Levi, how Peyton Krebs and Casey Mittelstadt should be handled and line juggling as the team finds the right fit for their forwards. We open the show with a discussion on the adoption of neck guards, what might be preventing early adoption for NHL players and how a grandfathered requirement could come into play.
It’s Time for an NHL All-22 Product
The NHL released their latest statistical innovation this week, pulling back the curtain on the player and puck tracking data they collect. The tool is somewhat limited in its current state, but it has laid the groundwork to make more internal league data available to the public.
It’s a wise step for the league to take, especially with the proliferation of advanced stats in both the public and organizational realms. This sort of data will play a huge role in the future of the game and giving fans access to even a fraction of it shows that the league understands the value in opening those doors.
Another feature that I desperately wish the NHL would build out for its fans is a form of the NFL’s All-22 product. This has been a favorite topic of mine for quite some time and it’s something that I think the NHL is completely missing the bus on.
Continue readingThe Instigator Podcast 12.9 – Frozen Frenzy and a Decentralized NHL Draft
It’s been quite the week in the NHL. Tuesday’s 16-game slate was a hit, with ESPN’s Frozen Frenzy the highlight of the evening. We talk about the effort to put the night together and how we look forward to the next iteration of the NHL’s version of Red Zone. We also spend time talking about the league’s movement to decentralize the draft. We weigh the pros and cons of pulling most, if not all, team staff from the on-site draft and the movement to a model that more closely resembles the NFL Draft. Along the way we touch on the Sabres first seven games, where they’ve struggled, where they’re enjoying positive momentum and why we remain optimistic despite their early struggles on offense.
Two in the Box 