‘We’re all about the next game’: Why the Sabres still believe they’re a playoff team
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Kristen Shilton, ESPN NHL reporter
The Buffalo Sabres were practically pronounced dead before the NHL season had officially begun.
Buffalo went out of the gate early for the league’s latest Global Series showcase in Prague, Czechia. That put the Sabres some 4,000 miles from home, getting beat up by the New Jersey Devils in a pair of consecutive losses by a combined 7-2 score.
It would be days before another NHL team opened its schedule — leaving ample airtime devoted to debating how the suddenly 0-2 Sabres had already blown their chances of being a playoff team.
Because wasn’t that the only acceptable outcome for Buffalo anyway? Isn’t this the Sabres’ time to end the 13-year postseason drought — longest among clubs in the four major sports leagues — and reward a fan base that’s patiently waited for Buffalo to pull it together?
That remains the goal. Overseas debacle be damned.
“We learned what not to do,” Sabres forward Alex Tuch said. “There were some good takeaways I think; it was a big learning experience. It’s something where you just have to realize that in this league, it’s tough. No matter what’s going on, who you’re playing, when you’re playing them, where you are in the world, you have to show up, and if you don’t, it’s not going to go your way. So I think it was a good eye-opener for this group, and we know how much better we need to be.”
Those wise words promptly appeared to fall on deaf ears. Buffalo — still without injured forward JJ Peterka after he was injured against the Devils — had nearly a week to prepare for their home opener against the Los Angeles Kings, and were brought down again, blowing an early 1-0 lead that was undone by an abysmal third period (and Anze Kopitar natural hat trick) in the eventual 3-1 loss.
Now Buffalo was staring down the barrel of an 0-3 start having scored just three goals in three games. The power play was 0-for-11. The Sabres’ best forwards — Tage Thompson and Tuch among them — looked snakebit. Zach Benson was struggling with an injury. And newly minted captain Rasmus Dahlin was clearly still feeling effects of the ailment he suffered during the preseason.
This wasn’t the Buffalo team anyone expected. Not when the organization brought back Lindy Ruff as head coach. Not when they had several maturing young talents on the roster ready to break out. Not when GM Kevyn Adams had essentially stood pat in free agency to give those homegrown skaters a chance to flourish.
Buffalo was already a confusing paradigm. And then the reigning Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers came to town — and the Sabres slapped them 5-2 for that elusive first win of the campaign.
Huh?
Suffice to say, the Sabres have been on a wild ride. Could the initial turmoil help Buffalo’s ultimate goal of punching a long-awaited ticket back to the postseason?
It’s not like anyone’s confidence inside the room is shaken … right?
“No,” said Tuch, when asked if the Sabres were rattled.
There’s not even a little concern about mounting pressure?
“Nope. We’re all about the next game.”
There are 78 more chances to prove there’s still reason to believe in Buffalo. Here’s why the playoff dream isn’t dead yet.
MARTIN BIRON HAS DONE the European thing, too.
He was one of three goalies the New York Rangers took to Sweden in 2011 for their own regular season opener. While the experience itself was top-notch, Biron was “dragging” after the first five or six days.
It was no surprise then to Biron — now an analyst for MSG Network — that Buffalo wasn’t exactly firing on all cylinders when it came time to face the Devils some 12 days into their European sojourn that included an exhibition outing against EHC Red Bull Munich in Germany, too.
“It’s not the best [way] to start,” Biron said. “But I almost feel like you’ve got to put those games aside. It was a long time [in Europe] and they just didn’t have their legs. And you move on. So it’s an 80-game season [then], and you’re trying to get to 95 points in 80 games, right? Is it challenging? Yes. But that’s how you have to look at it.”
On paper, it appeared Buffalo didn’t rise to the occasion in their next opportunity against the Kings. Biron begs to differ, though. It’s not that the Sabres — who whacked the Kings twice last season by a combined 12-3 — played poorly in the home opener; they just didn’t execute when it mattered.
“They looked really good,” Biron said. “If you look at the expected goals and the chances created, they were plus-14 in high-danger chances. The Sabres have never had a game where [the margin] was that high. They just couldn’t score. They couldn’t finish. And there were two [other] things that didn’t go well: the power play did not score again, and L.A. had a 5-on-3 for a minute [in the third period]. That didn’t work out good. They took a couple bad penalties [on Jason Zucker and Mattias Samuelsson]. That’s it.”
Those power-play woes might be the most consistent element of Buffalo’s season to date. Through four games, the Sabres are 0-for-14 with the extra man. Ruff has devoted long stretches of practice time to try remedying the problem; he’s tweaked the team’s looks, he’s yelled over botched attempts, but nothing so far is penetrating.
“We’re trying to generate a little bit more speed,” Ruff said. “We’ve got to get connected on the entries, and obviously both units changed when [Peterka and Zach Benson] went out.”
Biron’s perception on the special teams problems are similar, and he’s direct about what Buffalo must do to fix them.
“The first two games [in Prague], they were terrible on zone entries, and they were never in the zone because they couldn’t get possession,” he said. “That was better against L.A.; now it’s about getting second chances. I feel like they got some decent looks. But they really didn’t get any rebound looks, any screen looks, and that’s what the power play’s foundation should be about. You can’t just rely on a Tage Thompson one-timer. There’s still a lot of work to be done there.”
BUFFALO NEEDS MORE from its top players in every respect. The win over Florida was the Sabres’ most cohesive display offensively. And it’s easy to say Buffalo had an edge in that outing because the Panthers started backup goaltender Spencer Knight — his first since Feb. 18, 2023 — and they were missing both Aleksander Barkov (with an ankle injury) and Matthew Tkachuk (illness).
The Sabres overcame a 1-0 deficit in the first period because of key contributions from Jordan Greenway, Thompson and Tuch. That’s a good sign. Their best players — like any other team’s — have to be the ones driving offense. And there are others the Sabres are still waiting on to step up.
One of the blights on Buffalo’s 2023-24 season was the loss of forward Jack Quinn in January to a lower-body injury. That was after Quinn had been out long-term with an Achilles tendon issue. The prospect of having Quinn — who the team drafted eighth overall in 2020 — fully healthy to start this season was exciting. But he hasn’t quite clicked yet in a second-line spot with Dylan Cozens and Jiri Kulich, recording just one assist through the team’s first four games.
Quinn is counting on more production out of himself to align with some lofty goals for the season ahead.
“I want to be a really good offensive player in this league,” Quinn said. “I want to establish myself as that this year.”
Does Quinn feel like he’s begun doing that?
“No, not at all.”
Biron agrees that Quinn “hasn’t had a good start to the year” and it’s on him, Thompson, Peterka and Cozens — among others — to pull their weight as Buffalo drags itself out of less-than-ideal circumstances. And Ruff must push the right buttons to make that a reality.
“Lindy has to start to guide this team into being able to grind out some long shifts in the offensive zone,” Biron said. “It’s not just about rush chances, and then you’re out [of the zone]. Rush chances are great, but how about you spend 40 seconds or a minute in the offensive zone with good puck possession, with a point shot, with a recovery from a loose puck, and get the cycle going. That’s what I haven’t seen enough.”
Buffalo’s victory over Florida could be foundational, then. It was Ruff’s first win behind the Sabres’ bench since being fired during his initial go-around as coach from 1997-2013. Adams brought Ruff back after firing Don Granato in April, a reaction to the Sabres’ third failed attempt at making playoff under Granato’s leadership.
Ruff has had prior success in Buffalo. He guided the team to eight playoff appearances and a Stanley Cup Final appearance in 1999. Kicking off this tenure with a 1-3 mark wasn’t exactly the plan, but Ruff could see the Sabres perhaps starting to turn the proverbial corner.
“I sensed the same type of urgency [against] Florida as our last game [against L.A.],” Ruff said. “You could get frustrated, you could deviate; but I thought our guys were pretty locked in trying to play the right way, and for the most part I thought for 60 minutes we did. We got rewarded.”
And then some. It was a weight off Thompson’s shoulders to see some of those pucks — which had an annoying habit of finding every crossbar lately — hitting the net.
“You get one, and you start to feel good, especially after you feel like you could’ve had a few, and a goalie robs you or you just get a little unlucky,” Thompson said. “You’ve just got to stick with it. Keep shooting pucks and keep going to the net and stuff will open up.”
It all sounds right, anyway. The Sabres just have to back it up now on the ice. And their back end will be a significant factor in just how good Buffalo can eventually be. Dahlin claims to be at full strength again. Owen Power has been making progress. Henri Jokiharju is generating offense from the blue line, and Bowen Byram has untapped potential. If that group can continue to jell, it will be instrumental in getting Buffalo over the hump.
Another bright spot for the Sabres? Goaltending. And that hasn’t always been the case in Buffalo.
Right now they’re leaning on tandem of Devon Levi and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen after losing James Reimer — their projected third-stringer — on waivers. This is a big season for Levi in particular, who is poised to take on his heaviest NHL workload to date (he went 10-8-2 last season with an .899 save percentage and 3.10 goals-against average). Luukkonen was a go-to option for the Sabres in 2023-24, recording a 27-22-4 record with a .910 SV% and 2.57 GAA.
If both goalies can improve on that, it’ll give the Sabres a fighting chance every night.
“The least of their worries right now is goaltending,” Biron noted. “They’re good, and where they want it to be. If Luukkonen and Levi stay healthy, they’re going to be fine. And I actually love the upside in Levi and what he showed in training camp and what he showed in the one game [in Prague] when he almost stole them a point.”
THERE ARE NO moral victories, of course. The Sabres can’t be satisfied with another so-so year that leaves them outside looking in at the postseason field. And it’s way too soon to saddle them with such a fate.
There are too many recent examples — like the Edmonton Oilers starting last season 2-9-1 and still reaching the Cup Final — to count the Sabres out of a real playoff push.
It won’t be easy. The margin for error is already small, and will only feel suffocating if Buffalo hits any more speed bumps in the near future. There’s no use focusing on that, though. As the Sabres begin a three-game road trip, it’s about redemption, and momentum, and showing proof that one bad week is no reason to stop believing.
“I’m going to give them a pass,” Biron concluded. “The 0-3 start, it was really more like being 0-1 in my opinion from one bad game [in Prague]. They put themselves in a tough, tough spot early on for sure. But you’ve got to press on.”
After a longer than expected wait, Shedeur Sanders is finally an NFL player after the Cleveland Browns traded up with the Seattle Seahawks to select him with the 144th pick in the fifth round in the 2025 NFL draft.
Sanders, whose father is Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, played two seasons each with Jackson State and Colorado before declaring for the draft. He threw for 14,327 yards and 134 touchdowns during that span. Deion famously played nine MLB seasons while being an eight-time NFL Pro Bowler. Shedeur will suit up for the Browns, topping a long list of father-son combos across professional and collegiate sports.
Here is a look at other successful father-son combos in sports history.
Multiple sports
Deion Sanders/Deion Sanders Jr./Shilo Sanders/Shedeur Sanders
Father’s accomplishments: Deion played 14 seasons in the NFL. He was drafted No. 5 overall in 1989 by the Atlanta Falcons after being named a two-time All-American at Florida State. Sanders was named a Pro Bowler eight times with 53 interceptions throughout his career and two Super Bowl wins. He also played nine seasons of professional baseball for the Atlanta Braves, New York Yankees, Cincinnati Reds and San Francisco Giants. He famously played in a game for the Falcons against the Miami Dolphins, then immediately flew to Pittsburgh to dress for his baseball game with the Braves against the Pirates in the NLCS. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2011.
How his sons followed: Deion Sanders Jr. was a two-star athlete in the 2012 class, signing with SMU as a wide receiver and kick returner. As a sophomore kick returner, Sanders was named a second-team All-American Athletic Conference selection. Shilo was the No. 287-ranked prospect in the 2019 class and signed as a cornerback with South Carolina.
Shilo and Shedeur were coached by their father during their college football seasons with the Jackson State Tigers and Colorado Buffaloes. The Browns selected Shedeur with the No. 144 pick in Round 5 in the 2025 NFL draft.
MLB
Ken Griffey Sr./Ken Griffey Jr.
Father’s accomplishments: Ken Griffey Sr. played 19 seasons in the major leagues, mostly with the Cincinnati Reds. He was part of the Big Red Machine that won World Series titles in 1975 and 1976. Griffey Sr. was a three-time All-Star and finished his career with a .296 batting average, 152 home runs and 859 RBIs. He was named the Most Valuable Player of the 1980 All-Star Game and has been inducted into the Reds Hall of Fame.
How his son followed: Ken Griffey Jr. also had a long career, playing 22 seasons in the big leagues, including 13 with the Seattle Mariners and nine with Cincinnati. Griffey Jr. was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2016. He is seventh all time with 630 career home runs, was a 13-time All-Star and won 10 Gold Gloves for his play in center field. He was the American League MVP in 1997 and led the AL in home runs four times during his career.
In 1990, Griffey Sr. and Griffey Jr., both playing for the Mariners, made history when they became the first father-son duo to hit back-to-back home runs in a game.
Bobby Bonds/Barry Bonds
Father’s accomplishments: Bobby Bonds played the majority of his 14 seasons with the San Francisco Giants and became just the second player to hit 300 career home runs and steal 300 bases, joining Willie Mays. He set records for most times leading off a game with a home run in a season (11) and in a career (35) — both of which have since been broken. Bonds was a three-time All-Star and three-time Gold Glove winner.
How his son followed: Barry Bonds played 22 seasons, mostly with the Giants, and was a seven-time National League MVP. Bonds holds the records for most career home runs, with 762, and most home runs in a season, with 73. He was a 14-time All-Star, 12-time Silver Slugger Award winner and eight-time Gold Glove Award winner. Bonds tied his father for the most seasons with 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases, with five. He also holds the MLB records for walks (2,558) and intentional walks (688) in a career.
Sandy Alomar/Roberto Alomar/Sandy Alomar Jr.
Father’s accomplishments: Sandy Alomar Sr. competed in 15 seasons and could play all infield and outfield positions. He was an All-Star in 1970 and played a full 162-game season that year and in 1971. Alomar Sr. was a talented bunter and aggressive on the base paths, totaling 227 stolen bases in his career, including 39 in 1971.
How his sons followed: Twelve-time All-Star Roberto Alomar was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2011. He won World Series championships with the Toronto Blue Jays in 1992 and 1993. He won more Gold Gloves (10) than any other second baseman and finished his 17-year career with a .300 batting average, 2,724 hits and 210 home runs. Sandy Alomar Jr. was the first rookie catcher to start an All-Star Game, and he won Rookie of the Year and a Gold Glove Award in 1990. Alomar Jr. was named an All-Star six times during his 20-year career and had a 30-game hitting streak in 1997.
Cecil Fielder/Prince Fielder
Father’s accomplishments: Cecil Fielder was a three-time All-Star and won a World Series title with the New York Yankees in 1996. In 1990, he was the first player since George Foster in 1977 to hit at least 50 home runs in a season. Fielder led the American League in home runs in 1990 and 1991 and in RBIs from 1990 to ’92. He hit 319 career home runs, recorded 1,008 RBIs and was a two-time winner of the Silver Slugger Award.
How his son followed: Fielder was the youngest player (23) to hit 50 home runs in a season. Prince Fielder was a six-time All-Star and won the Home Run Derby twice — once as an NL All-Star and once as an AL All-Star. He totaled 319 career home runs, the same number as his father, and drove in 1,028 runs. Fielder was a three-time Silver Slugger Award winner and the AL Comeback Player of the Year in 2015.
Cecil and Prince Fielder are the only father-son duo to each hit 50 home runs in a season.
Vladimir Guerrero/Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Father’s accomplishments: Guerrero spent 16 seasons playing in the MLB for the Montreal Expos, Anaheim Angels, Texas Rangers and the Baltimore Orioles. He was a nine-time All-Star, the 2004 American League MVP and an eight-time winner of the Silver Slugger award. He was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2018 and finished his career with 2,590 hits.
How his son followed: Guerrero Jr. signed with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2015 and made his major league debut in 2019. He hit 48 home runs in the 2021 season and became the second father-son duo to hit 40 home runs in a season, joining Prince and Cecil Fielder in accomplishing that feat. Guerrero has since been a four-time All-Star and a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger winner for the Blue Jays.
NBA
LeBron James/Bronny James/Bryce James
Father’s accomplishments: LeBron James is still going strong in his 22nd NBA season. He’s the league’s all-time scoring leader and eclipsed 40,000 points last season. LeBron has won four NBA championships and made an NBA-record 20 straight All-Star appearances.
How his sons followed: The Los Angeles Lakers selected Bronny James with the No. 55 pick in the 2024 NBA draft, pairing him with his dad, LeBron, in the NBA. The two appeared in a game together in October 2024, becoming the first father-son duo to do so in NBA history. Bronny is expected to split time between the Lakers and their G-League affiliate. Bryce, LeBron’s youngest son, committed to Arizona in January as part of the Wildcats’ 2025 class.
Dell Curry/Stephen Curry/Seth Curry
Father’s accomplishments: Dell Curry retired as the Charlotte Hornets‘ career scoring leader (9,839 points) and ranked first in 3-pointers made (929). Curry was named NBA Sixth Man of the Year in 1994 and averaged 11.7 points and 2.4 rebounds per game in his 16-year career.
How his sons followed: Stephen Curry has led the Golden State Warriors to four NBA championships and been named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player twice. Curry is a 10-time All-Star and was the NBA scoring champion in 2016 and 2021. He holds the NBA record for most made 3-pointers in a regular season, with 402, and most consecutive regular-season games with a made 3-pointer, with 268. Seth Curry was a two-time NBA D-League All-Star and has spent time with several NBA teams. He averaged 12.8 points over 70 games in 2016-17 with the Dallas Mavericks.
Doc Rivers/Austin Rivers
Father’s accomplishments: As a player, Doc Rivers was known for his defense, but he averaged a double-double during the 1986-87 season, with 12.8 points and 10.0 assists per game. He was an NBA All-Star in 1988 and played with four teams during his 13-year career. Rivers was named Coach of the Year in 2000 with the Orlando Magic and led the Boston Celtics to an NBA title as their coach in 2008. He was the head coach of the LA Clippers from 2013-2020 and Philadelphia 76ers from 2020-2023. He was announced as the Milwaukee Bucks head coach in January 2024.
How his son followed: In 2015, Austin Rivers was traded to the Clippers and became the first NBA player to play for his father. Rivers has averaged 9.2 points per game in his seven-year career, including 15.1 PPG in 2017-18 with the Clippers. He then played for the Wizards, Rockets, Knicks, Nuggets and the Timberwolves.
Mychal Thompson/Klay Thompson
Father’s accomplishments: Mychal Thompson, the No. 1 pick in the 1978 NBA draft, won back-to-back NBA championships with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1987 and ’88. Thompson was on the All-Rookie team in 1979 and went on to average 13.7 points and 7.4 rebounds per game in his career. He averaged a double-double in 1981-82, with 20.8 points and 11.7 rebounds per game.
How his son followed: Klay Thompson won four NBA championships with the Golden State Warriors. Mychal and Klay Thompson became just the fourth father-son duo to each win an NBA title as a player and the first to each win back-to-back championships. Klay is a five-time All-Star, was named to the All-Rookie team in 2012 and won the 3-point contest in 2016. He holds the NBA playoff record for most 3-pointers made in a game, with 11.
Joe ‘Jellybean’ Bryant/Kobe Bryant
Father’s accomplishments: Joe “Jellybean” Bryant played eight seasons in the NBA before heading to Europe and playing seven seasons with teams in Italy. He scored 53 points in a game twice during the 1987-88 season with Pistoia. Bryant played into his 50s, suiting up for the American Basketball Association.
How his son followed: Five-time NBA champion Kobe Bryant is fourth in career scoring, with 33,643 points. He played 20 seasons for the Lakers and was named an All-Star 18 times. Bryant was named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player in 2008 and the Finals MVP in 2009 and ’10. He was the NBA scoring champion in 2006 and ’07 and was named to the All-NBA first team 11 times and the All-Defensive first team nine times. Kobe had both his No. 8 and his No. 24 retired by the Lakers.
NFL
Archie Manning/Peyton Manning/Eli Manning
Father’s accomplishments: Archie Manning was a quarterback in the NFL for 13 seasons, mostly with the New Orleans Saints. Despite never leading a team to a winning record, Manning made the Pro Bowl in 1978 and ’79. He threw for 125 touchdowns and rushed for 18 during his career. He has been inducted into the Saints’ Ring of Honor and the Saints’ Hall of Fame.
How his sons followed: Peyton Manning was the first pick in the 1998 NFL draft and holds the NFL records for career passing yards (71,940) and passing touchdowns (539). He is the only starting quarterback to win a Super Bowl for two franchises. A 14-time Pro Bowler, Manning was named the NFL’s Most Valuable Player five times and a first-team All-Pro seven times.
Eli Manning was the first pick in the 2004 NFL draft and led the New York Giants to two Super Bowl titles, earning Super Bowl MVP honors both times. He is a four-time Pro Bowler, ranks sixth in passing yards in NFL history and started 210 consecutive games from 2004 to 2017, the second-longest streak by a quarterback in NFL history.
Howie Long/Chris Long/Kyle Long
Father’s accomplishments: Eight-time Pro Bowl selection Howie Long played his entire 13-year career with the Raiders organization. The defensive end helped the Raiders win the Super Bowl in 1984, and he was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1985. Long finished his career with 84 sacks and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2000. He also made 10 fumble recoveries and two interceptions during his time in the NFL.
How his sons followed: Chris Long was the No. 2 pick in the 2008 NFL draft and won back-to-back Super Bowls — with the New England Patriots in 2017 and the Philadelphia Eagles in 2018. The defensive end recorded 70 sacks in his 11-year career.
Kyle Long, a three-time Pro Bowl selection, was a guard for the Chicago Bears. He was a second-team All-Pro in 2014 and made the All-Rookie team in 2013.
He returned from his 2019 retirement with a one-year stint with the Kansas City Chiefs for the 2021 season but did not play due to injuries.
Clay Matthews Jr./Clay Matthews III/Casey Matthews
Father’s accomplishments: Clay Matthews Jr. played 19 seasons in the NFL, mostly with the Cleveland Browns. He appeared in 278 games, the most by a linebacker, and recorded 1,561 tackles, 69.5 sacks and 16 interceptions in his career. Matthews was a four-time Pro Bowler and was first-team All-Pro in 1984, recording 12 sacks that season.
How his sons followed: Clay Matthews III, a six-time Pro Bowler, helped the Green Bay Packers to a Super Bowl title after the 2010 season. The linebacker was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2010 and totaled 91.5 sacks, 17 forced fumbles and six interceptions in his 11-year career.
Linebacker Casey Matthews played from 2011 to ’14 for the Philadelphia Eagles and recorded 2.5 sacks.
Christian McCaffrey/Ed McCaffrey
Father’s accomplishments: Ed McCaffrey’s 13-year NFL career included three Super Bowl wins and one Pro Bowl appearance. He earned 7,422 receiving yards and notched 55 receiving touchdowns, a majority of which came with the Denver Broncos. Ed McCaffrey played a key role in the Broncos winning back-to-back championships in 1997 and 1998.
How his son followed: A highly touted recruit out of Stanford, Christian McCaffrey has lived up to the hype in the NFL. In his eighth season, the running back has rushed for 6,224 career yards and 52 touchdowns, including a league-leading 1,459 yards in 2023, when he earned Offensive Player of the Year honors.
Jeremiah Trotter Jr./Jeremiah Trotter
Father’s accomplishments: Drafted by the Eagles in the third round, Jeremiah Trotter suited up for the franchise in eight of his 11 NFL seasons, starting at middle linebacker for the Eagles in Super Bowl XXXIX. He was a four-time Pro Bowler and member of the All-Pro team once. Trotter recorded 723 solo tackles and nine interceptions during his career.
How his son followed: The Eagles also selected Trotter Jr., this time in the fifth round. Hailing from the Clemson Tigers, Trotter had 25 combined tackles in his first season. He appeared in Philadelphia’s Super Bowl LIX victory, recording one tackle.
NHL
Bobby Hull/Brett Hull
Father’s accomplishments: Bobby Hull received the Hart Memorial Trophy twice as the NHL’s most valuable player and earned the Art Ross Trophy three times as the NHL’s leading points scorer. The left wing won the Stanley Cup in 1961 with the Chicago Blackhawks and was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1983. Hull led the NHL in goals seven times and was the second-leading goal scorer in NHL history, with 610, when he retired. Hull won back-to-back All-Star Game MVP awards in 1970 and ’71.
How his son followed: Brett Hull scored 741 goals in his career, the fourth-highest total in NHL history. The right wing won Stanley Cups in 1999 with the Dallas Stars (including scoring the championship-winning goal) and in 2002 with the Detroit Red Wings. Hull scored at least 50 goals in five consecutive seasons, and his 86 goals in 1990-91 are the third most in a season in NHL history. He was named the NHL’s MVP that season and received the Hart Memorial Trophy. Hull was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2009, joining his father to become the first father-son duo in the Hall.
Keith Tkachuk/Matthew Tkachuk/Brady Tkachuk
Father’s accomplishments: Keith was selected 19th overall in the 1990 NHL draft and played for 18 years with four different teams. He finished his career with 527 goals and 1,065 points. At the time that he scored his 500th goal, he was just the fourth American-born player to achieve that milestone and was the sixth American-born player with 1,000 points.
How his sons followed: Matthew was selected sixth in the 2016 NHL draft by the Calgary Flames but has since been traded to the Florida Panthers, where he helped lead the team to a 2024 Stanley Cup title.
Brady was taken with the fourth pick in the 2018 draft by the Ottawa Senators. He was named the team’s captain in 2021 and has scored 171 regular-season goals in his career.
Auto racing
Dale Earnhardt/Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Father’s accomplishments: Dale Earnhardt won 76 Winston Cup races, including the 1998 Daytona 500. Earnhardt claimed seven NASCAR Winston Cup championships, tying Richard Petty for the most all time. It was 22 years before Jimmie Johnson matched the accomplishment in 2016. Earnhardt died as a result of a collision on the final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500 and was posthumously inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame inaugural class in 2010.
How his son followed: Dale Earnhardt Jr. won 26 Cup series races, including the Daytona 500 twice (2004, 2014). He had 260 top-10 finishes in Cup races in his career. Junior was a fan favorite, winning the Most Popular Driver award 15 times. He was the Busch Series champion in 1998 and ’99 before being named NASCAR Rookie of the Year in 2000. He is retired and a broadcaster now.
Next generation
Gilbert Arenas/Alijah Arenas
Alijah Arenas, a five-star, 6-foot-6 guard from Southern California, announced his commitment to USC in January 2025. He picked the Trojans over his father’s alma mater, the Arizona Wildcats, while also receiving offers from the Kansas Jayhawks, Louisville Cardinals and Kentucky Wildcats. He reclassified in December from the class of 2026 to 2025.
Carmelo Anthony/Kiyan Anthony
A four-star shooting guard from New York, Kiyan Anthony announced his commitment to Syracuse in November 2024. Kiyan follows in the footsteps of his father, Carmelo, who averaged 22.5 points and 6.2 rebounds across a 19-season NBA career. Carmelo spent a season at Syracuse, leading the Orange to the 2003 national championship.
Dikembe Mutombo/Ryan Mutombo:
Ryan followed in his father’s footsteps and played for the Georgetown Hoyas as a 7-foot-2 center. He transferred to play for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets after three seasons with the Hoyas.
Penny Hardaway/Jayden Hardaway/Ashton Hardaway:
Both Jayden and Ashton played for their father with Memphis. Jayden is a guard who averaged 3.1 points per game in the 2023-24 season, while Ashton averaged 2.3.
Dajuan Wagner/D.J. Wagner:
D.J. spent the 2023-24 season with the Kentucky Wildcats, averaging 9.9 points and 3.3 assists per game. He transferred to the Arkansas Razorbacks after the season.
Dennis Rodman/DJ Rodman:
DJ was a 6-foot-6 forward for USC. He averaged 8.4 points per game and made 36.2% of his 3-point shots in the 2023-24 season for the Trojans. He went undrafted in the 2024 NBA draft.
Shaquille O’Neal/Shaqir O’Neal:
Shaqir is a 6-foot-8 forward at Florida A&M. He averaged 1.8 points per game in the 2023-24 season for Texas Southern.
Peja Stojakovic/Andrej Stojakovic:
Andrej was a McDonald’s All-American out of high school before committing to the Stanford Cardinal. He averaged 7.8 points per game as a freshman for the Cardinal. He transferred to UC Berkeley after the 2023-24 season.
Jerry Rice/Brenden Rice:
Brenden transferred to the USC Trojans from the Colorado Buffaloes prior to the 2022 season and led the Trojans with 12 touchdown receptions in 2023. He had 791 yards receiving on the year and was selected by the Los Angeles Chargers in the 2024 NFL draft.
Marvin Harrison/Marvin Harrison Jr.:
Harrison Jr. won the Biletnikoff Award as the nation’s best wide receiver and finished the 2023 season with 1,211 yards and 14 touchdowns. He was selected No. 4 by the Arizona Cardinals in the 2024 NFL draft as one of the best receiver prospects available.
Frank Gore Sr./Frank Gore Jr.:
Gore Jr. was No. 32 among all FBS running backs in rush yards in 2023 with 1,131. He had 10 rushing touchdowns and averaged 4.9 yards per rush. Gore Jr. went undrafted in 2024 but signed with the Buffalo Bills.
Emmitt Smith/E.J. Smith:
E.J. had a slow start to his collegiate career with just 587 rush yards and five touchdowns in four seasons with Stanford. He transferred to Texas A&M in 2024.
Honorable mentions
Ray Boone/Bob Boone/Bret Boone/Aaron Boone; Felipe Alou/Moises Alou; Tom Gordon/Dee Gordon/Nick Gordon; Rick Barry/Brent Barry/Jon Barry; Bill Walton/Luke Walton; Larry Nance/Larry Nance Jr.; Tim Hardaway/Tim Hardaway Jr.; Bruce Matthews/Jake Matthews/Kevin Matthews; Jackie Slater/Matthew Slater; Gordie Howe/Mark Howe; J.P. Parise/Zach Parise; Peter Stastny/Paul Stastny; Lee Petty/Richard Petty/Kyle Petty; Mario Andretti/Michael Andretti/Jeff Andretti/Marco Andretti; Ken Norton Sr./Ken Norton Jr.; Calvin Hill/Grant Hill; Peter Schmeichel/Kasper Schmeichel
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