What the Sabers can learn from the Buffalo Bandits

The Buffalo Bandits won their second straight NLL Cup championship on Saturday night. The back-to-back champions also had the luxury of winning in front of their home fans for the second time in a row. As tenants of KeyBank Center, the Sabers can learn a thing or two from their more decorated little brother.

Elite Core

The most important part of a championship-caliber team is accumulating talent, and the Bandits have two of the best in the league leading their offense.

Forward Josh Byrne was named 2023-24 MVP, Offensive Player of the Year and First Team All-NLL. To top it all off, he was also named the 2024 NLL Finals MVP as the Bandits defended their title.

It’s an impressive season for one of the most talented players in the league. The Bandits acquired Byrne by selecting him first overall in the 2017 NLL Draft.

He’s not the first player on the team to win the league MVP award, as forward Dhane Smith is two years away from the award himself. 2022 was Smith’s second MVP award, as he first landed NLL Most Valuable Player in 2016.

Smith holds the current single-season record for assists at 96 and is the Bandits’ all-time leading passer. He was named 2023-24 All-NLL Second Team, alongside Buffalo transition player Ian MacKay.

The Bandits built their core by drafting well and building around their stars. Eight-time Goalie of the Year Matt Vinc was acquired in 2019, earning two award-winning seasons in Buffalo.

The Sabers also drafted at the top early and often, but failures and an inability to find the right support and depth hampered them. Rasmus Dahlin is a potential Norris Trophy candidate for the foreseeable future, and Tage Thompson is widely considered an elite offensive talent.

There are no MVP caliber players on the roster, so the Sabers have to make up for that overall. This can be accomplished if their Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen goaltending duo proves to be elite like Boston’s, and the five forwards drafted in the first round over the past three seasons follow the developmental trend of Jack Quinn and JJ Peterka .

Winning Culture

The Bandits just won their sixth championship banner to be raised at KeyBank Center – six more than the Buffalo Sabres. There is a winning standard set by the team that meets fans’ expectations.

The keystone of that standard is Bandits legend and head coach John Tavares. The original Johnny T, uncle of Toronto Maple Leafs center John Tavares, is perhaps the greatest player in NLL history. He helped the Bandits win four championships as a player and has now added two as a coach.

It’s that high bar that the Sabers are missing. There’s too much talk about winning one or two more games to make the playoffs, when the focus should instead be on being one of the best teams in the NHL permanently.

Lindy Ruff’s return behind the bench should help add some of that perspective, even if he has yet to coach a team to a Stanley Cup victory. There is a certain mindset and expectations that should meet fans’ demands. This is what the Sabers should be striving for.

Entertainment

What’s the best part about going to a Buffalo Bandits game? The answer is simple: atmosphere. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a more fun time than messing around with a packed crowd of Bandits. The music, chants and friendly faces make this a destination sporting event.

The Sabers have done a lot in recent years to improve the fan experience. Slowly but surely, they’re becoming a more enjoyable team to watch, whether it’s the product on the ice or the festivities at the arena. A new video board for the 2024-2025 season is the latest addition to the value of in-person entertainment.

The biggest kickstarter for a fantastic fan experience is winning. Once you understand the list and the culture, the fun will follow.

Who knows, maybe even a championship or two.