Doug Allen Sabres bring back former anthem singer for Game 7

Doug Allen is back for the doug allen sabres Game 7, listed to sing both national anthems Monday night against the Canadiens in Buffalo. The former longtime anthem singer had been away from the organization since 2021, when he stepped aside over the team’s COVID-19 vaccination policy.

Doug Allen and KeyBank Center

Allen was the Sabres’ anthem singer for nearly 30 years, starting in the early 1990s. He became part of the routine at KeyBank Center, where his tuxedo and his point to the camera were as familiar as the pregame ceremony itself.

On Monday night, the team put him back in that spot for Game 7. That meant a different voice than the one fans had come to expect most nights, because Cami Clune had been Buffalo’s go-to pregame singer before this change.

September 2021 Break

Allen’s exit in September 2021 came after he said he had COVID in January of 2021 and had natural immunity. In a letter to Sabres fans, he wrote, “I am not anti-vaccine,” and added, “There are many people at risk who should get it.”

He also wrote, “But, I am old enough to understand the importance of choice and the freedom of being an American.” Allen said, “I had COVID in January of 2021. I now have natural immunity, so I am choosing to not get vaccinated.” He added, “They’ve been so good to me,” and, “I don’t want to harm that relationship, and hey, maybe there will be a time in the future when I can sing again. I don’t know.”

Buffalo’s Old School Move

The return fits the game Buffalo chose for it: Game 7 against Montreal on Monday night. It is a one-night switch back to a singer tied to the franchise’s earlier years, not a permanent change in the pregame setup.

Allen, a Gowanda, New York native, was 57 years old when he stepped away in 2021. For this game, the Sabres listed him to sing both “O Canada” and “The Star Spangled Banner,” giving the night a familiar opening before the puck dropped.