Sabres fan's memory honored with purchase of 64 cutouts

Theodore "Teddy" Steeg III sat in the last row of the 300 Level wearing a Daniel Briere jersey for Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals in 2006. His friend, Nathaniel Roche, recalls Steeg revisiting the atmosphere in the arena when J-P Dumont scored the overtime winner for years and years afterward.
"I just remember that being one of the highlights of his life," Roche said.
Steeg passed away unexpectedly on Feb. 20. He was 38. The loss prompted Roche - a friend since fourth grade - and others in their longtime friend group to find a way to honor a man they affectionately describe as a "legend" with a kind soul and big personality.

"Let's find a way to give Teddy a tribute that he deserves," Roche said. "He's such a character in our group of friends, such a core piece to everything. We all thought about that. He's this core piece that ties us all together in a lot of ways. So, how do we provide a tribute that makes sense for him?"
They decided to put Teddy in the stands for a Sabres game one more time.
Steeg was featured on 64 cardboard cutouts in section 206 during Buffalo's game against the New York Rangers on Thursday. Roche and friends raised money for the tribute through an online fundraiser that quickly garnered support on social media.
The influx of donations, Roche said, was a testament to Steeg's ability to leave an impact on those he met. Roche recalled a spring break trip to Fort Lauderdale in high school when unknown strangers would pass on the street and call out, "Hey, Teddy!" The experience earned him the moniker "The Legend of Fort Lauderdale," one of several nicknames Teddy was given over the years.
Brian Duff and Martin Biron paid tribute to Steeg during the first intermission on the Sabres broadcast.

Roche wants people who notice Steeg's presence in KeyBank Center to know he was a true fan and a person who cared about others. In a note written with the purchase of the cutouts, Roche referred to his friend as "unapologetically Teddy."
"He just had no shame in his personality," Roche said. "He was the life of the party. He wasn't afraid to be himself around everyone and show his true emotions, his true color, his true character all the time. And he never needed to apologize for being Teddy.
"I think that's why everyone loved him, because he was just so genuine. He got along with people from all walks of life. That's something I really admired about him. He could jump into just about any group of people and mix right in and he would end up making friends."