Midway through the third period of the Sabres' 2-0 home win on February 9, 1978, Dave Farrish of the New York Rangers hooked Martin around the neck from behind and kicked Martin's feet out from under him, causing Martin to hit his head on the ice. Former Sabres' great Gilbert Perreault remembers teammates Rene - WGRZ Rene Robert, of Buffalo Sabres' 'French Connection Line,' dies at 72 - ESPN Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Ren Robert was a Canadian hockey player who was a member of the Buffalo Sabres' forward line of the 1970s known as "The French Connection." Died: June 22, 2021 ( Who else died on June 22? We needed another defenseman and a playoff goalie., When I asked him who his favorite player was, he said, without hesitation, Bobby Hull.. Ren Robert obituary: NHL star dies at 72 - Legacy.com A neck injury to Rick Martin, Buffalo's prolific left wing, hushed the crowd of 16,433 spectators at the 9minute-47-second mark of the final period. All Rights Reserved. "This thing about scoring goals would just overcome him. http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wbfo/local-wbfo-957349.mp3. NHL.com is the official web site of the National Hockey League. (Buffalo, N.Y.) 1964-1982, February 10, 1978, Image 34", "Sabres unveil statue honoring French Connection", "20 years, 1 building, 4 names: Buffalo's downtown arena", "Memorial plans for Martin announced by Sabres", "Rick MARTIN Obituary: View Rick Martin's Obituary By Buffalo News", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rick_Martin&oldid=1148938399, Ice hockey players with chronic traumatic encephalopathy, National Hockey League first-round draft picks, National Hockey League players with retired numbers, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, 7 Straight NHL All Star Game Appearances (19721978), 3rd All Time in Hat Tricks (21) among Left Wingers (Modern Era), 11th All Time in Career Goals Per Game Average in NHL History, Gold Championship Canada Cup 1976 (Team Canada), 5 "Top 10" finishes in Even Strength Goals, 3 "Top 10" finishes in Game Winning Goals, 5 "Top 10" finishes in Goals Per Game Average, 2 "Top 10" finishes in Points Per Game Average, Biographical information and career statistics from, This page was last edited on 9 April 2023, at 05:07. Martin also holds the Sabres record with 21 three-goal games. But injuries do happen and Martin sustained a devastating one during a November 8, 1980 game against the Washington Capitals. Robert scored a career-high 40 goals twice during his seven-plus seasons in Buffalo. 'French Connection' star Rick Martin dies at 59 | NHL.com Perreault, who centered the famed line with Martin on the left wing and Robert on the right, was watching hockey at home when he heard Martin had died, according to the report. All NHL team jerseys customized with NHL players' names and numbers are officially licensed by the NHL and the NHLPA. Martin closed his career with Los Angeles in the 1981-82 season. Rick Martin, the first 50-goal scorer for the Buffalo Sabres and a member of their famed French Connection line, died Sunday. He played only four games over parts of two seasons with Los Angeles before retiring because of a knee injury. Enter Search Term. ". Robert's most memorable goal, scored 18 minutes, 29 seconds into overtime, sealed Buffalo's 5-4 win over Philadelphia in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final in 1975. Rick Martin (1951-2011) - Find a Grave Memorial "First my brother, then my left winger. (Photo by Melchior DiGiacomo/Getty Images) The final round of voting for the 2022-23 Rick Martin Memorial Award is now live. Still, fewer knew that Martin, and Hall of Famers Perreault, Marcel Dionne and Guy Lafleur, relished playing against each other as children in the Quebec peewee tournament each year. For those who have never seen Martin playyou really missed a treat. At this point, State Police believe Martin may have suffered a medical emergency. Martin's most productive campaign was in 1974-75, when he had a career-high 95 points (52 goals, 43 assists) in 68 games. The trio is still revered in Buffalo, and at HSBC Arena, where their three banners hang together in a row from the facility's ceiling. "It's tough when you lose anybody, and we lost a real good person today. BUFFALO, N.Y. - Two weeks after being reunited on the ice in Buffalo, the Sabres' famed French Connection lost a member when Rick Martin died Sunday. Martin, who eventually settled his family in western New York, spent 10-plus seasons with Buffalo before his career was cut short by a severe knee injury during a game against Washington in November 1980. There will not be another like you. Nigrelli said witnesses spotted Martin driving with his head slumped and eyes closed before the crash, which occurred in the Buffalo suburb of Clarence. With the trade, the Sabres had assembled the pieces of what would be the most dominant forward line of the 1970s. "It's a reminder that you never know in life. "This thing about scoring goals would just overcome him. Steven Nigrelli said Martin was pronounced dead at a suburban Buffalo hospital at 1 p.m., about a half-hour after the car he was driving crossed the . The 59-year-old was pronounced dead at a suburban Buffalo hospital at around 1 p.m., about a half hour after the car he was driving crossed the center line on the road, rolled along the shoulder and struck a utility pole before coming to rest against a tree, New York State Police Capt. From the blue line in, he was almost unstoppable.". Martin was selected to play in seven consecutive National Hockey League All-Star Games (197172, through 197778) and was selected as the official NHL All-Star first team left wing in 197374 and 197475 and the official NHL All-Star second team left wing in 197576 and 197677. The following is the statement released by the Sabres: The Buffalo Sabres are saddened to announce the passing of Buffalo Sabres Hall of Famer and member of the famed French Connection, Rick Martin. Former Sabres forward Martin has died. Martin would likely have played at least five more years in the NHL. Martin, who died in March of hypertensive heart disease at age 59, becomes the third former NHL player found by researchers to have had chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) a disease that. Martin was a famous member of the French Connection in the 1970's with hockey stars Gilbert Perreault and Rene Robert. "It's sad news," Perreault told The Buffalo News. He came close in 1975 as Buffalo lost in the Finals to the Flyers. Rick Jeanneret will have a banner night in Buffalo on Friday. The Bridge connects music lovers with music makers and engages in the community, supporting musicians, venues, and listeners. David Duprey, Associated Press. Upon purchasing the Sabres in February 2011, Pegula became emotional during his inaugural news conference at the sight of Perreault, Robert and Martin among those in attendance. They were eventually dubbed The French Connection. We will update Family, Sibling, Spouse and Children's information. Rick Martin - Wikipedia Rick Martin Jersey | Martin Men's, Women's, Kids' Sabres Jerseys - NHL SHOP Sabres Beat Rangers, 20; Rick Martin Is Injured - New York Times That's young, and he always seemed to be in such good shape.". former defenseman Mike Robitaille. In 1989 he, along with the other two members of the French Connection, were inducted into the Buffalo Sabres Hall of Fame. [4] After that play, helmets became a much more common sight on the heads of his Sabre teammates. Martin finished with 384 goals and 317 assists for 701 points in 685 career NHL games. He scored 384 times in only 685 games. Martins performance individually may oftentimes be overlooked due to the trios success as a unit.Statue of Buffalo Sabres greats Rick Martin, Gilbert Perreault, and Rene Robert outside of the KeyBank Center, Buffalo New York The bronze statue, the work of sculptor Jerry McKenna (Fortunate4now via Wikimedia Commons). (Photo by Melchior DiGiacomo/Getty Images). Two of Martins contemporaries on the left side who have received Hall of Fame induction are former Philadelphia Flyers great Bill Barber and Canadiens great Steve Shutt. Rip Simonick, who's been the Sabres equipment manager since the team's inception in 1970, had difficulty holding back tears following the game. Former Sabres star forward Richard Martin has died. State Police Captain Steven Nigrelli says Martin's car drifted into the eastbound lane on Main Street in Clarence Hollow, then hit a utility pole around 12:15 Sunday afternoon. Martin and his future line-mate, Perreault, were young stars and extremely popular in Quebec. He was 59. Dont believe it? They were taking part in a welcoming ceremony, greeting Pennsylvania billionaire Terry Pegula, a day after he purchased the franchise. The Buffalo Sabres announced Martin's death in a statement Sunday before their home game against the Ottawa Senators. The trio then joined Pegula on the ice before his first game as owner in what marked one of the last times the linemates were together. For eleven seasons (1971 to 1982), he played at the left-wing position in the National Hockey League with the Buffalo Sabres and Los Angeles Kings. The team announced Martins death in a statement on Sunday before its home game against the Senators. The NHL hockey team announced Martins death in a statement on Sunday, March 13, 2011, before its home game against the Ottawa Senators. "We lost a heck of a guy today," Sabres coach and Martin's former teammate Lindy Ruff said. "Rick Martin was a person of joy.