Top 5 greatest defensemen of all-time on the Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres have seen some outstanding defensemen in their 50-plus-year history. Who made the cut as the top five of all-time?
Ranking the top defensemen in Buffalo Sabres history, you are going to find players representative of many eras. Literally from the franchise’s founding in 1970 all the way to the modern day.
This list will start with naming five honorable mentions who also represent each era in team history over the Sabres first 50 seasons. Some of the mentions listed will be names you may think deserved a spot in the top five. But for one reason or another, they just missed the cut.
So who made honorable mention and who landed a spot in the top five? Keep reading to find out more.
Who are the greatest defensemen in Buffalo Sabres history? Honorable Mentions
Doug Bodger
A former ninth overall pick for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Bodger came to the Buffalo Sabres in 1988-89 and showed off both physicality and two-way tendencies. His best scoring season came in 1989-90, with 48 points, 12 goals, and 36 assists in 71 games. And though he never played in an All-Star Game, Bodger was a staple in the Queen City for eight seasons.
Bill Hajt
A former 33rd overall pick, Hajt spent his entire 14-year career with the Sabres. He never appeared in an All-Star Game, but he receive NHL All-Star considerations on four different occasions. He finished his career with a +/- of 320, which continues to rank among the top 25 in NHL history.
Alexei Zhitnik
Zhitnik saw time in two NHL All-Star Games and he was an integral part of the Sabres deep layoff runs in the late 1990s. He was also arguably their most durable workhorse, having played in fewer than 70 games in a season just once while averaging 25:18 of total ice time per game.
John Van Boxmeer
Van Boxmeer contended for the Norris Trophy twice over his four seasons in Buffalo. He was also one of the best two-way players in team history, scoring 215 points, 49 goals, and 166 assists with the team over 294 games. In 1980-81, he scored 69 of those points and a career-high 18 goals.
Jocelyn Guevremont
Part of those early Sabres teams, Guevremont was yet another defenseman who showed flashes of two-way ability, evidenced by his 52 points in 1975-76. He also found himself in the 1974 All-Star Game and finished fourth with 172 total goals on-ice for in 1975-76.
Mike Weber
Weber had a shorter career spanning just nine seasons and eight with the Buffalo Sabres. He is one player on this list you may not have considered to be great, but his overall tenacity landed him a spot as my sixth honorable mention. He is the type of player every one looks for on a lower defensive pairing, and it’s why I couldn’t continue this article without mentioning him first.
Brian Campbell
Campbell played for the Sabres from 1999-00 until midway through the 2007-08 season. Following his time in Buffalo, Campbell was a regular contender for the Norris, but that contention started during his final full season with the Sabres. He also played in both the 2007 and 2008 All-Star Games, en-route to Second Team All-NHL honors in 2008.
His development as a player was also bar-none, especially on offense. Campbell scored just 19 points in 65 games and logged a 2.2 shooting percentage during his first full season in 2002-03. By 2005-06, he morphed into a two-way player, with 44 points, 12 goals, and 32 assists in 79 games while posting an 11.4 shooting percentage.
But he wouldn’t see his first All-Star Game until 2007. That year, he led all defensemen in votes for the big game. Further, he became one of the Buffalo Sabres many alternate captains during the 2007-08 season before they eventually traded him to the San Jose Sharks on February 26th, 2008.
Jerry Korab
Korab played in the 1975 and 1976 All-Star Games and was a regular contender for the NHL All-Star Team during his stint with the Buffalo Sabres. A two-way player, Korab’s offensive prowess was on full display during the 1974-75 season, when he knocked down 56 points, 12 goals, and 44 assists. In 1974-75, Korab finished the year second in total on-ice goals for with 189.
Displaying an imposing size of 6’3, 220lb, Korab, nicknamed King Kong, was among the most physical players in the NHL during his era, hence his 870 penalty minutes in nine years with the team. Korab further brought a slew of energy because of his willingness to fight and stand up for teammates.
He was arguably the best undrafted defenseman in the modern era, and one reason was his versatility. And even after he left the Sabres, Korab still made his mark known when they traded him to the Los Angeles Kings for a first-round pick in 1982. That pick became Phil Housley.
Jim Schoenfeld
Schoenfeld spent 11 of his 14 seasons with the Buffalo Sabres and he is easily in the top three on any list. He was never a prolific scorer, but the fifth overall pick started his career with a bang when he took fourth for the Calder Trophy in 1972-73.
He eventually received NHL All-Star honors in in 1979-80, and also finished third for the Norris Trophy. Schoenfeld made two All-Star Game appearances, once in 1977 and another in 1980. He was among the team’s most physical players during his time and his December 1972 fight with Wayne Cashman of the Boston Bruins epitomized that. Check it out below:
Overall, the 1979-80 season is what fans will remember him for the most. He also set a franchise record 60 in the +/- column, and finished first in defensive point shares with 7.7. One of the best and most feared defensemen of his time, there are only two players in Sabres history that rank higher. One of which was a well-known name before he stepped onto NHL ice.
Article Source: Sabres at 50: Jim Schoenfeld happy in retirement, still loves Buffalo by Bill Hoppe
Defenseman #2: Mike Ramsey
Mike Ramsey made a name for himself shortly before joining the Buffalo Sabres main roster as a defenseman on the Miracle on Ice Team. Ramsey, who enjoyed a two-way game before entering the NHL, transformed into a more physical, stay-at-home type of blueliner. He excelled at the position, contending for the Norris on four different occasions.
Though Ramsey never received NHL All-Star honors, he played in four All-Star Games between 1982 and 1986. Ramsey also led the NHL in defensive point shares during the 1984-85 season.
And although Ramsey morphed into a stay-at-home player throughout his NHL career, he still contributed his fair share in the points category, finishing his 14-year career with the Sabres at 166 in the plus/minus category, 329 points, 73 goals, and 256 assists in 911 games. Ramsey would be the top defenseman on this list, if it wasn’t for one last player we have yet to mention.
Defenseman #1: Phil Housley
Long before his two-season stint coaching the Buffalo Sabres, Phil Housley was arguably the best defenseman of his era. A smallish player, the 5’10, 185lb Housley wasn’t as well known for his defensive capabilities as much as he was for his all-out scoring, 558 points total with the Sabres in 608 games.
Of those 558 points, he had 178 goals and 380 assists. He lit up the league in 1982-83, snagging a First Team spot on the All-Rookie Team plus a second-place finish for the Calder Trophy. The following season, he finished fifth for the Norris and received strong consideration for the NHL All-Star Team.
Housley eventually earned NHL All-Star honors in 1992, at which point he was already with the Winnipeg Jets. Although he was an outstanding member of the Sabres, some may rank him lower since he played over half his career in seven other cities, effectively giving him the journeyman label.
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But given his early career success and Hall of Fame induction, he still goes down as the best defenseman in Buffalo Sabres history as of 2022. And that won’t change for quite some time.
(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference)