Last year I wrote that Rob Ray should be the next person the Buffalo Sabres inducted into their team Hall of Fame, and evidently they listened. In a video during the first period of last Saturday’s matchup with the Florida Panthers, it was announced that Ray will indeed become the 44th member of the Sabres Hall of Fame. The date and potential additional inductees are yet to be announced.
With over three decades of service to the Sabres organization as a player, analyst and broadcaster, there’s no questioning that it’s the right decision. As the Sabres and fans alike prepare for a celebration, let’s examine the many reasons that he’s so revered.
Ray Epitomized Toughness & Courage
The Sabres selected Rob Ray of the Cornwall Royals (now the Sarnia Sting) in the fifth round of the 1988 Draft, eight spots after they picked his longtime teammate and fellow Sabres Hall of Famer Alexander Mogilny. He made his NHL debut on Oct. 21, 1989 against the Pittsburgh Penguins and scored on his first career shot, coincidentally on former Sabre Tom Barrasso. Though a spectacular introduction, that wasn’t what Buffalonians would become accustomed to.
Over the next decade, the winger established himself as one of the most prolific and viable fighters in the history of hockey, so much so that a rule was eventually created because of him. Despite a comparative lack of size to the giants of the day, Ray could hold his own against any opponent. He didn’t always come out on top, but he never backed down and had memorable tilts with some of the game’s most revered enforcers. Tony Twist, Stu Grimson, Donald Brashear, Denis Vial- the list goes on and on, but there was one name that stood out above the rest.
Ray and Tie Domi had already fought on three occasions by the time the latter came to the Toronto Maple Leafs (Buffalo’s archrival) in 1994 and they now had the opportunity to become even more acquainted. The rivalry that developed between them is the stuff of legends and they fought a whopping 13 times over the course of their careers. The two were so evenly matched that it was never one-sided; whenever they squared off, you were in for a show.
The 1990s were the end of an era for the rough and tumble days of the NHL before the game began to evolve into a faster style in the early 2000s. If you’re going to go out, it might as well be in a blaze of glory. And thanks to players like Ray, that was certainly the case. But though the rough stuff was his claim to fame, throughout his career he proved that he was far more than just a bruiser.
More Than Meets the Eye
Though he rarely appeared on the scoresheet outside of the penalty column, Ray was as valuable to the Sabres as any of their top stars and played a key role in their successes of the 90s. Opponents were careful to not take liberties with any of the team’s big names because they knew to whom they would have to answer. This helped the Sabres become one of the most consistent teams of the decade and they reached the Stanley Cup Final in 1999.
He was also a respected team leader and was named an alternate captain in 1998, a role he kept for the remainder of his tenure. But more so than anything he did on the ice, his legacy lies in what he did away from it.
Ray’s numerous philanthropic endeavors have forever endeared him to Western New York and Southern Ontario. A staunch supporter of Oishei Children’s Hospital and Roswell Park Cancer Institute, he also hosted an annual charity golf tournament to benefit the March of Dimes, served as the honorary chair of Walk America and made numerous contributions to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The NHL recognized his efforts in 1999 when he was the recipient of the King Clancy Memorial Trophy for charity and humanitarianism.
March 10, 2003 was a sad day for the Sabres. Amidst a rebuild that saw the last remaining pieces of those 90s glory days cleared out, Ray was sent to the Ottawa Senators. At the time, he was the franchise’s longest-tenured player and the last who had been on the team in the 1980s. In parts of 14 seasons in Buffalo, he scored 40 goals and 90 points while racking up 3,189 penalty minutes. His 889 games played in the blue and gold/black and red are the fourth-most in team history, a testament to his longevity.
Ray’s post-Sabres career didn’t last long and he called it quits during the 2003-04 season after just 11 total games with Ottawa. Fittingly enough, he scored on his last NHL shift as well. He retired with 3,207 career penalty minutes, the sixth-most in NHL history. But though his career ended away from Buffalo, he wouldn’t be gone for long.
Ray’s Second Chapter Continues
It was bittersweet to see Ray leave the Sabres and even more so to see him retire wearing another team’s jersey, but his absence from Buffalo proved to be brief. Later that same season he returned to the Sabres as a broadcaster, starting as an intermission host. Eventually, he was moved to between the benches as a sideline analyst, with a humorous moment coming when he was quite literally caught in the middle of a shouting match between Sabres coach Lindy Ruff and Senators coach Bryan Murray during the now-legendary brawl between the teams in 2007.
When color commentator Harry Neale retired in 2012, Ray was promoted to the role and has held it ever since, earning praise for his honest and straightforward takes. Over the years he formed a memorable rapport with legendary play-by-play man Rick Jeanerette (whose enthusiastic narration helped make his fights so memorable) and read a touching tribute to the icon after he passed away in August 2023. In addition to his broadcasting duties, he’s also an active member of the Sabres’ Alumni Team and continues his involvement in his numerous charities.
In all, Ray has been a member of the Sabres family for well over half his life. Throughout that time, he’s represented the franchise with class, dignity and integrity. It would be difficult even for the most cynical of fans to not admire his commitment to both the Sabres and Buffalo itself. His wife and children were in attendance for the announcement on Saturday and he was visibly fighting back emotion afterward.
“I know I don’t show it sometimes, but I’m trying not to cry in front of everybody because I’ve got to kind of act tough,” he said. “It’s the greatest thing that could happen. For me, it’s an honor and it’s a privilege to even be named with a lot of those guys on the wall.”
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The Stirling, ON native has had two separate careers with the Sabres, both of which are entirely Hall of Fame worthy. It was only a matter of time before he received the call and it couldn’t be more deserved. Congratulations to The Rayzor Man.
