Who is the Greatest Buffalo Sabre All-Time Whose Last Name Started with "R"?

[Dingo44]

I'm asking who is the best Sabre all-time whose last name started with the letter "R"? This is for their time with the Sabres, and I'm arbitrarily selecting a 75 game minimum as a Sabre.

Remember, this is all-time and includes every season since the beginning of the franchise - not just the recent ones.

Of course, I'll run through the rest of the alphabet up until the regular season starts.

There has been only one Sabre ever whose last name started with "Q" and he has played 77 games so he wins by default (though he has a chance to be an all-time great) - Jack Quinn.

Results so far:

A: Dave Andreychuk 91.2%
B: Danny Briere 73.1%
C: Brian Campbell 50.6%
D: Rasmus Dahlin 66.3%
E: Jack Eichel 48.1%
F: Mike Foligno 93.2%
G: Danny Gare 94.5%
H: Dominik Hasek 95.3%
I: No one qualified
J: Calle Johansson 51.3% (Honorable Mention - Rick Jeanneret)
K: Jerry Korab 71.9%
L: Pat LaFontaine 80.0%
M: Rick Martin 48.2%
N: Teppo Numminen 100.0%
O: Kyle Okposo 55.7%
P: Gilbert Perreault 98.5%
Q: Jack Quinn by default

Let the voting begin!

Click to read more...

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

Loved Mike Ramsey, Rene Robert is in the rafters, but Craig Ramsay played more games as a Sabre and had more awards.

 

[Chainshot]

Strong field. Narrowed it down to Ramsey, Ramsay, and Robert and voting for Mike Ramsey by a hair over Craig Ramsay.

 

[DapperCam]

Oh boy, this is a tough one.

- Ruff for his contributions as a player and coach.
- Rene Robert as part of the French Connection line.
- Craig Ramsay as #2 all time in games played for the Sabres and #4 in points
- Mike Ramsey as #3 all time in games played for the Sabres
- Rob Ray as one of the best enforcers of all time and now a local broadcaster
- Derek Roy has good point totals as well, and was part of a very successful squad

I went with Robert, because his points per game was the highest, but it was very close.

 

[Dingo44]

I really struggled between Ruff and Craig Ramsay. Ruff was a great and tough player who could play defense or wing, and was a great captain, and then was maybe the best coach we've ever had. But Ramsay was here for almost the longest and was always such a great and underrated player. Went with Craig. Robert and Mike Ramsey were two great options too.

 

[DJN21]

somehow didnt see Robert, I'd change my vote to that if it ends up mattering

 

[Old Navy Goat]

I went with Mike Ramsey by a hair over Craig. Until Dahlin, Ramsey was the best defenseman to play for the Sabres.

 

[OkimLom]

Craig's all around game for me puts him as my vote. Robert was a close 2nd.

 

[MOGlLNY]

I voted Lindy because I'm including his time as coach too. The poll never says who is the Greatest Sabre player, just who is the greatest Sabre.

Lindy is a top 5 figure in this franchise's history.

If we are going strictly player, I'd probably say Ramsay as well with Rene Robert right on his heels. Then again Craig is way before my time so I'm unable to compare through my own eyes.

 

[Zman5778]

I want to vote Ruff due to his contributions as player, captain and coach.

But I can't......it's one either Ramsay or Ramsey. Went with Mike by an extraordinarily slim margin.


Very strong letter here.

 

[Ehran]

I voted for Rene Robert. Although I initially was going to vote for Craig Ramsey.

This is another that deserves a 2nd round of voting.

 

[TheMistyStranger]

Some of my earliest hockey memories are of my fondness for Christian Ruuttu

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

Some of my earliest hockey memories are of my fondness for Christian Ruuttu

Back then my friends and I would always joke in a Ted Darling voice, "Here's Ruuttu on the breakaway, going in on goal, and a lucky fan from West Seneca gets a free souvenir..."

 

[oldgoalie]

shit. another really tough letter. really tough.
Mike Ramsey
Craig Ramsey
Lindy Ruff
Rene Robert
All of them have reasons to be number one. But I have to go with Mike Ramsey as well. He was an absolutely awesome defenseman. Craig a close second for his time with Luce as lockdown forwards. Lindy as a great player and coach (and a really nice guy).
Rene HM for the French Connection.

We had some f***ing amazing players on this team.
and Kudos to Dingo44 for his hard work and this awesome trip down memory lane.

 

[missingmika]

Power forwards take longer to develop. Maybe this is the year Rasmussen breaks out!

 

[Chainshot]

Power forwards take longer to develop. Maybe this is the year Rasmussen breaks out!

We'll have to go back to re-assess Kryukov and do a post-mortem on Dudachek too - very slow cooking.

Seems like Rasmussen's doing well in his hockey fitness coaching business. I've also heard he messed up his shoulders badly early in his career and that was part of his inconsistency.

 

[5 Minute Major]

I could have went with either of the top 2 on that list.

 

[tsujimoto74]

Oof, tough letter. Ramsey, Ramsay, and Robert all have solid arguments in their favor.

 

[Beerz]

Rob Ray

 

[Djp]

Ruff because of coaching as well

 

[NotABadPeriod]

Someone actually voted for Ristolainen??

Went with Ramsay for his all around game.

 

[My Cozen Dylan]

Not my era, but voted for Mike Ramsey.

 

[Zman5778]

Someone actually voted for Ristolainen??

We've had ONE poll with no troll vote. It's quite annoying.

 

[newfiejesus]

Ask not for whom the vote trolls; it trolls for thee.

 

[buffalowing88]

I think of Robert as the "weak" link of The French Connection but I do appreciate his contributions. I expected the poll to be heavily in his favor regardless because of his association with them.

Went with Ramsay as I think he made more of an impact than anyone else on the ice. Didn't consider off the ice stuff but there's no rule not to.

I'd also consider an argument for Ramsey, but his limitations were pretty unavoidable. Roy deserves at least a nod for the stuff he did during and after the Lockout. He was for all intents and purposes our 1C for a bit there and played around a PPG pace.