Rick Martin and the Early Stars

Lore & Background

Martin was drafted fifth overall by the Sabres in the 1971 NHL amateur draft. In his rookie season, he scored 44 goals, breaking Perreault's record for most goals by an NHL rookie. He joined Perreault and Rene Robert to form one of the league's top forward lines in the 1970s, nicknamed 'The French Connection' after the movie of the same name and in homage to their French-Canadian roots. Martin was traded to the Los Angeles Kings in 1981. His jersey number 7 has been retired, and a statue of the French Connection line was erected at KeyBank Center in 2012.

In Their Own Story

The ice at Memorial Auditorium crackled under the lights. Martin skated with the puck, his blue and gold jersey bright against the packed stands. He saw the opening, a split-second gap in the defense, and fired the shot. The net bulged. The crowd roared, a sound that would echo through decades of Sabres history. It was just another night in the early seventies, but it felt like the beginning of something legendary.

Reader's Guide

Rick Martin was a left wing for the Buffalo Sabres from 1971 to 1981. He was drafted fifth overall in 1971 and set a rookie goal-scoring record with 44 goals. He was a key member of the French Connection line that led the Sabres to the 1975 Stanley Cup Final, which they lost to the Philadelphia Flyers. Martin was traded to the Los Angeles Kings in 1981. His number 7 is retired by the Sabres.

Did You Know?

• Rick Martin broke Gilbert Perreault's rookie goal-scoring record with 44 goals in the 1971–72 season.
• Martin was part of the French Connection line, named after the movie and the players' French-Canadian heritage.
• The Sabres have never won the Stanley Cup; their only championship run was the 1975 Final, which they lost.
• Martin's jersey number 7 was retired by the Sabres, and a statue of the French Connection was unveiled at KeyBank Center in 2012.