1970–71 Buffalo Sabres season

1970–71 Buffalo Sabres
Division 5th East
1970–71 record 24–39–15
Home record 16-13-10
Road record 8-26-5
Goals for 217
Goals against 291
Team information
General Manager Punch Imlach
Coach Punch Imlach
Captain Floyd Smith
Arena Buffalo Memorial Auditorium
Average attendance 9,721
Team leaders
Goals Gilbert Perreault (38)
Assists Phil Goyette (46)
Points Gilbert Perreault (72)
Penalties in minutes Tracy Pratt (179)
Wins Joe Daley (12)
Goals against average Dave Dryden (3.37)
1971–72>

The 1970–71 Buffalo Sabres season was the Sabres' first season in the National Hockey League.

The Sabres had the first pick in the 1970 NHL Amateur Draft, which they used to select Gilbert Perreault. Led by Perreault's NHL rookie record of 38 goals,[1] the Sabres would 24–39–15, ahead of the Vancouver Canucks and Detroit Red Wings in the Eastern Division. However, they finished 19 points behind the Toronto Maple Leafs in the division, and finished 19 points short of a playoff berth.

The Sabres played their home games in the Buffalo Memorial Auditorium. "The Aud" was previously home of the Buffalo Bisons AHL team. To make way for the Sabres the Bisons folded following the 1969–70 AHL season, which saw the Bisons win their fifth and final Calder Cup. For the Sabres first season played the Aud had an ice hockey seating capacity of only 12,280 for hockey. The arena would be renovated following the season to expand capacity.[2]

Offseason

The Buffalo Sabres, along with the Vancouver Canucks, joined the NHL in the 1970–71 season. The Sabres' first owners were Seymour and Northrup Knox, scions of a family long prominent in western New York. The team's name, selected through a fan contest,[3] was chosen because it was known as a weapon carried by leaders, and it is also swift and strong on offense as well as defense. The Knoxes had tried twice before to get an NHL team, first when the NHL expanded in 1967, and then unsuccessfully attempting to buy the Oakland Seals with the intent of moving them to Buffalo. At the time of their creation, the Buffalo Sabres exercised their option to create their own AHL farm team, the Cincinnati Swords. On June 9, 1970 the 1970 NHL Expansion Draft was held to fill the Sabres' and Canucks' rosters.

NHL draft

In 1970, two new franchises were awarded in the NHL the Buffalo Sabres and the Vancouver Canucks. Sabres general manager/coach Punch Imlach chose his favorite number, number 11, for the roulette wheel spin to determine which franchise would have the first choice in the 1970 Entry Draft.[4] Ultimately, the Canucks were allocated numbers 1-10 on the wheel, while the Sabres had 11-20. When league president Clarence Campbell spun the wheel, he initially thought the pointer landed on 1. However, while Campbell was congratulating the Vancouver delegation, Imlach asked Campbell to check again. As it turned out, the pointer was on 11.[5] This was the first year that the Montreal Canadiens did not have a priority right to draft Québécois junior players. Consequently, Perreault was available and taken first overall by the Sabres.[6]

Round # Player Nationality College/Junior/Club Team
1 1 Gilbert Perreault  Canada Montreal Junior Canadiens (OHA)
2 15 Butch Deadmarsh  Canada Brandon Wheat Kings (WCHL)
3 29 Steve Cuddie  Canada Toronto Marlboros (OHA)
4 43 Randy Wyrozub  Canada Edmonton Oil Kings (WCHL)
5 57 Mike Morton  Canada Shawinigan Bruins (QMJHL)
6 71 Mike Keeler  Canada Niagara Falls Flyers (OHA)
7 84 Tim Regan  United States Boston University (ECAC)
8 97 Doug Rombough  Canada St. Catharines Black Hawks (OHA)
9 107 Luc Nadeau  Canada Drummondville Rangers (QMJHL)

Transactions

Date
Details
October 1, 1969 To St. Louis Blues
Roger Lafreniere
To Buffalo Sabres
Cash
December 9, 1969 To St. Louis Blues
George Morrison
To Buffalo Sabres
Cash
June 10, 1970 To New York Rangers
Cash
To Buffalo Sabres
Ted Hodgson
June 10, 1970 To Detroit Red Wings
Tom Webster
Buffalo Sabres
Roger Crozier
August 31, 1970 To Toronto Maple Leafs
Cash
To Buffalo Sabres
Floyd Smith
Brent Imlach
October 1, 1970 To St. Louis Blues
Gary Edwards on loan
To Buffalo Sabres
Cash
October 1, 1970 To California Golden Seals
Howie Menard
To Buffalo Sabres
Cash
October 2, 1970 To St. Louis Blues
Craig Cameron
To Buffalo Sabres
Ron Anderson
October 9, 1970 To Pittsburgh Penguins
Cash
To Buffalo Sabres
Dave Dryden
October 19, 1970 To St. Louis Blues
Bill Sutherland
Buffalo Sabres
Cash
November 4, 1970 To St. Louis Blues
Bob Baun
To Buffalo Sabres
Larry Keenan
Jean-Guy Talbot
November 24, 1970 To Los Angeles Kings
Mike McMahon Jr.
7th-round pick in 1971 (Pete Harasym)
8th-round pick in 1971 (Lorne Stamler)
To Buffalo Sabres
Dick Duff
Eddie Shack
January 24, 1971 To Pittsburgh Penguins
Jean-Guy Lagace
To Buffalo Sabres
Terry Ball

Free Agency

September 1970 Signed
Murray Kuntz

Claimed via Waivers

Player Former team Date claimed off waivers
Steve Atkinson St. Louis Blues November 1, 1970
Bob Baun Detroit Red Wings November 3, 1970
Paul Andrea California Golden Seals November 1970

Lost via Waivers

Player New team Date claimed off waivers
Cliff Schmautz Philadelphia Flyers December 28, 1970

1970 NHL Intraleague Draft

Round # Player Nationality Drafted From
2 18 Kevin O'Shea  Canada San Diego Gulls (WHL)
2 19 Cliff Schmautz  Canada Portland Buckaroos (WHL)
2 20 Brian McDonald  Canada Denver Spurs (WHL)

Regular season

Punch Imlach

After being fired by the Leafs, it was expected that Imlach would join the NHL's new Vancouver franchise. Imlach, Joe Crozier, and Foster Hewitt had become partners in the Vancouver Canucks of the Western Hockey League and were in line to become owners of the Vancouver NHL team. But they didn't have the financial resources to buy the team, which went to Medical Investment Corporation (Medicor). Medicor bought the WHL Canucks for $2.8 million, with Imlach making a reported gain of more than $250,000. He was offered a job with the NHL Canucks, but instead accepted an offer from the NHL's other expansion team, the Buffalo Sabres, as their first coach and general manager in 1970.

Season standings

East Division[7]
GP W L T GF GA DIFF Pts
1 Boston Bruins 78 57 14 7 399 207 +192 121
2 New York Rangers 78 49 18 11 259 177 +82 109
3 Montreal Canadiens 78 42 23 13 291 216 +75 97
4 Toronto Maple Leafs 78 37 33 8 248 211 +37 82
5 Buffalo Sabres 78 24 39 15 217 291 −74 63
6 Vancouver Canucks 78 24 46 8 229 296 −67 56
7 Detroit Red Wings 78 22 45 11 209 308 −99 55

Schedule and results

Regular season results
No. R Date Score Opponent Record
1WOctober 10, 19702–1 @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1970–71) 1–0–0
2LOctober 14, 19700–3 @ New York Rangers (1970–71) 1–1–0
3LOctober 15, 19700–3 Montreal Canadiens (1970–71) 1–2–0
4LOctober 17, 19701–4 @ St. Louis Blues (1970–71) 1–3–0
5TOctober 18, 19701–1 Pittsburgh Penguins (1970–71) 1–3–1
6LOctober 22, 19702–4 @ Philadelphia Flyers (1970–71) 1–4–1
7WOctober 23, 19704–3 Detroit Red Wings (1970–71) 2–4–1
8LOctober 25, 19700–4 Chicago Black Hawks (1970–71) 2–5–1
9LOctober 27, 19702–7 @ Vancouver Canucks (1970–71) 2–6–1
10LOctober 30, 19701–6 @ California Golden Seals (1970–71) 2–7–1
11LNovember 1, 19702–4 @ Los Angeles Kings (1970–71) 2–8–1
12LNovember 5, 19701–4 Vancouver Canucks (1970–71) 2–9–1
13LNovember 7, 19702–11 @ Montreal Canadiens (1970–71) 2–10–1
14LNovember 8, 19701–3 Philadelphia Flyers (1970–71) 2–11–1
15WNovember 13, 19704–2 California Golden Seals (1970–71) 3–11–1
16TNovember 15, 19702–2 Montreal Canadiens (1970–71) 3–11–2
17WNovember 18, 19707–2 @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1970–71) 4–11–2
18LNovember 21, 19700–3 @ Minnesota North Stars (1970–71) 4–12–2
19TNovember 25, 19704–4 @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1970–71) 4–12–3
20TNovember 26, 19702–2 New York Rangers (1970–71) 4–12–4
21LNovember 29, 19701–2 California Golden Seals (1970–71) 4–13–4
22TDecember 3, 19704–4 Boston Bruins (1970–71) 4–13–5
23WDecember 6, 19701–0 Minnesota North Stars (1970–71) 5–13–5
24LDecember 9, 19701–6 @ Chicago Black Hawks (1970–71) 5–14–5
25LDecember 10, 19702–8 @ Boston Bruins (1970–71) 5–15–5
26LDecember 12, 19703–5 @ Detroit Red Wings (1970–71) 5–16–5
27LDecember 13, 19700–4 Toronto Maple Leafs (1970–71) 5–17–5
28LDecember 16, 19700–4 @ New York Rangers (1970–71) 5–18–5
29WDecember 17, 19704–3 Los Angeles Kings (1970–71) 6–18–5
30LDecember 19, 19700–2 @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1970–71) 6–19–5
31LDecember 20, 19702–4 Toronto Maple Leafs (1970–71) 6–20–5
32LDecember 22, 19702–7 New York Rangers (1970–71) 6–21–5
33TDecember 26, 19704–4 @ Montreal Canadiens (1970–71) 6–21–6
34WDecember 27, 19705–2 Detroit Red Wings (1970–71) 7–21–6
35LJanuary 1, 19714–9 Boston Bruins (1970–71) 7–22–6
36LJanuary 3, 19713–5 Chicago Black Hawks (1970–71) 7–23–6
37WJanuary 7, 19717–4 Detroit Red Wings (1970–71) 8–23–6
38LJanuary 9, 19712–3 @ Detroit Red Wings (1970–71) 8–24–6
39TJanuary 10, 19712–2 Los Angeles Kings (1970–71) 8–24–7
40LJanuary 13, 19712–4 @ Chicago Black Hawks (1970–71) 8–25–7
41WJanuary 14, 19712–1 St. Louis Blues (1970–71) 9–25–7
42WJanuary 16, 19714–3 @ Minnesota North Stars (1970–71) 10–25–7
43TJanuary 17, 19714–4 Montreal Canadiens (1970–71) 10–25–8
44TJanuary 21, 19715–5 New York Rangers (1970–71) 10–25–9
45LJanuary 23, 19711–7 @ St. Louis Blues (1970–71) 10–26–9
46WJanuary 24, 19716–4 Philadelphia Flyers (1970–71) 11–26–9
47TJanuary 27, 19713–3 @ Los Angeles Kings (1970–71) 11–26–10
48WJanuary 29, 19714–2 @ California Golden Seals (1970–71) 12–26–10
49WJanuary 31, 19716–1 @ Vancouver Canucks (1970–71) 13–26–10
50WFebruary 4, 19715–2 Los Angeles Kings (1970–71) 14–26–10
51LFebruary 6, 19713–4 @ Boston Bruins (1970–71) 14–27–10
52LFebruary 7, 19713–4 Toronto Maple Leafs (1970–71) 14–28–10
53LFebruary 9, 19713–6 @ Vancouver Canucks (1970–71) 14–29–10
54LFebruary 10, 19711–5 @ California Golden Seals (1970–71) 14–30–10
55WFebruary 12, 19713–0 California Golden Seals (1970–71) 15–30–10
56WFebruary 14, 19713–2 Philadelphia Flyers (1970–71) 16–30–10
57LFebruary 17, 19711–5 @ Chicago Black Hawks (1970–71) 16–31–10
58TFebruary 18, 19716–6 Pittsburgh Penguins (1970–71) 16–31–11
59LFebruary 20, 19715–6 @ Detroit Red Wings (1970–71) 16–32–11
60LFebruary 21, 19711–3 St. Louis Blues (1970–71) 16–33–11
61LFebruary 23, 19713–6 Boston Bruins (1970–71) 16–34–11
62LFebruary 25, 19712–3 @ Philadelphia Flyers (1970–71) 16–35–11
63LFebruary 27, 19710–2 @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1970–71) 16–36–11
64WFebruary 28, 19715–2 Minnesota North Stars (1970–71) 17–36–11
65TMarch 3, 19713–3 @ Los Angeles Kings (1970–71) 17–36–12
66TMarch 5, 19712–2 Chicago Black Hawks (1970–71) 17–36–13
67WMarch 7, 19716–3 Vancouver Canucks (1970–71) 18–36–13
68LMarch 13, 19710–9 @ St. Louis Blues (1970–71) 18–37–13
69WMarch 14, 19715–0 @ Minnesota North Stars (1970–71) 19–37–13
70WMarch 18, 19715–3 St. Louis Blues (1970–71) 20–37–13
71LMarch 20, 19712–5 @ Montreal Canadiens (1970–71) 20–38–13
72WMarch 21, 19717–5 @ Boston Bruins (1970–71) 21–38–13
73LMarch 23, 19712–7 @ New York Rangers (1970–71) 21–39–13
74WMarch 26, 19713–1 Vancouver Canucks (1970–71) 22–39–13
75WMarch 28, 19714–2 Minnesota North Stars (1970–71) 23–39–13
76WMarch 31, 19716–4 @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1970–71) 24–39–13
77TApril 1, 19713–3 Pittsburgh Penguins (1970–71) 24–39–14
78TApril 4, 19713–3 @ Philadelphia Flyers (1970–71) 24–39–15

Player statistics

Forwards

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes

Player GP G A Pts PIM
Gilbert Perreault 78 38 34 72 19
Phil Goyette 60 15 46 61 6
Gerry Meehan 77 24 31 55 8
Don Marshall 62 20 29 49 6
Eddie Shack 56 25 17 42 93
Steve Atkinson 57 20 18 38 12
Paul Andrea 47 11 21 32 4
Al Hamilton 69 2 28 30 71
Larry Keenan 51 7 20 27 6
Doug Barrie 75 4 23 27 168
Ron Anderson 74 14 12 26 44
Dick Duff 53 7 13 20 12
Floyd Smith 77 6 11 17 46
Reg Fleming 78 6 10 16 159
Jim Watson 78 2 9 11 147
Skip Krake 74 4 5 9 68
Tracy Pratt 76 1 7 8 179

Defencemen

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes

Player GP G A Pts PIM
Hap Myers 13 0 0 0 6
Mike McMahon 12 0 0 0 4
Paul Terbenche 3 0 0 0 2
Jean-Guy Lagace 3 0 0 0 2
Terry Ball 2 0 0 0 0
Francois Lacombe 1 0 1 1 2
Jean-Guy Talbot 57 0 7 7 36
Tracy Pratt 76 1 7 8 179
Jim Watson 78 2 9 11 147
Reg Fleming 78 6 10 16 159
Doug Barrie 75 4 23 27 168
Al Hamilton 69 2 28 30 71

Goaltending

Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; SO = Shutouts; GAA = Goals against average

Player GP W L T SO GAA
Dave Dryden 10 3 3 0 1 3.37
Roger Crozier 44 9 20 7 1 3.68
Joe Daley 38 12 16 8 1 3.70

Roster

Buffalo Sabres 1970–1971 Roster
Goaltenders

Defensemen

Wingers

Centers

Awards and records

References

  1. "Gilbert Perreault Biography". Hockey Hall of Fame. legendsofhockey.net. Retrieved July 11, 2012.
  2. ""The Aud" - Memorial Auditorium". sabresalumni.com. Sabres Alumni. Retrieved July 11, 2012.
  3. "WHATS IN A NAME". NHL.com. Sabres.com. Retrieved July 11, 2012.
  4. "One on One with Gilbert Perreault". Hockey Hall of Fame. hhof.com. Retrieved July 11, 2012.
  5. Duhatschek, Eric; et al. (2001). Hockey Chronicles. New York City: Checkmark Books. ISBN 0-8160-4697-2.
  6. "First Overall Selections". National Hockey League. Retrieved July 11, 2012.
  7. "1970–1971 Division Standings Standings - NHL.com - Standings". National Hockey League.
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