If the Buffalo Sabres were Star Wars characters, who would they be?

In a galaxy far, far away the Florida Panthers thought a Star Wars night would be a good idea. We've seen the promotion before, the Buffalo Bisons triple-A baseball team, among many other sports franchises, have started handing out lightsabers instead of foam fingers for one night a year.

We're going back to Jakku.

[https://t.co/sPMFJrbBoo] pic.twitter.com/hsQ75pszjN

— Florida Panthers (@FlaPanthers) December 12, 2016

Conveniently, the Buffalo Sabres (not Sabers) happen to be in town for Florida's Star Wars night. So that got me thinking -- if the Sabres players were characters in Star Wars who would they be? Let's dive in, shall we?

Luke Skywalker -- Jack Eichel

Both Eichel and Skywalker grew up from humble beginnings to achieve greatness. In the Star Wars franchise Luke symbolizes hope, just like Eichel. If the Sabres are going to master the force anytime soon, Eichel is going to be a big reason why.

Fun fact, Skywalker piloted his X-Wing from the far left side of their attack formations (that's not true).

Yoda -- Brian Gionta

Gionta provides the experience and wisdom to a young team looking to take the next step. He's mastered the force, winning the Stanley Cup in 2003, and knows the way of the Jedi.

"Judge me by my size, do you?," Yoda says in The Empire Strikes Back. This comparison just makes so much sense.

Han Solo -- Ryan O'Reilly

I'm very confident that O'Reilly will be the next captain of the Sabres, so comparing him to the captain of the Millennium Falcon feels right.

Solo can thrive in any situation and always comes through when things get messy -- and when that happens on the ice O'Reilly's usually the guy to step up.

To top things off, I'm pretty sure I've seen O'Reilly in a Henley and a vest.

Chewbacca -- Jake McCabe

Chewbacca gets Han Solo out of some serious trouble and is often under appreciated. While O'Reilly, better known as Han Solo, doesn't make too many mistakes, a lot of the other Sabres forwards do, and more often than not McCabe is their to bail them out of trouble. Everyone's favorite Wookiee is a pivotal character in the franchise, and just like Chewy I expect McCabe to be one of the Sabres top defenders for years to come.

Obi-Wan Kenobi -- Matt Moulson

Hear me out -- Kenobi teaches Skywalker the force -- Moulson taught Eichel how to do laundry and pack his bags for road trips. Kenobi, like Moulson this season, has gotten better with age and has proven to be a pivotal player for the younger jedi's on the roster.

Boba Fett -- Rasmus Ristolainen

The Star Wars official database, yes that's a thing, describes Fett as silent but deadly. Both Ristolainen and Fett have the same weapon of choice -- a blaster rifle, and they both know how to use them.

The bounty hunter is featured in several Star Wars movies and after his new contract it's very obvious that Ristolainen isn't going anywhere anytime soon.

C-3PO -- Sam Reinhart

C-3PO is always in the right place at the right time, just like Reinhart, and proves to be a valuable sidekick to Luke Skywalker (Eichel). Yes, I know that Ankanin Skywalker created the droid, but C-3PO is by Luke's side when the Jedi returns. Reinhart has had a slow start this season, but there's no denying that the Sabres plan on him being a key part of their future.

I know I left a lot of big characters off the list -- so feel free to send your suggestions. Personally, I didn't think anyone was worthy of a comparison to Darth Vader -- he's on his own level. 

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