The legendary voice of the Buffalo Sabres has passed away. The team issued a statement on Thursday announcing the death of Rick Jeanneret.
Jeanneret was the voice of the team for over 50 years, making him the longest tenured team broadcast in NHL history. He retired in 2022.
“Rick was indeed a very special and very loved man, to and by all, who knew him and listened to him, his magic, and his command,” Sabres owner Terry Pegula said. “How glad I am to have known him. How lucky were we all to have been around him and to have listened to him.”
The list of accolades for Jeanneret is long. He joined the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2012 as the recipient of the Foster Hewitt Award. He is also in the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame, the Buffalo Broadcasters Hall of Fame, and the Township of Terrace Bay, Ontario’s Sports Wall of Fame. He is also an honorary member of the Bare Knuckle Boxing Hall of Fame.
In 2022, he was honored with a spot in the Sabres’ Hall of Fame and had a banner raised in his honor at the KeyBank Center, one of 11 Sabres to receive such an honor.
“Growing up in Buffalo, Rick Jeanneret was not just the voice of the Sabres, he was the voice for our city. He helped foster my love of hockey, along with so many others,” Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams said. “Beyond the booth, Rick was an incredible man that was loved by all. His wit and humor was unmatched and we are all lucky to have known him.”
Rick Jeanneret is survived by his wife Sandra, his children, Mark, Chris and Shelly and his grandchildren. He was 81-years-old.
