I realize that writing a hockey editorial the day of the start of the NFL season is the equivalent of trick-or-treating on Easter, but I could not resist.
My love for the NHL Network is surpassed only by my love of Peanut Butter and Jelly. If I were thrown into a Turkish prison for the rest of my life, but was somehow still granted access to the NHL network, I would die a happy man.
Wednesday night, I caught a half-hour special titled "Top Ten Calgary Flames of All Time". I enjoyed this piece, particularly because of the team highlighted. Everyone knows who the top Penguin of all time would be; Mario Lemieux. Ditto for the Oilers. They went with Lanny MacDonald. Good for him.
Naturally, I thought of who would be chosen for a list of the best ever Sabres. And, because they haven't fired me yet for my moose editorials, I figured I would post my list here.
I'd love feedback and will gladly post a follow-up list from your emails.
10. Dave Andreychuk- I had a problem putting Andreychuk on the list but he scored more goals than all but two Sabres (Perreault + Martin). He was a bear in front of the net. You also could have put a bear in skates and the animal would have been faster. Andreychuk always made the power play dangerous.
9. Dale Hawerchuk- As great a player as Hawerchuk was, the team never really got anywhere until Pat LaFontaine joined him in the lineup. I can remember a ton of beautiful passes and goals, but will always feel dissapointed by his 4 year tenure with the team. It should be noted that I would not have put Phil Housley on a list of top 20 players so, at least Hawerchuk has that.
8. Michael Peca- I still believe that Peca's holdout from the 2000-2001 season is the reason why the team still is without a Stanley Cup. Put Peca in the lineup against that Penguin team and they do not blow 2 third period leads in the Conference Semifinals. His placement on this list had much to with the era in which he played. His leadership, physical play (elbows) and slight knack for scoring put him #8. Insert your arguments here__________.
7. Mike Ramsey- Ramsey's career was right in the wheelhouse of my youth. Growing up, he was always their captain and best defenseman. Ramsey never shied from diving in front of a shot and was always a class act. I feel very good about having # 5 as # 7 on my list.
6. Rick Martin- Perreault's left-hand man and the 2nd leading goal scorer in team history. I did not have the pleasure of seeing Martin's career but I totally respect what he meant to the franchise. Plus, he was always nice to me when he used to beat the WGR team in street hockey.
5. Alex Mogilny- The lack of team success is certainly an issue. That being said, I don't care. There was no player I had more fun following. The season of 76 goals is still my favorite as a fan. Sabre fans had a small thrill each time Sportscenter could no longer ignore hockey because of the tear he was on in the 1992-93 season. He and Pat LaFontaine made the team matter on a bi-national level. He put the crowd on it's feet each time he touched the puck. "The Red Hot Russian strikes again" as #5 on my list.
4. Jim Schoenfeld- My first memory of live Sabre hockey is of Jim Schoenfeld gloving down a shot from the point while stationed in front of the net. The check that sent Wayne Cashman through the boards is one of the top individual highlights in Sabre history. Schoenfeld yelling at Don Koharski to "have another donut" is one of the top individual highlights in World history. I wish we could have frozen Schoenfeld to put him on the 2008-09 roster.
3. Pat LaFontaine- His Sabre career flew by like a comet but he left a lasting impression. If you are the player most responsible for getting the Sabres over the Bruin hump in the mid-90's, you're going to vault yourself a couple of spots on my all-time list. I hated the Bruins and Buffalo could not beat them until LaFontaine came along. He made Mogilny a star and was a class-act off the ice. If only he and Mogilny did not get injured during that 1993 run.
2. Dominik Hasek- The way Dominik Hasek left the Sabres will always stay with me. It was an unfortunate end to an amazing run. Sabre fans may remember a goalie who quit on his team on 2 separate occasions when they needed him most. This could be the reason why he isn't #1 on this list. I will ultimately remember a man who single handedly made it possible for the Sabres to win each and every game they played. As daunting as the rosters of teams like the Red Wings, Avalance and Penguins may have been during the 8-year stretch in which Hasek tended the net here, he was always the most dominant player on the ice. He revolutionized the position with his unorthodox style. He made goalies a reason to watch a hockey game.
1. Gilbert Perreault- A Stanley Cup title is the only thing missing from the resume of Buffalo's first ever pick and greatest player. Even though I caught the tail end of his career, Perrault was an electrifying player to watch. He holds dozens of franchise records including seasons (17), games played (1,191), goals (512), assists (814) game winning goals (81) and points (1,326). Perreault was saddled with the task of helping build a franchise from the ground up. He would have been a multiple cup winner with a more established franchise but, thankfully, he landed here. Gilbert Perrault is the best Buffalo Sabre of all time.
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