WATCH: Buffalo Bills' Damar Hamlin Hypes Up Crowd At Buffalo Sabres' Season Opener
The Buffalo Bills are still the best show in town until the end of football season, but they aren't the only one around anymore.
That's because the NHL's Buffalo Sabres, the Bills' sister franchise in a sense due to both being owned by Terry Pegula, opened up their season on Thursday night. To help celebrate the occasion, the Sabres welcomed Bills safety Damar Hamlin to hype up the crowd while also flashing his signature "heart hands" sign. Hamlin even started a new pregame tradition for the club, banging a drum adorned with the Sabres' logo.
Hamlin and the Sabres have some shared history. After Hamlin collapsed on the field of play on Jan. 2, the Sabres dedicated their game the next night to him, wearing T-shirts with "Love For 3" on the front, in reference to Hamlin's number. The club even tweeted out "This one was for you, Damar," after their 5-4 overtime victory against the Washington Capitals on Jan. 3.
Hamlin holds up his "heart hands" sign before an August preseason game against his hometown Pittsburgh Steelers
© Charles LeClaire, USA TODAY
“What happened last night is something that makes the game itself and any sport secondary, so it was a tough day for all of us,” Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams told reporters on Jan. 3. “There’s an emotional connection to the city from our team. It was tough, to be honest, this morning, the conversations. But (players) also, I think, know how much our team means to this city and just wanted to be able to go out and do what we could today to put our best foot forward.”
Hamlin wasn't the only Bills player in attendance on Thursday night. After partaking in the pregame festivities, he went up to a suite to join three of his teammates: quarterback Josh Allen, receiver Gabe Davis and tight end Dawson Knox. Notably, Knox was seen with a brace on his right arm as he is nursing a wrist injury.
The Sabres wound up dropping their season opener, falling 5-1 to the New York Rangers at KeyBank Center.
Meanwhile, the Bills will look for a better result when they host the New York Giants on Sunday Night Football.
