The Buffalo Sabres called a press conference this afternoon to announce a brand new “Alumni Plaza” project, which will take place right outside the First Niagara Center.
Sabres President Ted Black was on hand to make the announcement.
The plaza that will “serve as a proper tribute to all the great players who have made this franchise what it is today,” Black said. “History has always been an extremely important facet of our organization’s philosophy.”
Black also announced that the French Connection will be the first part of the team’s history to be honored.
The above photo is what the statue will be based off of. “When the project was in its conceptual stage, Mr. Pegula made it very clear he wanted the statue to be based on an actual image as opposed to a fictional pose,” said Frank Cravotta, Sabres Vice President of Creative Services.
The statue will be unveiled on October 12 to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the first time the French Connection played together.
The French Connection statue is expected to be the centerpiece of the new Alumni Plaza, which will also honor all ex-Sabres.
According to the Sabres, “Every player in team history will be immortalized on plaques that will be placed on brick columns throughout the plaza.”