Jason Pominville

Bio Many distinguished individuals have worn the ‘C’ throughout the Buffalo Sabres’ long and rich history, from Gilbert Perrault, Pat LaFontaine and Michael Peca to Stu Barnes, Daniel Briere and Chris Drury. These men brought three qualities to the table as captain – skill, toughness and leadership.

As of 2010-11, no one on the Sabres’ roster possesses those characteristics more than number 29, Jason Pominville.

Born in Repentigny, Que. on November 30, 1982, Pominville played junior hockey for the Shawinigan Cataractes of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. During his four years in the QMJHL, he recorded 255 points, including a 113 point season in 2000-01 that put NHL scouts on notice.

After being drafted by the Sabres in the second round (55th overall) in 2001, Pominville had a career year in 2001-02. He notched a career-high 57 goals and 121 points, and was named to the QMJHL’s First All-Star Team.

Pominville then played 2.5 seasons with the Rochester Americans of the AHL, scoring more than 30 goals twice and put up more than 60 points twice. Aside from his career debut (a one-game cup of coffee with the Sabres in 2003-04), Pominville didn’t get much attention from the big league team. In fact, he was waived by the Sabres to begin the 2005-06 season, but no one placed a claim on his rights.

After scoring 26 points in only 18 games to start 05-06, Pominville was called up to the Sabres for good. His first NHL goal was scored on the power play against the Washington Capitals on November 27, 2005. Pominville finished with a respectable 18 goals and 30 points as a rookie, and 10 of his goals came on the power play.

What endeared Pominville to the fans and to his team was his willingness to play an intelligent two-way game. His ability to play well at both ends of the ice, and his penchant for scoring big goals in big moments got him noticed, and it made him a fan-favorite. It also inspired Sabres play-by-play announcer Rick Jeanneret to proclaim that, whenever Pominville scored a goal, “the population in Pominville” would increase.

The biggest moment of Pominville’s rookie season (and, to date, his career) came in the 2006 Eastern Conference semifinals. Tied with the Ottawa Senators in overtime of Game 5, Pominville swooped around Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson and scored the series-clinching goal to send the Sabres to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 1999. The goal was notable in that it was the first time in NHL history that a series-clinching goal was scored in overtime while that team was shorthanded.

Over the next five years, Pominville continued to improve, scoring more than 20 goals in every season and put up more than 60 points four times (with career-highs 34 goals and 80 points coming in 06-07 and 07-08, respectively.) He was named a member of Team USA for the 2008 IIHF World Championships and was also nominated for the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy in 2007-08.

Pominville signed a five-year contract extension before the 2008-09 season, and was named the 13th full-time captain in Sabres history in October of 2011.