As the Buffalo Sabres prepare for $170 million Harbor Center development, the team continues to expand their holdings with the acquisition of the Buffalo Regals Tier I program beginning in the 2014-15 season.
With the Harbor Center land purchase settling, the hockey program development system is continuing to grow.
The youth hockey association will play under the Buffalo Jr. Sabres and be housed at the HarborCenter complex, which is scheduled to open Sept. 1, 2014. With the addition of the Regals, the Sabres will operate teams from the Mite Major level (8 years old) through Midget 18 U and continue to be members of the South-Central (Ontario) Triple A Hockey League and the Tier I Elite League.
The Regals organization is sait to have received no compensation from the Sabres, who will be responsible for all financial aspects of the Tier I organization when it begins play in 2014.
The Regals will continue to operate their Tier I organization for the 2013-14 season.
The success of the Buffalo Jr. Sabres in the Ontario Junior Hockey League as well as the Midget teams associated with the Junior Sabres programs makes a sound argument for the top to bottom development concept the Sabres are hopping to develop.
The Sabres have previously stated they wish to devleop a center where players come and develop throughout a course of years through one system. This is very similar to what has been successful in Europe.
