Ottawa may be the undisputed capital of hockey passion in Ontario, but a fascinating regional trend reveals that for many fans in communities closest to the US border, it's an American team that holds their hearts. While the Ottawa Senators faithful are already dreaming about next season, a new report from Global News shines a light on the unique hockey allegiances playing out in St. Catharines and the Niagara region — where Buffalo Sabres jerseys are as common as any Canadian team's colours.
When Geography Shapes Your Team
In St. Catharines, just 20 minutes from the US border, the Buffalo Sabres aren't the rival — they're the hometown heroes. For generations of fans who grew up watching Sabres games broadcast on over-the-air American TV long before cable or streaming, Buffalo's blue and gold became part of the cultural DNA.
It's a phenomenon Ottawa residents can understand in a different way. The nation's capital has always had to assert its hockey identity in a country where Toronto's Maple Leafs and Montreal's Canadiens dominate the national conversation. Sens fans know what it means to have your team overlooked — and that shared sense of regional identity helps explain why cross-border fandom isn't so surprising when you dig into the history.
Montreal's Run Puts Canadian Hockey Pride in the Spotlight
With the Montreal Canadiens now the only Canadian team left in the NHL playoffs, hockey nationalism is running at full volume. Across the country — Ottawa included — fans who'd never normally cheer for les Habitants are reluctantly donning the bleu, blanc et rouge, rallying behind Canada's last hope.
But in communities like St. Catharines, Thorold, and the broader Niagara Peninsula, the Canadian hockey pride narrative gets complicated fast. These are places where kids grew up idolizing Gilbert Perreault, Pat LaFontaine, and Dominik Hašek. Where the Sabres' Memorial Cup-era nostalgia runs just as deep as any Cup memory tied to a Canadian franchise.
A Cross-Border Love Story the NHL Quietly Relies On
The Sabres' popularity in southern Ontario has long been an open secret in league circles. Buffalo has actively cultivated its Canadian fan base for decades, with a significant chunk of ticket sales coming from Ontario buyers willing to cross the Peace Bridge for games. It's a business reality that blurs the lines of the Canadian vs. American hockey divide.
For Ottawa fans, the story is a useful reminder that hockey fandom is deeply personal — rooted in memory, local TV signals, and childhood heroes, not just flags and borders. Whether you're cheering for the Sens at Canadian Tire Centre or rocking a Sabres third jersey in St. Catharines, the love of the game is the same thing underneath.
As for this postseason, Ottawa's hockey faithful will keep a watchful eye on Montreal's run — and quietly hope the Senators can make their own deep playoff push when next season rolls around.
Source: Global News Ottawa
