A thank-you note from Carter Hutton

The little interactions I have with people in our community have been one of the best aspects of my time in Buffalo to date. I understand now why it's called "The City of Good Neighbors."

I mean that literally. My wife and I have become good friends with the people in our neighborhood during the past two years, and they're just so supportive. Yes, they're huge Sabres fans, and you can see that passion all the time. It gives me a lot of pride when I go to the rink.

But they also set hockey aside and empathize with the human demands of our life. It might be when I'm on the road and it's just my wife at home with the kids. Or even through this pandemic, trying to maintain a home in Buffalo while we're back across the border so we can be near our families. They are always there to help in a pinch, and I think that's made Buffalo feel like home for us.

It's the same attitude I see when I drop my son off at daycare every morning. One of his teachers is a huge fan, and she just raves about the game every morning. Whether we won or lost the night before, she is always supportive and you can tell how much the game meant to her.

That's nice to see, especially in a place looking after our little guy. They see me as a family man, but they aren't afraid to show their passion for the Sabres, either. That's what makes this community special.