‘Happy Gilmore’ star currently on tour, gets warm welcome from Buffalo players

Sandler Sabres

When the Sandman comes to town you can’t just sleep through it.

Players from the Buffalo Sabres helped welcome legendary comedian Adam Sandler to KeyBank Center this weekend. Sandler was in Buffalo as part of his “You’re My Best Friend” tour, spanning 33 U.S. cities this fall.

Sabres forwards Alex Tuch, Tage Thompson, Josh Doan, Beck Malenstyn and Josh Norris and defensemen Rasmus Dahlin, Michael Kesselring and Conor Timmins welcomed Sandler — perhaps best known for playing one of the most iconic hockey player movie characters of all time in “Happy Gilmore” before reprising the role in this past summer’s “Happy Gilmore 2

“Happy Gilmore 2” was one of Netflix’s biggest movies of the year, drawing nearly 50 million viewers.

Sandler, a well-known sports fanatic, might wear a Boston Bruins jersey in the movies but on Sunday was presented with an alternative — a black Sabres retro jersey with “Gilmore” and No. 18 on the back. Sabres players also gifted him a blue Buffalo Bills jersey with “Boucher” and No. 9, a nod to Sandler’s 1998 smash hit “The Waterboy” and a Buffalo Bandits lacrosse sweater with “Sandman” and No. 1 on the back.

Sandler has hit a few NHL arenas on his tour and even made an appearance at the 2025 NHL Draft, announcing the Bruins pick as Gilmore.