Buffalo Sabres History: Top 30 Players in Franchise History

Centers – Gilbert Perreault

Years Played with Buffalo Sabres: 1970-71 – 1986-87
Record: 1,191 games played (512-814-1326), 500 PIM

There’s no doubt about it: Gilbert Perreault is the Original Sabre. He was not only Buffalo’s first-ever NHL draft pick; he broke the mold for what an NHLer could be and set an incredibly high standard for the franchise’s future players. Even to this day, some 28 years after he played his final game in the blue and gold, Perreault holds multiple franchise records, and his number was (rightfully) the first-ever to be retired by the Buffalo Sabres. He’s also a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame, the Buffalo Sabres Hall of Fame and the Great Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame.

Perreault either led or tied for the team lead in scoring in 12 of his seasons with the Buffalo Sabres. During his tenure in Buffalo, he led the team in goals four times and in assists nine times.

To this day, Perreault holds multiple franchise records, including:

• Career games played (1,191)
• Goals (512)
• Assists (814)
• Points (1,326) – only player to eclipse 1,000 points
• Game-winning goals (81)
• Shots (3,079) – only player to eclipse 3,000 shots

His 69 assists tallied in the 1975-76 season were the best in franchise history for over 15 years, until Dale Hawerchuk topped it in 1991-92 (75). Perreault’s 113 points in 1975-76 season were most in franchise history until Alexander Mogilny broke that record in the 1992-93 season (127); Pat Lafontaine also had a franchise-record 148 points that year.

His 17 seasons with the Buffalo Sabres are most in franchise history, following suit with his other numbers. Perreault’s 81 game-winning goals throughout his career are also best in Sabres history. He had 15 twenty-goal seasons, including 12 consecutive, and ten 30-goal seasons.

Perreault’s 18 game point streak, which lasted from October 24, 1971 until December 4, 1971, is the longest in franchise history. His seven-point game on February 1, 1976 is also a franchise record. I could go on, and on, and on, about how fantastic a player Gilbert Perreault was for the Buffalo Sabres – but really, words can only go so far to describe the best player in franchise history.

Next: Pat LaFontaine