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RIP Rick Martin

thesportsbuff

By thesportsbuff
in The Aud Club

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Marvelo Second Liner

Marvelo

Posted
Posted

RIP to the Sabres sniper supreme. What a hard shot and that legendary quick release. It gave me alot of comfort to know Rick and Gilbert were on our side and many a time I felt sorry for the other goalies. Anyway they showed the league a thing or two in the early-late seventies.

 

Rico did have a beef with the Sabres back in 1980. He sued them seven times, for improper medical treatment for an injured knee... but it was Bowman who wrongly ran him and Rene out of town.

 

http://sabreslegends.blogspot.com/2006/12/rick-martin.html

 

On November 8, 1980 Rick injured his right knee in a collision with Washington Capitals' goalie Mike Palmateer. Rick's knee never was the same after that and he only played sparingly from then until March 10, 1981, when he was traded to Los Angeles. In LA he only played four games before retiring in December 1981.

 

In June 1982, Rick sued the Buffalo Sabres, contending that he received improper medical treatment for an injured knee that forced him to an early retirement. There were seven separate suits, including one against Scotty Bowman.

 

"My beef was never with the Knoxes (the Sabres owners). It was with Scotty, " Rick said.

 

I wonder what the cause of the heart attack was. I had a buddy I played hockey with and his father passed away at 59, and he died a few weeks later at age 39 of a heart attack. It could be genetics. I also wonder if it was smoking because I think Rick was a smoker?

R_Dudley Second Liner

R_Dudley

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My prayers and condolances to his family.

 

A loss to what had the looks of a strong re establishment of a Sabres Alumni assoication.

 

A sad loss of a hockey legend that I grew up watching and cheering and somber reminder that I am not getting any younger myself.

 

RIP Rico, you will be missed.

spndnchz All Star

spndnchz

Posted
Posted

I wish they could replace those numbers on the front of their jerseys for the rest of the year with a 7.

 

Last night they all had little stickers on their helmets. I assume they stay for a while.

shrader Hall of Famer

shrader

Posted
Posted

Last night they all had little stickers on their helmets. I assume they stay for a while.

 

There's no number on the front of the 3rd jersey, right? I think it would be a nice touch if they did it with the other jerseys the rest of the way.

nfreeman Hall of Famer

nfreeman

Posted
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This thread has been a great tribute to Rico. Many of the posts here are beautifully written. The French Connection was indeed like the Beatles for those of us growing up in Buffalo in the 70s.

 

I am deeply saddened. Richard Martin was my favorite player on my favorite team when I was a kid. I had his poster on my wall. I never met him but it sounds like he was a great guy.

 

As someone else mentioned, heaven's hockey team just got a lot stronger at LW.

 

Godspeed Rico. We miss you.

kishoph Third Liner

kishoph

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It's still a shock to me to know that RICK has passed, he will be missed by myself and thousands of Buffalo Sabres fans. I'm sure that PEGULA will make it that his memory lives on at the arena. I'am not sure if his #7 is retired (I think they just don't hand the number out), I believe that the only two numbers that are retired are #11 and #2, if this is the case I hope that the Sabres will soon rectify this and retire #7 along with #14. I also would be all for them putting up a statute of the French Connection in front of or inside of the arena. Below are some stats of MARTIN's career in the NHL. I think that these numbers are certainly worthy of a Hall of Fame selection in the near future.

 

 

 

Martin finished with 384 goals and 317 assists for 701 points in 685 career NHL games. He added 24 goals and 29 assists for 53 points in 63 career playoff games.

 

He was a five-time 40-goal-scorer, and twice surpassed the 50-goal plateau, when he had 52 in each of the 1973-74 and 1974-75 seasons. Martin's most productive campaign was in 1974-75, when he had a career-high 95 points (52 goals, 43 assists) in 68 games.

 

Martin has more career goals than any Sabres left wing and ranks overall second in team history. He ranks second with 47 game-winning goals, while his 695 points rank third. Martin also holds the Sabres record with 21 three-goal games.

Stoner Hall of Famer

Stoner

Posted
Posted

It's still a shock to me to know that RICK has passed, he will be missed by myself and thousands of Buffalo Sabres fans. I'm sure that PEGULA will make it that his memory lives on at the arena. I'am not sure if his #7 is retired (I think they just don't hand the number out), I believe that the only two numbers that are retired are #11 and #2, if this is the case I hope that the Sabres will soon rectify this and retire #7 along with #14. I also would be all for them putting up a statute of the French Connection in front of or inside of the arena. Below are some stats of MARTIN's career in the NHL. I think that these numbers are certainly worthy of a Hall of Fame selection in the near future.

 

 

 

Martin finished with 384 goals and 317 assists for 701 points in 685 career NHL games. He added 24 goals and 29 assists for 53 points in 63 career playoff games.

 

He was a five-time 40-goal-scorer, and twice surpassed the 50-goal plateau, when he had 52 in each of the 1973-74 and 1974-75 seasons. Martin's most productive campaign was in 1974-75, when he had a career-high 95 points (52 goals, 43 assists) in 68 games.

 

Martin has more career goals than any Sabres left wing and ranks overall second in team history. He ranks second with 47 game-winning goals, while his 695 points rank third. Martin also holds the Sabres record with 21 three-goal games.

 

7 and 14 are retired, along with 2, 11, 16 and 18.

Sabre Dance Third Liner

Sabre Dance

Posted
Posted

It's still a shock to me to know that RICK has passed, he will be missed by myself and thousands of Buffalo Sabres fans. I'm sure that PEGULA will make it that his memory lives on at the arena. I'am not sure if his #7 is retired (I think they just don't hand the number out), I believe that the only two numbers that are retired are #11 and #2, if this is the case I hope that the Sabres will soon rectify this and retire #7 along with #14. I also would be all for them putting up a statute of the French Connection in front of or inside of the arena. Below are some stats of MARTIN's career in the NHL. I think that these numbers are certainly worthy of a Hall of Fame selection in the near future.

 

 

 

Martin finished with 384 goals and 317 assists for 701 points in 685 career NHL games. He added 24 goals and 29 assists for 53 points in 63 career playoff games.

 

He was a five-time 40-goal-scorer, and twice surpassed the 50-goal plateau, when he had 52 in each of the 1973-74 and 1974-75 seasons. Martin's most productive campaign was in 1974-75, when he had a career-high 95 points (52 goals, 43 assists) in 68 games.

 

Martin has more career goals than any Sabres left wing and ranks overall second in team history. He ranks second with 47 game-winning goals, while his 695 points rank third. Martin also holds the Sabres record with 21 three-goal games.

 

Rico's number 7 was retired in 1995 (along with Rene Robert's # 14). The other retired Sabres numbers are: #11 - Perreault, #2 - Tim Horton, #16 Pat LaFontaine and #18 - Danny Gare.

 

My best Sabre memories are of the 70's teams - it was all brand-new back then and the fact that the Sabres rose to the top of the league in just a few short seasons made it even more fun. Martin had an awesome slap-shot that opposing goalies feared. He is one of my all-time favorite Sabres. He will be truly missed.

LGR4GM Hall of Famer

LGR4GM

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Posted

I dont know if anyone has said this but Thank you Sens fans in attendance for being respectful. I feel like in some sports that would not have happened and I am glad that everyone understood.

BeachedNLA Prospect

BeachedNLA

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Rick Martin was hanging proudly on my wall as a kid. Favorite Sabre, along with Perrault & Robert. My Dad belonged to Crag Burn Club, in the town of Aurora, and Rick was always out there (golfing) in the off-season. Also remember the family gatherings at holidays, like Labor Day. Rick would join in on a fun game of touch football with us kids (he was great to us, but as I remember, was always competitive..., even in those games).

 

Games I remember / that stand out... His shot that took the Russian goalie's glove off, when we were one of the few NHL teams to beat the Ruskies, 12-6. His hat-trick in the last game of 74-75, to become the first Buffalo Sabre to reach the 50-goal plateau. How it created a buzz in the Aud, when he, Perrault and Robert would rev up for a rush up the ice(!)

 

Great, great memories...

 

As always...

 

GO SABRES!

 

And thank you Rico, for the memories that will always be there! Rest in peace...

spndnchz All Star

spndnchz

Posted
Posted

######. all these years, i thought it was martin. i have to be the worst "fan" in sabres history. :)

 

Martin was for a period of time, but they "made up". Robert was until Pegula came in.

spndnchz All Star

spndnchz

Posted
Posted

TBN:

 

The family of Rick Martin and the Sabres have announced there will be a public memorial service to celebrate the life of the Buffalo Sabres Hall of Famer and famed member of the French Connection at 11 a.m. March 24 in HSBC Arena. The Sabres will announce further details later this week.

 

The Sabres said anyone wishing to make a donation in Martin’s memory can direct it to Compass House, 1451 Main St., Buffalo, NY 14209.

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