Rick Martin
Encyclopedia
Richard Lionel Martin 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 was perhaps most famous for playing on the Sabres' French Connection line with Gilbert Perreault
and Rene Robert
.
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 NHL 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 National Hockey League All-Star Game
s (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. Martin holds the Buffalo Sabres franchise career records for hat trick
s, four-goal games, 40-goal seasons, consecutive 40-goal seasons, 50-goal seasons (tied with Danny Gare
), consecutive 50-goal seasons.
Martin was involved in probably one of the three most frightening injuries on Buffalo home ice (the others being when Clint Malarchuk's
and Richard Zednik's
in separate incidents each had their jugular vein
lacerated). 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. After that play, helmets became a much more common sight on the heads of his Sabre team-mates.
On November 8, 1980, his career was dealt a cataclysmic blow. In a game against the Washington Capitals
in 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 all but ended Martin's career.
Martin underwent surgery in Toronto and on March 10, 1981, Scotty Bowman
traded Martin and Don Luce
to the 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 Los Angeles Kings
before hanging up the skates. In 1989 he, along with the other two members of the French Connection, were inducted into the Buffalo Sabres Hall of Fame. His number 7 was retired along with Rene 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. In 2010, in commemoration of the Sabres' 40th season, The Buffalo News
ranked Martin number 4 out of the top 40 Sabres of all time, while he was voted #5 by fans. 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 duration of the 2010-11 season
.
Martin owned a bar/restaurant called Slapshot on Niagara Falls Boulevard in Niagara Falls, N.Y.
Rick Martin died on March 13, 2011, in Clarence, New York
, from a heart attack
while driving, a complication of hypertensive arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease
. He was 59 years old. He is survived by his wife Mikey, and his sons Cory, Josh, and Erick. 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 1977, and it had no effect on his cognitive abilities. Martin is the first non-enforcer to have been diagnosed with the disease, which can only be diagnosed posthumously.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
professional ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
winger
Winger (ice hockey)
Winger, in the game of hockey, is a forward position of a player whose primary zone of play on the ice is along the outer playing area. They typically work by flanking the centre forward. Originally the name was given to forward players who went up and down the sides of the rink...
who played in the NHL
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
with the Buffalo Sabres
Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League .-Founding and early success: 1970-71—1980-81:...
and Los Angeles Kings
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
for 11 seasons between 1971 and 1982. He was perhaps most famous for playing on the Sabres' French Connection line with Gilbert Perreault
Gilbert Perreault
Gilbert Perreault is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey centre who played for seventeen seasons with the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League. He was inducted to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1990. Known for his ability to stickhandle in close quarters, he was regarded as one of the...
and Rene Robert
Rene Robert
René Paul Robert is a retired professional ice hockey right winger who played 12 seasons in the NHL between 1970 and 1982. Robert was selected to 2 National Hockey League All-Star Games and was selected as the Second NHL All-Star Team right wing in 1974–75.Robert played 744 career NHL games,...
.
Playing career
Martin was drafted fifth overall by the Buffalo SabresBuffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League .-Founding and early success: 1970-71—1980-81:...
in the 1971 NHL Amateur Draft
1971 NHL Amateur Draft
The 1971 NHL Amateur Draft was held on June 10, 1971 at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.-Selections by round:Below are listed the selections in the 1971 NHL Amateur Draft.-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:...
after a junior career with the Montreal Junior Canadiens of the Ontario Hockey Association
Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League is one of the three Major Junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 15-20.The OHL also operates under the Ontario Hockey Federation of Hockey Canada....
(OHA). He played 685 career NHL games, scoring 384 goals and 317 assists for 701 points. His best season was the 1974–75 NHL 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 National Hockey League All-Star Game
National Hockey League All-Star Game
The National Hockey League All-Star Game is an exhibition ice hockey game that is traditionally held at the midway point of the regular season of the National Hockey League , with many of the league's star players playing against each other...
s (1971–72
25th National Hockey League All-Star Game
The 25th National Hockey League All-Star Game was held in the Met Center in Bloomington, MN, home of the Minnesota North Stars, on January 25, 1972. It was the first and only time the All-Star Game was held at the Met Center. The East Division All-Stars defeated the West Division All-Stars 3–2...
, through 1977–78) and was selected as the official NHL All-Star First Team
NHL All-Star Team
The NHL All-Star Teams were first named at the end of the 1930–31 NHL season, to honor the best performers over the season at each position.Representatives of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association vote for the All-Star Team at the end of the regular season.The career leaders in citations are...
left wing in 1973–74 and 1974–75 and the official NHL All-Star Second Team left wing in 1975–76 and 1976–77. Martin holds the Buffalo Sabres franchise career records for hat trick
Hat Trick
Hat trick, hat-trick or hattrick may refer to:* hat-trick — in various sports, achieving three goals, wickets, etc. in a single match* Hattrick — online football management game** Hattrick Limited — producers of this game...
s, four-goal games, 40-goal seasons, consecutive 40-goal seasons, 50-goal seasons (tied with Danny Gare
Danny Gare
Daniel Mirl Gare is a retired National Hockey League player, most notably of the Buffalo Sabres. During a 14-year professional career, Gare also played for the Detroit Red Wings and Edmonton Oilers. He was a two-time All-Star right winger who twice scored 50 goals for the Buffalo Sabres,...
), consecutive 50-goal seasons.
Martin was involved in probably one of the three most frightening injuries on Buffalo home ice (the others being when Clint Malarchuk's
Clint Malarchuk
Clint Malarchuk , is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who played in the National Hockey League between 1981 and 1992, and is currently an assistant coach with the Calgary Flames...
and Richard Zednik's
Richard Zednik
Richard Zedník is a Slovak professional hockey winger, currently without a contract. He has played in the National Hockey League for the Washington Capitals, Montreal Canadiens, New York Islanders, and Florida Panthers....
in separate incidents each had their jugular vein
Jugular vein
The jugular veins are veins that bring deoxygenated blood from the head back to the heart via the superior vena cava.-Internal and external:There are two sets of jugular veins: external and internal....
lacerated). Dave Farrish
Dave Farrish
David Allan Farrish is a retired professional ice hockey defenceman who played 430 games in the National Hockey League. He played for the New York Rangers, Quebec Nordiques, and Toronto Maple Leafs...
of the New York Rangers
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
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. After that play, helmets became a much more common sight on the heads of his Sabre team-mates.
On November 8, 1980, his career was dealt a cataclysmic blow. In a game against the Washington Capitals
Washington Capitals
The Washington Capitals are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Since their founding in 1974, "The Caps" have won one conference championship to reach the 1998 Stanley Cup...
in the Aud
Buffalo Memorial Auditorium
Buffalo Memorial Auditorium was an indoor arena in downtown Buffalo, New York. It hosted the Buffalo Bisons of the AHL, the Buffalo Sabres of the NHL, the Buffalo Braves of the NBA, the Buffalo Stallions of MSL, the Buffalo Bandits of MILL, the Buffalo Blizzard of the second NPSL and the Buffalo...
, Martin was racing in on a breakaway. Capitals forward Ryan Walter
Ryan Walter
Ryan William Walter is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who played 15 seasons in the National Hockey League...
managed to trip Martin and no penalty was called. Capitals goalie Mike Palmateer
Mike Palmateer
Michael Scott Palmateer is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey goalie. He played in the NHL from 1976 to 1984 for the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Washington Capitals.-Playing career:...
, already way out of his crease, knocked Martin back down by kicking his knee, causing severe cartilage
Cartilage
Cartilage is a flexible connective tissue found in many areas in the bodies of humans and other animals, including the joints between bones, the rib cage, the ear, the nose, the elbow, the knee, the ankle, the bronchial tubes and the intervertebral discs...
damage that all but ended Martin's career.
Martin underwent surgery in Toronto and on March 10, 1981, Scotty Bowman
Scotty Bowman
William Scott "Scotty" Bowman is a retired National Hockey League head coach. He holds the record for most wins in league history, with 1,244 wins in the regular season and 223 in the Stanley Cup playoffs. He coached the St. Louis Blues, Montreal Canadiens, Buffalo Sabres, Pittsburgh Penguins, and...
traded Martin and Don Luce
Don Luce
Donald Harold Luce is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who played 13 seasons in the National Hockey League for the New York Rangers, Detroit Red Wings, Buffalo Sabres, Los Angeles Kings and Buffalo Sabres from 1969 to 1982...
to the Kings for a pair of draft picks, one of which the Sabres used to get goalie Tom Barrasso
Tom Barrasso
Thomas Patrick Barrasso is a retired American professional ice hockey goaltender who played 18 seasons for the Buffalo Sabres, Pittsburgh Penguins, Ottawa Senators, Carolina Hurricanes, Toronto Maple Leafs, and St...
in 1983
1983 NHL Entry Draft
The 1983 NHL Entry Draft was held at the Montreal Forum in Montreal, Quebec, on June 8, 1983. The NHL Entry Draft is the primary means by which players arrive in the National Hockey League. The St. Louis Blues did not participate in this draft, shortly after the league blocked the franchise's...
. Martin played four games for the Los Angeles Kings
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
before hanging up the skates. In 1989 he, along with the other two members of the French Connection, were inducted into the Buffalo Sabres Hall of Fame. His number 7 was retired along with Rene Robert
Rene Robert
René Paul Robert is a retired professional ice hockey right winger who played 12 seasons in the NHL between 1970 and 1982. Robert was selected to 2 National Hockey League All-Star Games and was selected as the Second NHL All-Star Team right wing in 1974–75.Robert played 744 career NHL games,...
's #14 on November 15, 1995, flanking the #11 of Gilbert Perreault
Gilbert Perreault
Gilbert Perreault is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey centre who played for seventeen seasons with the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League. He was inducted to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1990. Known for his ability to stickhandle in close quarters, he was regarded as one of the...
under a French Connection banner. On Oct. 25, 2005, Martin was inducted into the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame. In 2010, in commemoration of the Sabres' 40th season, The Buffalo News
The Buffalo News
The Buffalo News is the primary newspaper of the Buffalo – Niagara Falls metropolitan area, and the area's only daily newspaper. It is the only newspaper owned by Berkshire Hathaway.-History:...
ranked Martin number 4 out of the top 40 Sabres of all time, while he was voted #5 by fans. 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 duration of the 2010-11 season
2010–11 Buffalo Sabres season
The 2010–11 Buffalo Sabres season is the 41st season of play for the National Hockey League franchise that was established on May 22, 1970.-Off season:...
.
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season Season (sports) In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an... |
Team | League | GP | G Goal (ice hockey) In ice hockey, a goal is scored when the puck completely crosses the goal line between the two goal posts and below the goal crossbar. A goal awards one point to the team attacking the goal scored upon, regardless of which team the player who actually deflected the puck into the goal belongs to... |
A Assist (ice hockey) In ice hockey, an assist is attributed to up to two players of the scoring team who shot, passed or deflected the puck towards the scoring teammate, or touched it in any other way which enabled the goal, meaning that they were "assisting" in the goal. There can be a maximum of two assists per goal... |
Pts Point (ice hockey) Point in ice hockey has three official meanings:* A point is awarded to a player for each goal scored or assist earned. The total number of goals plus assists equals total points. In some European leagues, a goal counts as two points, and an assist counts as one... |
PIM Penalty (ice hockey) A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for inappropriate behavior. Most penalties are enforced by detaining the offending player within a penalty box for a set number of minutes, during which, the player can not participate in play. The offending team usually may not replace the player on the ice,... |
GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1968–69 | Montreal Junior Canadiens | OHA Ontario Hockey Association The Ontario Hockey Association is the governing body for the majority of Junior and Senior level ice hockey teams in the Province of Ontario. The OHA is sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Federation along with the Northern Ontario Hockey Association. Other Ontario sanctioning bodies along with the... |
52 | 22 | 21 | 43 | 27 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1969–70 | Montreal Junior Canadiens | OHA | 34 | 23 | 32 | 55 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1970–71 | Montreal Junior Canadiens | OHA | 60 | 71 | 51 | 122 | 106 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1971–72 | Buffalo Sabres Buffalo Sabres The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League .-Founding and early success: 1970-71—1980-81:... |
NHL National Hockey League The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States... |
73 | 44 | 30 | 74 | 39 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 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 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 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 | ||
| 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 | ||
| 1978–79 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 73 | 32 | 21 | 53 | 35 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | ||
| 1979–80 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 80 | 45 | 34 | 79 | 54 | 14 | 6 | 4 | 10 | 8 | ||
| 1980–81 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 23 | 7 | 14 | 21 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1980–81 | Los Angeles Kings Los Angeles Kings The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League... |
NHL | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1981–82 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 3 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 685 | 384 | 317 | 701 | 477 | 63 | 24 | 29 | 53 | 74 | ||||
Personal life
Rick and his wife were owners of Globalquest Solutions and Globalquest Staffing Solutions in Williamsville, New York.Martin owned a bar/restaurant called Slapshot on Niagara Falls Boulevard in Niagara Falls, N.Y.
Rick Martin died on March 13, 2011, in Clarence, New York
Clarence, New York
Clarence is a town located in the northeastern part of Erie County, New York, United States. The population was 30,673 according to the 2010 census. This represents an increase of 17.42% from the 2000 census figure . Clarence is also the name of a postal district in the south part of the town...
, from a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
while driving, a complication of hypertensive arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease
Hypertensive heart disease
Hypertensive heart disease is any of a number of complications of arterial hypertension that affects the heart.-Symptoms:* Fatigue* Cardiomegaly* Irregular pulse* Swelling of feet* Weight gain* Nausea* Shortness of breath...
. He was 59 years old. He is survived by his wife Mikey, and his sons Cory, Josh, and Erick. Later analysis revealed that Martin had stage 2 chronic traumatic encephalopathy
Chronic traumatic encephalopathy
Chronic traumatic encephalopathy is a progressive degenerative disease found in individuals who have been subjected to multiple concussions and other forms of head injury. A variant of the condition, dementia pugilistica, is primarily associated with boxing...
, a disease normally associated with enforcers; the damage was believed to stem from a severe concussion Martin sustained in 1977, and it had no effect on his cognitive abilities. Martin is the first non-enforcer to have been diagnosed with the disease, which can only be diagnosed posthumously.