In space no one can hear Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 As per Buffalo News Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corp000085 Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 RIP Ricko!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KD in CA Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 Wow, that's sad. #7 was always my Mom's favorite player. RIP to both of them. link says heart attack but i saw another that said car accident Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tomcat Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 Heart attack while driving. RIP Rick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 RIP to a hero of my youth. This is very, very sad news. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwight in philly Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 (edited) this is indeed sad news.. as a former ticket holder from 70-1980, i saw rico, grew up with rico, going to the aud as 18 yr-old in 1970 with my season ticket, i saw rico come in as rookie in 71 and watch him develop into a bona-fide star. glad to have seen him skate with the french connection that one last time when pegula came on board. who would have known or thought ! wow.. i am stunned.. r i p rico.. Edited March 13, 2011 by dwight in philly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigdaddyinOrlando Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 RIP Mr. Martin! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frostbelt City Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 RIP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffaloBill Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 May he R.I.P. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffalo Barbarian Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 Just saw on the game that they said it was a car accident. May God have mercy on his soul. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
San Jose Bills Fan Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 RIP, Rico. The planned French Re-Connection will not be the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExWNYer Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 I was shocked when I saw this. I was just a kid during the French Connection's heyday and I loved watching them and those teams of the '70s. They're still my favorite Sabre players to this day. Very sad. Thoughts and prayers to the Martin family. R.I.P., Rick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob in STL Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 Very sad news. I was there in the Aud for all the great moments of the French Connectionand those fantastic teams of the 70's. Rico was one of my favorites. RIP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helpmenow Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 I had season tickets in Golds just at top of glass. There were marks from the pucks that were deflected from defenseman placing their sticks out. Man he could fire the pucks. He was scary! Bless you Rick! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buftex Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 Rick Martin was the man...like most here, I grew up on those 70's Sabres teams...I was 10 when they made it to the finals against Philly. Very sad news. I was really enjoying the recent French Connection reminiscing, when Terry Pegula took over the Sabres franchise. Pulled out a recording of the 1976 game against the Soviets, at the Aud. Rico was unbelievable in that game...almost Ovechkin like...very sad. I could kick myself, now, for missing a chance to meet the French Connection, at Christmas time, when I was back in Buffalo... Funny, I heard Rico and Rene Robert interviewed on GR, around that time. Martin was hilarious. When asked if they ever felt like they were overshadowed by Perreault, and did they ever feel like they were "carrying Bert", Martin snapped back..."Well, I don't know, but we couldn't carry Gilbert now, that boy has gotten big in his old age..." RIP Rico! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bills1960 Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 Truly a Buffalo sports icon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWVaBeach Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 Rest In Peace to our original #7. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbb Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 I'm so glad that I had front row seats on the glass two weeks ago for Pegula's first game. Little did I know that the pictures I took would be the last of the FC. He had to have had the most wicked slapshot in the history of the Sabres, did he not? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buftex Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Original Byrd Man Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 RIP Rick. I'll never forget the excitement in the Aud when the French Connection was rolling. If only they could have brought home that cup. Rick Martin still has the highest goals per game average in the history of the league. He was a sniper extordanaire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buftex Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 Happy Days in Buffalo... 1976, bi-centenial, OJ coming off another terrific season, Bob McAdoo NBA MVP, Sabres coming off a Finals appearance, to beat the hated Russians...French Connection is rocking, the Aud is not that far from being a "state of the art facility" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wnyBacker Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 to young to have seen him play but am glad i got to see the french connection in person for the last time ever at pegulas first game Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helpmenow Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 I saw him play and by far he was the must exciting person shooting that puck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
San Jose Bills Fan Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 He had to have had the most wicked slapshot in the history of the Sabres, did he not? Arguably…probably. Paul Cyr had a howitzer and John Van Boxmeer could blast it too. Perreault of course…saw the late Brian "Spinner" Spencer in that first video. Those were some great teams. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buftex Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 If you saw the game tonight, against Ottawa, Gerbe's goal looked like a tribute to Rick Martin...wicked blast from just inside the blue line, catches the upper right corner of the net...great stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spiderweb Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 I'm so glad that I had front row seats on the glass two weeks ago for Pegula's first game. Little did I know that the pictures I took would be the last of the FC. He had to have had the most wicked slapshot in the history of the Sabres, did he not? That he did. Rest in Peace Rico. You will live in our hearts forever........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swede316 Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 One of my childhood heroes...You'll be missed Rico Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 (edited) Paul Cyr had a howitzer But he couldn't put it into the back of the net... Let alone the side of a barn! Martin had the touch too to find the open net. "The size of the wand AND THE MAGIC IN IT!" RIP Rick! Anybody pick up the first RJ comment after the Sens game when all the Sabres went to center ice and raised their sticks... RJ said that they were saluting the fans... Which they were too... I think they were actually pointing to number 7 in the rafters. Usually RJ is a little more preceptive than that... Edited March 14, 2011 by ExiledInIllinois Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chandler#81 Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 Stunned & sad! R.I.P. #7. Th images burned in my memory for all my days is Rico flying down the left wing w/ a defenseman close by, then 'One Move, Martin' would hook the puck back toward him while slammin' on the brakes. The defenseman usually was toast then and here comes the SLAPPER! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 Happy Days in Buffalo... 1976, bi-centenial, OJ coming off another terrific season, Bob McAdoo NBA MVP, Sabres coming off a Finals appearance, to beat the hated Russians...French Connection is rocking, the Aud is not that far from being a "state of the art facility" youtube.com/watch?v=vCREh1yHGCI Wow... THNX for the footage... How the game has changed... Basically no shoulder pads, slower pace, and the goalies look out of position all the time... Almost at times it looks like they are wobbling around. Now you got better ice, better equipment, more safety.. The game is much faster and seems more intense. I wonder how much MORE amazing Martin would have been in today's game given all the tech advances. The one thing that is so cool from years ago... Is how clean the ice and boards look with NO advertising! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toledo Bill Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 He starred in the real glory years of the Sabres. My Dad used to see him up at Finlocks in Clarence quite often and always said he was a real down to earth guy. RIP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EDinRTP Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 One of the greatest. RIP Rick Martin. You will live on in our hearts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K-9 Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 (edited) Happy Days in Buffalo... 1976, bi-centenial, OJ coming off another terrific season, Bob McAdoo NBA MVP, Sabres coming off a Finals appearance, to beat the hated Russians...French Connection is rocking, the Aud is not that far from being a "state of the art facility" youtube.com/watch?v=vCREh1yHGCI +1 Great days indeed. Perreault/Martin with back-to-back ROY awards in the NHL. McAdoo/Ernie D with back-to-back ROY awards in the NBA. Juice in his prime. Heady days for Buffalo sports fans. Peace, Rico. Edited March 14, 2011 by K-9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helpmenow Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 Cookie, Randy Smith and Rico what a group we have lost. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwight in philly Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 If you saw the game tonight, against Ottawa, Gerbe's goal looked like a tribute to Rick Martin...wicked blast from just inside the blue line, catches the upper right corner of the net...great stuff. exactly what i thought! very similar! awesome tribute! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerball Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 RIP Rico Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 Sounds like massive MI then the crash. A shame, but thankfully no one else was hurt (not even his dog). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
\GoBillsInDallas/ Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 Hypertension: The silent killer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buftex Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 Not that this is terribly relevant to Rick Martins death, but amazingly, the Sabres traded him to the Kings in 1981, and that trade is still having repercussions on the franchise, 30 years later, in a round-about way...I got this from another site, thought it was kind of interesting: "RICK MARTIN TRADE 1. Rick Martin - Buffalo Sabres 1971-1981...traded to Los Angeles for two draft picks (eventually Tom Barrasso and Colin Chisholm). 2. Tom Barrasso - Sabres 1983-88...traded to Pittsburgh for Doug Bodger and Darrin Shannon. 3. Doug Bodger - Sabres 1988-95...traded to the San Jose Sharks for Vaclav Varada, Martin Spanhel and a 1st round pick. 4. 1st round pick is sent to Winnipeg for Darryl Shannon and Michal Grosek. 4. Vaclav Varada - Sabres 1995-2003...traded to Ottawa for Jakub Klepis. 5. Michal Grosek - Sabres 1995-2000 is traded to Chicago for J.P. Dumont and Doug Gilmour. J.P. Dumont eventually leaves via free agency. 5. Jakub Klepis - Sabres 2003-04 traded to Washington for The Almighty Grier. 3. Darrin Shannon - goes to Winnipeg in 1991 as part of a package for Gord Donnelly, Dave McIlwain and Yuri Khmylev. 4. Gord Donnelly is traded to Dallas for James Black and Steve Webb. 4. Dave McIlwain is traded as part of a package to the Islanders for Pat LaFontaine, Randy Wood and Randy Hillier. 5. Pat LaFontaine is traded to the Rangers for a draft pick, the awesome Andrew Peters. 4. Yuri Khmylev heads to St. Louis for Jean Luc Grand-Pierre, (draft picks) Max Afinogenov and Cory Sarich. Sarich goes to Tampa Bay in 2000 for Chris Gratton. Gratton is traded to Phoenix in 2003 for Daniel Briere and a 3rd round pick (Andrej Sekera). Sekera is the only one that remains from this huge trade thread." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 Not that this is terribly relevant to Rick Martins death, but amazingly, the Sabres traded him to the Kings in 1981, and that trade is still having repercussions on the franchise, 30 years later, in a round-about way...I got this from another site, thought it was kind of interesting: "RICK MARTIN TRADE 1. Rick Martin - Buffalo Sabres 1971-1981...traded to Los Angeles for two draft picks (eventually Tom Barrasso and Colin Chisholm). 2. Tom Barrasso - Sabres 1983-88...traded to Pittsburgh for Doug Bodger and Darrin Shannon. 3. Doug Bodger - Sabres 1988-95...traded to the San Jose Sharks for Vaclav Varada, Martin Spanhel and a 1st round pick. 4. 1st round pick is sent to Winnipeg for Darryl Shannon and Michal Grosek. 4. Vaclav Varada - Sabres 1995-2003...traded to Ottawa for Jakub Klepis. 5. Michal Grosek - Sabres 1995-2000 is traded to Chicago for J.P. Dumont and Doug Gilmour. J.P. Dumont eventually leaves via free agency. 5. Jakub Klepis - Sabres 2003-04 traded to Washington for The Almighty Grier. 3. Darrin Shannon - goes to Winnipeg in 1991 as part of a package for Gord Donnelly, Dave McIlwain and Yuri Khmylev. 4. Gord Donnelly is traded to Dallas for James Black and Steve Webb. 4. Dave McIlwain is traded as part of a package to the Islanders for Pat LaFontaine, Randy Wood and Randy Hillier. 5. Pat LaFontaine is traded to the Rangers for a draft pick, the awesome Andrew Peters. 4. Yuri Khmylev heads to St. Louis for Jean Luc Grand-Pierre, (draft picks) Max Afinogenov and Cory Sarich. Sarich goes to Tampa Bay in 2000 for Chris Gratton. Gratton is traded to Phoenix in 2003 for Daniel Briere and a 3rd round pick (Andrej Sekera). Sekera is the only one that remains from this huge trade thread." Incredible!!! Nice post. Hypertension: The silent killer. Wasn't he on BP meds? Sounds like massive MI then the crash. A shame, but thankfully no one else was hurt (not even his dog). What is MI? Is that medical for heart attack? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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