Rick Jeanneret
[5] In 1963, Jeanneret took over the play-by-play of a Niagara Falls Flyers Junior A hockey game for the regular announcer, Edd Felstead, who had become sick.
[6] In 1971, Jeanneret began working for the Sabres after Dave Hodge, the play-by-play man for the team's first season, had unexpectedly won Hockey Night in Canada duties over the frontrunner for the position, future Jeopardy!
[7] In an era before regional sports networks when most hockey games were untelevised, Jeanneret and Ted Darling often worked as a tandem and became very close personal friends.
[10] From 1984 until 1992, he did the Sabres' play-by-play in addition to being a popular early-morning disc jockey at the now-defunct CJRN-AM in Niagara Falls, Ontario.
[12] Each year from the 2004–05 NHL lockout onward, Jeanneret reupped with the Sabres on short-term deals out of concern for his age and health.
By then, Dan Dunleavy had been chosen as Jeanneret's successor and slowly took over play-by-play duties, first as the substitute, then permanently starting in 2022.
Although he initially sought treatment in his native Canada due to Canada's universal single-payer health care system, he later sought American treatment (coincidentally, from the same doctor that also treated Buffalo Bills quarterback Jim Kelly) due to his stronger personal attachment with the United States after four decades of work in the country.
[25] In April 2018, Jeanneret said that he was leaning toward returning for the 2018–19 season, but he was not certain because of his age and possible health complications (in addition to the cancer battle, he'd also had a pacemaker installed).
[27] On December 22, 2018, during the third period in a home game against the Anaheim Ducks, Jeanneret suffered an acute medical emergency and abruptly cut out of the broadcast, leaving color commentator Rob Ray and on-site studio host Brian Duff to call play-by-play for the remainder of the game.
Almost immediately, fans watching the broadcast or listening to the game took to the Sabres' Twitter page, expressing worry and concern for Jeanneret and asking for updates.
[28][29] In an interview the next day, Jeanneret, who was still recovering in the hospital, noted that the emergency was not heart-related and that he had overheated prior to losing consciousness (something that he noted was unusual since the arena is usually cold, although Jeanneret had worn a Santa Claus suit for an extended portion of the evening); he did not miss any more of his scheduled play-by-play duties.
[32] In April 2020, in an interview with the Buffalo News, Jeanneret noted he would likely retire following the 2020–21 season, marking his 50th anniversary with the Sabres franchise.
[33] Jeanneret, who called 20 games that season, was set to have his contract expire during the 2021 offseason at the same time as Rob Ray and Dan Dunleavy's; while Sabres spokesman Scott Preisler stated that they intended to bring Ray and Dunleavy back, he made no such commitment to Jeanneret; negotiations for any potential return would not begin until after the season ended.
[23][39] He was known for his energetic delivery (especially during big plays and fights), colorful player nicknames, passionate goal calls, and his trademark suspenders worn on air and uncanny resemblance to late comedian Rodney Dangerfield.
[42] He also substituted for Rick as an announcer for the Buffalo Sabres games against the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers on December 27 and 28, 2010.
[citation needed] Jeanneret died on August 17, 2023, from multiple organ failure, which his family stated had begun in 2021 during his final season with the team.
(For instance, color commentator Jim Lorentz was replaced by Mike Robitaille, who played for the Sabres in 1974–75 but had been traded before the playoffs, and WNSA hosts filled in other positions.)
[46] On June 8, 2012, the Sabres announced that Jeanneret would be given the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award and thus be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
