Opinion: Why leave chirping to players? Sabres bring the heat with the schedule with the unveiling

The NHL time plans are published today, with each team publishing the data when they play their respective opponents at 1 p.m.

Most schedules will look relatively standard, with the exception of a team that has published their upcoming opponents in the most creative way before the schedule was published: The Buffalo Sabres.

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The Sabres pursued a similar approach to the National Football League and revealed their opponents as chicken wings on x, complete with clever captions and playful references.

No other NHL team tried this creative strategy to mock opponents this year. The Sabres focused on finding niche references for every team and fans to offer funny clues to their opponents.

For example, the Vancouver Canucks showed two orange wings on one side of the plate and a blue wing on the other side.

The caption? “Where are you, brother?”

This was an indication of the brothers Hughes, Jack and Luke, both of whom play for the devils (Orange Wings) and Quinn Hughes in Vancouver (Blue Wing).

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For the New Jersey Devils, the Sabres posted a single wing with flames with the caption: “Hell”.

The Sabres modeled their schedule according to the NFL, in which the announcements of the shooting plan were mastered in important social media events. The creatives of the NFL reveal both fans and the media.

Of course, the NHL faces a challenge. The NFL does not exist: there are 82 games instead of 17. Creating a detailed video for each matchup would lead a little closer to a 30-minute production.

Instead, the Sabres thought outside the box and revealed their full season of the opponents in a clever, digestible format.

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This type of creativity should become part of the NHL culture. It triggers media reporting, inspires the fans and gives the league personality. Who doesn't love a small shadow that is thrown on competing teams?

The Sabres arrested it and integrated subtle excavations into their posts.

For example, take your portrayal of the New York Rangers.

At first glance, the image of the wing appears harmless. But do you remember when the Rangers employees restrict access to the players after a suspected conflict in which an employee and a player were involved? The Sabres indicated this drama by positioning the wing of the rangers far away from the camera. Keep the administrator a secure distance from the wing.

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They didn't stop there. The wing of Toronto Maple Leafs was drizzled with a sauce, nothing unusual until you read the caption: “risk of suffocation”. A not so subtle jab in Toronto's playoff fights.

While all of this was made in a lot of fun, it shows something important: more NHL teams should take on this level of creativity. After an hour before the official schedule, other teams still have the chance to jump on board, but so far the Sabres are alone.

Hockey is fun. Why leave the chips to the players? Let the social media teams have your moment to shine.

Photo loan: © Jerome Miron-Mimagn pictures