Rick Jeanneret: 1942–2023

[Stoner]

Oh, you know where that one went tonight: top shelf where momma hides the cookies.

Someone please draw Rick with wings and suspenders inside the pearly gates.

[Stoner]

He deserves to lie in state at center ice. I don't know how else the desire of so many to pay their respects can be accommodated.

[Stoner]

[Randall Flagg]

Love my sabres family, each and every one of you. Rick showed me how

The last thing he said to me and you, "I love you"

[OverPowerYou]

Hearing Rick’s voice always puts my heart at ease. It brings me back to simpler times in my life as a teenager in the mid 2000’s. May he rest in peace. We however have hundreds of hours of Rick’s highlights to listen to till the end of time 

Edited August 18, 2023 by OverPowerYou

[K-9]

Travel well, RJ. 

[msw2112]

2 hours ago, North Buffalo said:

RIP Rick... always remember your voice from under my pillow with the radio so my parents didnt know as a kid listening to games.

I did the same in the 70's as a little kid.  I remember listening to Rick when the Sabres played in time zones west of Buffalo and I wasn't allowed to stay up late and watch.  I had a little transistor radio with an earpiece that I hid under the pillow.

His calls are the stuff of legend and he was truly beloved by the Sabres community in and outside of Buffalo, and really all those in the NHL family that knew him.  I'm usually not terribly sad when someone 80+ that I have never met passes away, but my heart is very heavy right now.  Although I never met the man, I know how great it would have been.  Despite the fact that he was truly a superstar in his field, he was a humble regular guy.  Rest in peace RJ!

Edited August 18, 2023 by msw2112

[Alaska John]

A great guy who kept going as long as possible.  I am sorry for his family that he didn't have more years without hockey games so he could spend more time with them.  

[bunomatic]

Wow! Legend. R.I.P. Rick. A sad day indeed.😪

[IKnowPhysics]

Greatest play by play of all time, now and forever.  He was a kindly grandfather to us all.

The people of Buffalo will remember forever.

[Eleven]

Well that's a ***** thing to read when you wake up in the middle of the night.

I'm sure we all have our memories.  I'll leave it to others to post them for now.

God bless, Rick.

[LaLaLaFontaine]

Rest in peace Rick. Your voice of calling the Sabres and Pat Lafontaines goals is what I still remember to this day. At that time I was a teenager and really sucked up every little bit of NHL hockey which was shown in Germany and this was really really little at that time. Your voice nearly singing LalalaFontaine when he was scoring a goal is something to never forget.

I really had hoped that you could see the Sabres winning a cup while being alive and maybe call a part of a game or so.

 

I am really sad reading this news today and I wish the best to your family in this hard time and wish you the very best where ever you are.😢

 

[triumph_communes]

RIP

[gilbert11]

Damn!  Seems like he just retired, then that ceremony last season.

Did what he loved for many years.

[Eli Cash]

That voice.  You knew you were home or a place that felt like home when you heard that voice.  Never understood being sad about a stranger’s death.  Now I do.

[Weave]

Another hero from my youth gone…..

Time waits for noone.

[matter2003]

Ugh...I guess retirement didn't suit him well...Godspeed...one of the best to ever do it.

And unfortunately he died on my Mom's birthday 😐

Edited August 18, 2023 by matter2003

[That Aud Smell]

Rick was the play by play poet whose voice and imagination helped spark my love of the game and this team. May he rest in peace.

[ExWNYer]

7 hours ago, North Buffalo said:

RIP Rick... always remember your voice from under my pillow with the radio so my parents didnt know as a kid listening to games.

5 hours ago, msw2112 said:

I did the same in the 70's as a little kid.  I remember listening to Rick when the Sabres played in time zones west of Buffalo and I wasn't allowed to stay up late and watch.  I had a little transistor radio with an earpiece that I hid under the pillow.

His calls are the stuff of legend and he was truly beloved by the Sabres community in and outside of Buffalo, and really all those in the NHL family that knew him.  I'm usually not terribly sad when someone 80+ that I have never met passes away, but my heart is very heavy right now.  Although I never met the man, I know how great it would have been.  Despite the fact that he was truly a superstar in his field, he was a humble regular guy.  Rest in peace RJ!

Thank you both for stating perfectly how I feel. I grew up with all of the Buffalo teams as a little kid (the Bills...and the Sabres & Braves from their inception), mostly listening on the radio because every game in the world was not yet being televised back in that era. My little brother and I would lie in bed listening to RJ calling the Sabres games and Van Miller calling the Braves games, often times as we hid under the covers trying to keep as quiet as possible and contain our excitement to avoid detection by Mom & Dad. My parents are both gone now, too, and with RJ's passing I get another sobering reminder of how pieces of my youth continue to fade away into the ether. When I heard the news last night, my heart sank even though I knew he had not been in great health. When I told my 21 year old Sabre fan son, he was sad, as well. He has known RJ's voice his entire time following the Sabres  and it's remarkable that RJ affected and crossed so many generations and was beloved by all. He will truly be missed and I am happy to have had him as a small piece of my world as a boy growing up in WNY and into adulthood with my own kids. Rest in peace, Rick. YOU were top shelf. Thanks for so many awesome memories. 

FYI...WGR is dedicating most of the morning show to RJ, playing his calls as people phone in to pay tribute and share their memories. 'Special guests' will be joining the show to do the same. I'd imagine that will be the case all day, as it should be. It's cathartic. Whether you love the station or hate it, it's been a very good listen thus far. Peace.

[That Aud Smell]

I’m hoping someone can explain to the PR copywriter at PSE that we mourn the man’s death, not his life.

[Slack_in_MA]

Damn. So very sad. Glad they were able to honor him when they did. 

RIP Rick. You were a legend.

[LabattBlue]

Oh my. 😞

 

I am sure that there was a large group of his Sabres family waiting to greet him at the pearly gates led by Seymour, Norty, Punch & Ted. 
 

What a joy it was to have him broadcast games of our team for so many years. 
 

Godspeed RJ.  

Edited August 18, 2023 by LabattBlue

[LGR4GM]

A good friend of mine won a RJ autographed puck at a charity auction and gave it to me last week. This sucks, RJ was the GOAT.

[ExWNYer]

21 minutes ago, matter2003 said:

Ugh...I guess retirement didn't suit him well...Godspeed...one of the best to ever do it.

And unfortunately he died on my Mom's birthday 😐

And on the 50th anniversary of Rich Stadium/New Era Field/Bills Stadium/'The Ralph'/Highmark Stadium.

[LabattBlue]

It would be a nice tribute by MSG to air RJ’s last game a few times prior to the season beginning.