Most obscure names in Sabres history

[Stoner]

Seeing @phil_soisson's handle got me to thinking about other obscure names in Sabres history.

Whatcha got? I guess we have to include press/media people.

[Pimlach]

I once heard Chris Berman cover Sabres highlights and loudly proclaim “The Zhitnik is starting to Smehlik”!  
 

 

Edited January 3, 2022 by Pimlach

[Doohicksie]

1 minute ago, Pimlach said:

I once heard Chris Bergman cover Sabres highlights and loudly proclaim “The Zhitnik is starting to Smehlik”!  

Ew. That's Grosek!

[bob_sauve28]

Gates Orlando! 

[tom webster]

First name that popped in my head was Paul Terbenche (sic?) but I like Gates Orlando.

[MattPie]

Mark Astley, never gonna give you up.

(Only reason I remember him is whatever NHL9x game I had at the time had him on the starting lineup for quick games)

[dudacek]

Randy Ireland

 

[bg17]

Michel Deziel

[Broken Ankles]

Scott Thomas (least remembered Buffalo born Sabre)

[inkman]

42 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

I once heard Chris Berman cover Sabres highlights and loudly proclaim “The Zhitnik is starting to Smehlik”!  
 

 

I believe that stemmed from a sign in the opposing team’s arena that said “Hasek, you Smehlik like Zhitnik” 

[steveoath]

https://www.quanthockey.com/nhl/teams/buffalo-sabres-players-career-nhl-stats.html

 

A lot to choose from.  

[MattPie]

3 minutes ago, steveoath said:

https://www.quanthockey.com/nhl/teams/buffalo-sabres-players-career-nhl-stats.html

 

A lot to choose from.  

Surprisingly few players with only one game, most of all Joel Armia. Did he really only play one game with the Sabres? And I never got to use my "Armia: One" joke when he scored.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

Reed Larson.

[GASabresIUFAN]

Brian Perry

[mjd1001]

Jim Jackson.

Only played 5 games with the Sabres in the late 1980s (don't remember him at all though)

2 goals though in 5 games, he was on a pace for a mid-30 goal season.

[pastajoe]

Francois Guay, 1 NHL game.

[msw2112]

Not necessarily obscure, but you can't overlook Miroslav Satan as one of the all-time great names in sports.  Doug Bodger in and of itself isn't a crazy name, but I had a buddy in college from Pittsburgh who was a Bodger fan when Bodger was with the Pens.  He said that the font on the Pens' jerseys made the "d" look like an "o" so it looked like "Booger."

Some other good names were Bill Hajt (pronounced "Height") and he was very tall.  Rick Seiling was a guy with a "high ceiling" but never reached it.  Darren Puppa is another good one.

Not a Sabre and not even a hockey player, but one of my all-time favorites is former major league pitcher JJ Putz.

Again, these names are not obscure, but are fun.

Edited January 3, 2022 by msw2112

[Weave]

1 hour ago, The Ghost of Doohickie said:

Reed Larson.

Came here to post this one.  Didn’t get here quick enough.

Steve Ludzick sounds like another good obscurity.  If I remember correctly, he was the “other” Sabre to wear a horse collar.

Edited January 3, 2022 by Weave

[That Aud Smell]

2 hours ago, Pimlach said:

I once heard Chris Berman cover Sabres highlights and loudly proclaim “The Zhitnik is starting to Smehlik”!  

I think the joke reached its completed form with "Mike Peca Smehlik Zhitink!"

1 hour ago, MattPie said:

Mark Astley, never gonna give you up.

I think the best joke I ever made was -- in real time, at a game with old friends, with no pre-planning -- bursting out into "Never gonna clear the puck, never gonna leave the zone" in the midst of some defensive futility on his part. I mean, my friends and everyone in ear shot burst into laughter. This was also before "Rick Roll" existed.

[bob_sauve28]

Jiri Dudacek—drafted but never got out from behind the iron curtain 

[GASabresIUFAN]

Morris Titanic, a high draft pick that sank.

Drafted 12th overall and played 19 NHL games for the Sabres with Zero points.

Edited January 3, 2022 by GASabresIUFAN

[That Aud Smell]

I am partial to Keith Gretzky, even though he never played for the big club.

Greg Brown is another good one. I was convinced that the Hobey Baker finalist was gonna light sh1t up for the Sabres. Not so much, turns out. And TIL: He's created a good coaching career for himself.

Final honourable mention goes to Norm Lacombe. Great name. He was a bit of a bust, I believe.

[KC Scouts]

Timo Jutila

[pi2000]

Paul Cyr

[JoeSchmoe]

Lots of good ones but the one that almost seems unbelievable to me is Taro Tsujimoto.