Rick Martin

{{Infobox ice hockey player

| image =

| image_size = 230px

| caption = Rick Martin, Buffalo Sabres

| birth_place = Verdun, Quebec, Canada

| birth_date = {{birth date|1951|7|26}}

| death_date = {{death date and age|2011|3|13|1951|7|26}}

| death_place = Clarence, New York, U.S.

| weight_lb = 179

| height_ft = 5

| height_in = 11

| position = Left wing

| shoots = Left

| played_for = Buffalo Sabres
Los Angeles Kings

| draft = 5th overall

| draft_year = 1971

| draft_team = Buffalo Sabres

| career_start = 1971

| career_end = 1982

}}

Richard Lionel Martin ({{IPAc-en|m|ɑːr|ˈ|t|æ|n}}; {{IPA|fr|maʁtɛ̃|lang}}; July 26, 1951{{spaced ndash}}March 13, 2011) was a Canadian professional ice hockey winger who played in the NHL with the Buffalo Sabres and Los Angeles Kings for 11 seasons between 1971 and 1982. He featured in the 1975 Stanley Cup Finals with the Sabres. He was most famous for playing on the Sabres' French Connection line with Gilbert Perreault and Rene Robert.

Playing career

Martin was drafted fifth overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 1971 NHL amateur draft after a junior career with the Montreal Junior Canadiens of the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA). He played 685 career NHL games, scoring 384 goals and 317 assists for 701 points. His best season was the 1974–75 season when he scored 52 goals and 95 points in only 68 games. Martin scored at least 44 goals five times in his NHL career. Martin was selected to play in seven consecutive All Star Games (1971–72 through 1977–78) and was selected as the official NHL All-Star first team left wing in 1973–74 and 1974–75 and the official NHL All-Star second team left wing in 1975–76 and 1976–77.{{cite web|url=http://downloads.sabres.nhl.com/other/history.pdf|title=History|access-date=2007-07-24|year=2006|publisher=Buffalo Sabres and the National Hockey League}} Martin holds the Buffalo Sabres franchise career records for hat tricks, four-goal games, 40-goal seasons, consecutive 40-goal seasons, 50-goal seasons (tied with Danny Gare), consecutive 50-goal seasons.{{cite web|url=http://downloads.sabres.nhl.com/other/record_book.pdf|title=The Record Book|access-date=2007-07-24|year=2006|publisher=Buffalo Sabres and the National Hockey League}}{{cite news|title=Rick Martin, Part of Famed N.H.L. Line, Dies at 59 After Car Accident|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/16/sports/hockey/16martin.html|newspaper=The New York Times|date=March 15, 2011|access-date=March 22, 2011}} Martin is also #11 all-time in career goals per game average (.56) in NHL regular-season history.

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. He was knocked unconscious, and went into convulsions.{{cite web|url=https://www.nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn88074337/1978-02-10/ed-1/seq-34/|title=Courier express. (Buffalo, N.Y.) 1964-1982, February 10, 1978, Image 34|date=10 February 1978|issue=1978/02/10|page=34}} After that play, helmets became a much more common sight on the heads of his Sabre teammates.

On November 8, 1980, Martin's career was dealt a devastating blow. In a game against the Washington Capitals at the Aud, Martin was racing in on a breakaway. Capitals forward Ryan Walter managed to trip Martin and no penalty was called. Capitals goalie Mike Palmateer, already way out of his crease, knocked Martin back down by kicking his knee, causing severe cartilage damage that kept him out of all but 11 games for the remainder of the season.{{cite web|url=http://www.hockeydraftcentral.com/1971/71005.html|title=Rick Martin|access-date=2011-03-11|publisher=Hockey Draft Central}}

Martin underwent surgery in Toronto and on March 10, 1981, Scotty Bowman traded Martin and Don Luce to the Los Angeles Kings for a pair of draft picks, one of which the Sabres used to get goalie Tom Barrasso in 1983. Martin played four games for the Kings (one in 1980–81, three in 1981–82) before hanging up the skates in December 1981. He later said that his knee was almost completely ruined by the fall of 1981, and he feared being unable to walk if he kept playing. He blamed Bowman for pressing him to suit up in January 1981, saying it hindered his rehab.

In 1989 he, along with the other two members of the French Connection, were inducted into the Buffalo Sabres Hall of Fame.{{cite web|url=http://www.sabresalumni.com/history/halloffame.php |title=Buffalo Sabres Hall of Fame |url-status=dead |access-date=20 July 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120618013818/http://www.sabresalumni.com/history/halloffame.php |archive-date=June 18, 2012 }} His #7 was retired along with René Robert's #14 on November 15, 1995, flanking the #11 of Gilbert Perreault under a French Connection banner. On Oct. 25, 2005, Martin was inducted into the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame.{{cite news|title=Rick Martin Through the Years|url=http://galleries.buffalonews.com/photo.php?gname=gallery_1300045777.txt&item=8|newspaper=The Buffalo News|date=March 13, 2011|access-date=March 19, 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110317102843/http://galleries.buffalonews.com/photo.php?gname=gallery_1300045777.txt&item=8|archive-date=March 17, 2011}} In 2010, in commemoration of the Sabres' 40th season, The Buffalo News ranked Martin fourth out of the top 40 Sabres of all time, while he was voted fifth by fans.{{cite news|title=Sabres Top 40 for 40 Seasons|url=http://galleries.buffalonews.com/photo.php?gname=gallery_1285003304.txt&item=4|newspaper=The Buffalo News|date=October 6, 2010|access-date=March 19, 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720091737/http://galleries.buffalonews.com/photo.php?gname=gallery_1285003304.txt&item=4|archive-date=July 20, 2011}} After his death in 2011, the Sabres honored his memory by painting the number 7, the number Martin wore for most of his career with Buffalo, behind each goal at the HSBC Arena for the remainder of the 2010–11 season.{{cite web|url=http://sabres.nhl.com/club/recap.htm?id=2010021071|title=Sabres 8, Thrashers 2|access-date=2011-03-22|year=2011|publisher=Buffalo Sabres|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110321084925/http://sabres.nhl.com/club/recap.htm?id=2010021071|archive-date=2011-03-21}}

In 2012, a statue of "The French Connection" was unveiled{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nhl/sabres/2012/10/12/buffalo-sabres-the-french-connection-statue/1630925/|title=Sabres unveil statue honoring French Connection|website=USA Today}} in front of the Sabres' arena, today known as KeyBank Center.{{cite web|url=https://buffalonews.com/news/local/history/20-years-1-building-4-names-buffalos-downtown-arena/article_504c705b-07a7-5216-98c5-fe3e3706c0fa.html|title=20 years, 1 building, 4 names: Buffalo's downtown arena|date=19 September 2016}}

Achievements

1st Team All Star (1973–74)
1st Team All Star (1974–75)
2nd Team All Star (1975–76)
2nd Team All Star (1976–77)
7 Straight NHL All Star Game Appearances (1972–1978)
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 Goals
2 "Top 10" finishes in Points
5 "Top 10" finishes in Even Strength Goals
3 "Top 10" finishes in Game Winning Goals
5 "Top 10" finishes in Power Play Goals
5 "Top 10" finishes in Goals Per Game Average
2 "Top 10" finishes in Points Per Game Average
6 Team Scoring Records (Buffalo Sabres)
#7 Team Jersey Retired (Buffalo Sabres)
Buffalo Sabres Hall Of Famer

Personal life

Martin and his wife, Mikey, were owners of Globalquest Solutions and Globalquest Staffing Solutions in Williamsville, New York.{{cite news|title=Globalquest adding up to 10 to staff|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/albany/stories/2001/08/06/daily21.html|newspaper=The Business Review|date=August 7, 2001|access-date=March 19, 2011}} The couple had three children together, sons Cory, Josh, and Erick.{{cite web|title=Rick MARTIN Obituary: View Rick Martin's Obituary By Buffalo News| website=Legacy.com | date=14 March 2011 |url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/buffalonews/obituary.aspx?n=rick-martin&pid=149347695|access-date=March 23, 2011}}

Martin owned a bar/restaurant called Slapshot on Niagara Falls Boulevard in Niagara Falls, N.Y.

Martin died on March 13, 2011, in Clarence, New York, from a heart attack while driving, a complication of hypertensive arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease.{{cite news|last=Watson|first=Stephen T.|title=Memorial plans for Martin announced by Sabres|url=http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/sabres-nhl/article366694.ece|newspaper=The Buffalo News|date=March 14, 2011|access-date=May 10, 2024|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110316153828/https://www.buffalonews.com/sports/sabres-nhl/article366694.ece|archivedate=March 16, 2011}} He was 59 years old.{{cite web|title=RICK MARTIN: 1951-2011|url=http://sabres.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=555923 |access-date=May 10, 2024|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110317000126/http://sabres.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=555923|archivedate=March 17, 2011}}{{cite news|title=Video: Rick Martin memorial service|url=http://blogs.buffalonews.com/sabres/2011/03/video-rick-martin-memorial-service.html|newspaper=The Buffalo News|date=March 24, 2011|access-date=March 24, 2011}} Later analysis revealed that Martin had stage 2 chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a disease normally associated with enforcers; the damage was believed to stem from a severe concussion Martin sustained in 1978, and it had no effect on his cognitive abilities. Martin was the first non-enforcer to have been diagnosed with the disease, which can only be diagnosed posthumously.Golen, Jimmy (October 5, 2011). [http://www.wivb.com/dpp/sports/sabres_and_nhl/Brain-study-finds-damage-in-Rick-Martin Brain study finds damage in Rick Martin] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111007004419/http://www.wivb.com/dpp/sports/sabres_and_nhl/Brain-study-finds-damage-in-Rick-Martin |date=2011-10-07 }}. Associated Press. Retrieved October 5, 2011.

Career statistics

=Regular season and playoffs=

border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" style="text-align:center; width:60em"

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan="3" bgcolor="#ffffff" |

! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" |

! colspan="5" | Regular season

! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" |

! colspan="5" | Playoffs

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! Season

! Team

! League

! GP

! G

! A

! Pts

! PIM

! GP

! G

! A

! Pts

! PIM

1967–68

| Thetford Mines Canadiens

| QJHL

| 40

| 38

| 35

| 73

| —

| 7

| 2

| 0

| 2

| 4

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 1968–69

| Montreal Junior Canadiens

| OHA-Jr.

| 52

| 22

| 21

| 43

| 27

| 14

| 3

| 0

| 3

| 2

1968–69

| Montreal Junior Canadiens

| M-Cup

| —

| 6

| 2

| 1

| 3

| 12

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 1969–70

| Montreal Junior Canadiens

| OHA-Jr.

| 34

| 23

| 32

| 55

| 10

| 16

| 14

| 20

| 34

| 12

1969–70

| Montreal Junior Canadiens

| M-Cup

| —

| 12

| 14

| 13

| 27

| 8

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 1970–71

| Montreal Junior Canadiens

| OHA-Jr.

| 60

| 71

| 50

| 121

| 106

| 11

| 17

| 7

| 24

| 10

1971–72

| Buffalo Sabres

| NHL

| 73

| 44

| 30

| 74

| 39

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 1972–73

| Buffalo Sabres

| NHL

| 75

| 37

| 36

| 73

| 79

| 6

| 3

| 2

| 5

| 12

1973–74

| Buffalo Sabres

| NHL

| 78

| 52

| 34

| 86

| 38

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 1974–75

| Buffalo Sabres

| NHL

| 68

| 52

| 43

| 95

| 72

| 17

| 7

| 8

| 15

| 20

1975–76

| Buffalo Sabres

| NHL

| 80

| 49

| 37

| 86

| 67

| 9

| 4

| 7

| 11

| 12

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 1976–77

| Buffalo Sabres

| NHL

| 66

| 36

| 29

| 65

| 58

| 6

| 2

| 1

| 3

| 9

1977–78

| Buffalo Sabres

| NHL

| 65

| 28

| 35

| 63

| 16

| 7

| 2

| 4

| 6

| 13

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 1978–79

| Buffalo Sabres

| NHL

| 73

| 32

| 21

| 53

| 35

| 3

| 0

| 3

| 0

1979–80

| Buffalo Sabres

| NHL

| 80

| 45

| 34

| 79

| 54

| 14

| 6

| 4

| 10

| 8

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 1980–81

| Buffalo Sabres

| NHL

| 23

| 7

| 14

| 21

| 20

| —

1980–81

| Los Angeles Kings

| NHL

| 1

| 2

| 0

| 1

| 0

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 1981–82

| Los Angeles Kings

| NHL

| 3

| 1

| 3

| 4

| 2

| —

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan="3" | NHL totals

! 685

! 384

! 317

! 701

! 477

! 63

! 24

! 29

! 53

! 74

=International=

border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" style="text-align:center; width:50em"

ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! Year

! Team

! Event

! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" |

! GP

! G

! A

! Pts

! PIM

1976

| Canada

| CC

| 4

| 3

| 2

| 5

| 0

References

External links

{{icehockeystats|legends=13552}}
[https://web.archive.org/web/20110715184617/http://sports.rightpundits.com/?p=5976%2F Mikey Martin, Rick Martin's Wife]

{{succession box | before = Gilbert Perreault | title = Buffalo Sabres first round draft pick | years = 1971 | after = Jim Schoenfeld}}

Category:1951 births

Category:2011 deaths

Category:Buffalo Sabres draft picks

Category:Buffalo Sabres players

Category:Canadian expatriate ice hockey players in the United States

Category:Canadian ice hockey left wingers

Category:Ice hockey people from Montreal

Category:Ice hockey players with chronic traumatic encephalopathy

Category:Los Angeles Kings players

Category:Moncton Golden Flames players

Category:Montreal Junior Canadiens players

Category:NHL first-round draft picks

Category:National Hockey League players with retired numbers

Category:People from Verdun, Quebec

Category:20th-century Canadian sportsmen