Rick Martin

Richard "Rick" Martin (born July 26, 1951 in Verdun, Quebec) is a retired Canadian professional winger who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Buffalo Sabres and Los Angeles Kings for 11 seasons between 1971 and 1982. He is perhaps most famous for playing on the Sabres' French Connection line with Gilbert Perreault and Rene Robert.

Playing career
Martin was drafted 5th overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 1971 NHL Amateur Draft after a junior career with the Montreal Junior Canadiens of the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA). He played 685 career NHL games, scoring 384 goals and 317 assists for 701 points. His best season was the 1974–75 NHL season when he scored 52 goals and 95 points in only 68 games. Martin scored at least 44 goals five times in his NHL career. Martin was selected to play in 7 consecutive National Hockey League All-Star Games (1971–72, through 1977–78) and was selected as the official NHL All-Star First Team left wing in 1973–74 and 1974–75 and the official NHL All-Star Second Team left wing in 1975–76 and 1976–77. Martin holds the franchise career records for hat tricks, four goal games, 40 goal seasons, consecutive 40 goal seasons, 50 goal seasons (tied with Danny Gare), consecutive 50 goal seasons.

Martin was involved in probably one of the two most frightening injuries on Buffalo home ice (the other being when Clint Malarchuk's jugular was lacerated). Dave Farrish of the New York Rangers hooked Martin around the neck from behind and kicked Martin's feet out from under him, causing Martin to hit his head on the ice. He was knocked unconscious, and went into convulsions. After that play, helmets became a much more common sight on the heads of his Sabre teammates.

On November 8, 1980 his career was dealt a cataclysmic blow. In a game against the Washington Capitals in the Aud, Martin was racing in on a breakaway. Capitals forward Ryan Walter managed to trip Martin and no penalty was called. Capitals goalie Mike Palmateer, already way out of his crease, knocked Martin back down by kicking his knee, causing severe cartilage damage from which Martin would never fully recover.

Martin got surgery in Toronto and on March 10, 1981, Scotty Bowman traded Martin and Don Luce to the Kings for a pair of draft picks, one of which the Sabres used to get goalie Tom Barrasso in 1983. Martin played four games for the Los Angeles Kings before hanging up the skates. His number 7 was retired along with Rene Robert on November 15, 1995 to hang alongside Perreault's.

Records and Achievements

 * Most goals by a rookie- 44 in 1971-72, surpassed by Mike Bossy (53 in 1977-78) and currently held by Teemu Selanne (76 in 1992-93)


 * He was the youngest player in NHL history to score 200 goals (24 years, 141 days) until he was surpassed by Bryan Trottier (24 years, 98 days).