Rob Ray
Encyclopedia
Robert John Ray, nicknamed Rayzor (born June 8, 1968) is a Canadian sports broadcaster and former professional ice hockey
player. He was awarded the King Clancy Memorial Trophy
by the National Hockey League
in 1999 for leadership and humanitarianism.
Ray played his junior hockey with the Cornwall Royals
of the Ontario Hockey League
(OHL). The Buffalo Sabres
drafted Ray in the 5th round, 97th overall in the 1988 NHL Entry Draft
. He played two full seasons with the Rochester Americans
of the American Hockey League
(AHL), during which he earned a reputation as a prolific fighter, notching over 700 penalty minutes in 125 games. Ray made his NHL debut with the Sabres during the 1989–90 season, in which he scored his first goal on his first shift on the ice. He also scored a goal on his last shift of his last game in the NHL. Ray became a regular on the team beginning in the 1990–91 NHL season, never finishing with fewer than 158 penalty minutes in any NHL season from that point on except his last. In a game against the Quebec Nordiques
in 1992, Ray viciously beat a Nordiques fan who had snuck onto the ice. Considered imposing at 6'0", Ray was one of the toughest NHL players through the 1990s. In 1999, the NHL awarded Ray the King Clancy Memorial Trophy
for his leadership and humanitarian contributions in the Buffalo and Western New York area. To date he is a regular with the Buffalo Sabres Alumni team and resides in the Buffalo area, active with numerous community charities. Rob and his wife have a daughter and a son.
often employed this technique as well. As a result of this practice, the NHL created a new rule enforcing additional penalties for players who removed jerseys or pads during a fight. Pundits saw this as a direct result of Rob Ray's style of fighting, and nicknamed the rule the Rob Ray Rule. It was after the implementation of the "Rob Ray Rule" that Ray's fighting prowess blossomed, highlighted by lengthy and, at times, bitter rivalries with fellow NHL enforcers such as Tie Domi
, Mick Vukota
, Paul Laus
, Jeff Odgers
and Dennis Vial
. He appeared in a This is Sportscenter
commercial where he acts as security at the station and beats up a courier after he says he can't show his ID.
for future considerations in 2003. Ray appeared in only 11 games over two seasons with the Senators, playing another 5 with their AHL affiliate, the Binghamton Senators
. Ray ended his NHL career with 3,207 career penalty minutes, ranking him 6th overall in NHL history. Ray now works for the Buffalo Sabres as an intermission, sideline, and post game reporter for games on the Sabres Hockey Network
and co-hosts, along with former Buffalo Bills
star Ruben Brown
, a weekly television show entitled The Enforcers for Time Warner Cable SportsNet. He is also on the permanent roster of the Buffalo Sabres Alumni Hockey Team
. Rob has also written a book since then titled "Rayzor's Edge".
In addition, since Ray left the Sabres, number 32 has not been issued, except for a brief stint during the 2008-09 season when goaltender Mikael Tellqvist
wore #32.
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...
player. He was awarded the King Clancy Memorial Trophy
King Clancy Memorial Trophy
The King Clancy Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the National Hockey League player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and who has made a significant humanitarian contribution to his community. Since the award was established in 1988, no player has won it more than...
by the National Hockey League
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...
in 1999 for leadership and humanitarianism.
Personal and early career
Ray grew up in the small town of Stirling, Ontario playing competitive hockey for the Stirling Blues before moving up to the Tier II Jr.A. level with the OHA's Whitby Law Men in 1984-85. He was drafted in the 5th round of the 1985 OHL Priority Selection by the Cornwall Royals.Ray played his junior hockey with the Cornwall Royals
Cornwall Royals
The Cornwall Royals were a junior ice hockey team in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League from 1969 to 1981 and the Ontario Hockey League from 1981 to 1992. This team should not be confused with other Cornwall Royals teams that played in the QSHL, MMJHL, or OHA-B.-History:From 1961 until 1969, the...
of the Ontario Hockey League
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....
(OHL). 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:...
drafted Ray in the 5th round, 97th overall in the 1988 NHL Entry Draft
1988 NHL Entry Draft
The 1988 NHL Entry Draft was held at the Forum in Montreal, Quebec.-Selections by round:Below are listed the selections in the 1988 NHL Entry Draft...
. He played two full seasons with the Rochester Americans
Rochester Americans
The Rochester Americans are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League, and a top affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres. The team plays its home games in Rochester, New York, at the Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial...
of the American Hockey League
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
(AHL), during which he earned a reputation as a prolific fighter, notching over 700 penalty minutes in 125 games. Ray made his NHL debut with the Sabres during the 1989–90 season, in which he scored his first goal on his first shift on the ice. He also scored a goal on his last shift of his last game in the NHL. Ray became a regular on the team beginning in the 1990–91 NHL season, never finishing with fewer than 158 penalty minutes in any NHL season from that point on except his last. In a game against the Quebec Nordiques
Quebec Nordiques
The Quebec Nordiques were a professional ice hockey team based in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. The Nordiques played in the World Hockey Association and the National Hockey League...
in 1992, Ray viciously beat a Nordiques fan who had snuck onto the ice. Considered imposing at 6'0", Ray was one of the toughest NHL players through the 1990s. In 1999, the NHL awarded Ray the King Clancy Memorial Trophy
King Clancy Memorial Trophy
The King Clancy Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the National Hockey League player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and who has made a significant humanitarian contribution to his community. Since the award was established in 1988, no player has won it more than...
for his leadership and humanitarian contributions in the Buffalo and Western New York area. To date he is a regular with the Buffalo Sabres Alumni team and resides in the Buffalo area, active with numerous community charities. Rob and his wife have a daughter and a son.
Rob Ray Rule
During fights, Ray routinely removed his helmet, jersey, and pads, giving opponents nothing to grab on Ray's body. With nothing to hold on to, his opponents would slide backwards on their skates when they threw punches, knocking them off balance and allowing Ray to grab their jerseys and move in with a distinct advantage. This allowed Ray to control nearly every fight he was in. Fellow Sabre Brad MayBrad May
Brad S. May is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left winger who played in the National Hockey League . He grew up in Stouffville, Ontario, but played his rep minor hockey in Markham, Ontario. A veteran of over 1,000 NHL games, May was known more for his enforcing skills than his scoring...
often employed this technique as well. As a result of this practice, the NHL created a new rule enforcing additional penalties for players who removed jerseys or pads during a fight. Pundits saw this as a direct result of Rob Ray's style of fighting, and nicknamed the rule the Rob Ray Rule. It was after the implementation of the "Rob Ray Rule" that Ray's fighting prowess blossomed, highlighted by lengthy and, at times, bitter rivalries with fellow NHL enforcers such as Tie Domi
Tie Domi
Tahir "Tie" Domi is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player. During a sixteen-year NHL career when he was known for his role as an enforcer, he played for the Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Rangers and Winnipeg Jets....
, Mick Vukota
Mick Vukota
Marinko M. "The Quick, Mickster" Vukota is a former NHL Right Wing. Undrafted, he signed with the New York Islanders, who were looking to add toughness and muscle to their roster, on March 2, 1987. Vukota worked his way up the system and found himself skating on NHL ice by the end of the 1987–88...
, Paul Laus
Paul Laus
Paul Laus is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the National Hockey League for the Florida Panthers.-Career:...
, Jeff Odgers
Jeff Odgers
Jeffrey J. Odgers is a retired professional ice hockey player who played over 800 games in the National Hockey League for the San Jose Sharks, Boston Bruins, Colorado Avalanche and the Atlanta Thrashers. Mainly an enforcer, Odgers compiled a total of 2364 penalty minutes in 821 regular season...
and Dennis Vial
Dennis Vial
Dennis Vial is a retired professional hockey player who played in NHL with the New York Rangers, Detroit Red Wings, and Ottawa Senators...
. He appeared in a This is Sportscenter
This is SportsCenter
This is SportsCenter is the name of a series of comical television commercials run by ESPN to promote their SportsCenter sports news show. The ads are presented in a deadpan mockumentary style, lampooning various aspects of sports, and sports broadcasting. The commercials debuted in 1994...
commercial where he acts as security at the station and beats up a courier after he says he can't show his ID.
End of career
After 14 seasons as the Buffalo Sabres' main enforcer, Ray was traded to the Ottawa SenatorsOttawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
for future considerations in 2003. Ray appeared in only 11 games over two seasons with the Senators, playing another 5 with their AHL affiliate, the Binghamton Senators
Binghamton Senators
The Binghamton Senators are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League . Nicknamed the B-Sens, they play in Binghamton, New York at the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena. Along with the Elmira Jackals of the ECHL, the B-Sens are minor league affiliates of the Ottawa Senators...
. Ray ended his NHL career with 3,207 career penalty minutes, ranking him 6th overall in NHL history. Ray now works for the Buffalo Sabres as an intermission, sideline, and post game reporter for games on the Sabres Hockey Network
Sabres Hockey Network
The Sabres Hockey Network is the official radio and television broadcast network of the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League. The network is currently operated jointly by the Sabres and by Entercom Communications....
and co-hosts, along with former Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
star Ruben Brown
Ruben Brown
Ruben Parnell Brown is a former American football guard of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills 14th overall in the 1995 NFL Draft. He played college football at Pittsburgh....
, a weekly television show entitled The Enforcers for Time Warner Cable SportsNet. He is also on the permanent roster of the Buffalo Sabres Alumni Hockey Team
Buffalo Sabres Alumni Hockey Team
The Buffalo Sabres Alumni Hockey Team is an independent barnstorming hockey team located in Buffalo, New York. Its roster consists entirely of retired National Hockey League players, mostly former members of the Buffalo Sabres...
. Rob has also written a book since then titled "Rayzor's Edge".
In addition, since Ray left the Sabres, number 32 has not been issued, except for a brief stint during the 2008-09 season when goaltender Mikael Tellqvist
Mikael Tellqvist
Mikael Tellqvist is a professional Swedish ice hockey goaltender, currently playing for Modo Hockey in Elitserien.-Playing career:...
wore #32.
Career statistics
| 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,... |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985–86 1985–86 OHL season The 1985–86 OHL season was the 6th season of the Ontario Hockey League. Fifteen teams each played 66 games. The Guelph Platers won the J. Ross Robertson Cup, defeating the Belleville Bulls.-Final standings:-Scoring leaders:-Division Quarterfinals:... |
Cornwall Royals Cornwall Royals The Cornwall Royals were a junior ice hockey team in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League from 1969 to 1981 and the Ontario Hockey League from 1981 to 1992. This team should not be confused with other Cornwall Royals teams that played in the QSHL, MMJHL, or OHA-B.-History:From 1961 until 1969, the... |
OHL 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.... |
53 | 6 | 13 | 19 | 253 |
| 1986–87 1986–87 OHL season The 1986–87 OHL season was the 7th season of the Ontario Hockey League. Fifteen teams each played 66 games. The Oshawa Generals won the J. Ross Robertson Cup, defeating the North Bay Centennials.-Final standings:-Scoring leaders:... |
Cornwall Royals | OHL | 46 | 17 | 20 | 37 | 158 |
| 1987–88 | Cornwall Royals | OHL | 61 | 11 | 41 | 52 | 179 |
| 1988–89 1988–89 AHL season The 1988–89 AHL season was the 53rd season of the American Hockey League. Fourteen teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The league abandoned awarding points for an overtime loss. The Sherbrooke Canadiens finished first overall in the regular season... |
Rochester Americans Rochester Americans The Rochester Americans are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League, and a top affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres. The team plays its home games in Rochester, New York, at the Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial... |
AHL American Hockey League The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League... |
74 | 11 | 18 | 29 | 446 |
| 1989–90 1989–90 AHL season The 1989–90 AHL season was the 54th season of the American Hockey League.Fourteen teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Sherbrooke Canadiens repeated finishing first overall in the regular season... |
Rochester Americans | AHL | 43 | 2 | 13 | 15 | 335 |
| 1989–90 | 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 | 27 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 99 |
| 1990–91 1990–91 AHL season The 1990–91 AHL season was the 55th season of the American Hockey League. Fifteen teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Rochester Americans finished first overall in the regular season... |
Rochester Americans | AHL | 8 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 15 |
| 1990–91 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 66 | 8 | 8 | 16 | 350 |
| 1991–92 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 63 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 354 |
| 1992–93 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 68 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 211 |
| 1993–94 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 82 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 274 |
| 1994–95 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 47 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 173 |
| 1995–96 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 71 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 287 |
| 1996–97 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 82 | 7 | 3 | 10 | 286 |
| 1997–98 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 63 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 234 |
| 1998–99 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 76 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 261 |
| 1999–2000 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 69 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 158 |
| 2000–01 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 63 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 210 |
| 2001–02 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 71 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 200 |
| 2002–03 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 41 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 92 |
| 2002–03 | Ottawa Senators Ottawa Senators The Ottawa Senators are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League... |
NHL | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 2003–04 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 14 |
| 2003–04 2003–04 AHL season The 2003–04 AHL season was the 68th season of the American Hockey League. The league introduces the Willie Marshall Award in honour the career points leader in the AHL, and awards it to the annual top goal scorer.... |
Binghamton Senators Binghamton Senators The Binghamton Senators are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League . Nicknamed the B-Sens, they play in Binghamton, New York at the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena. Along with the Elmira Jackals of the ECHL, the B-Sens are minor league affiliates of the Ottawa Senators... |
AHL | 5 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 11 |
| NHL totals | 900 | 41 | 50 | 91 | 3207 |