Bob Sauvé

Robert F. "Bob" Sauvé (born June 17, 1955, in Sainte-Geneviève, Quebec) is a retired professional goaltender, and currently a player agent.

Playing career
After a successful junior career with the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League's Laval Titan, Sauvé was drafted by the NHL's Buffalo Sabres in the 1st round (17th overall) in the 1975 NHL Entry Draft. The World Hockey Association's Cincinnati Stingers also selected Sauvé in round 2 (16th overall) in the 1975 WHA Amateur Draft, but his ambition was to play in the NHL. The Sabres selected three goaltenders in the 1975 draft, with Sauvé and Don Edwards being the most notable. Sauvé played four games for the Sabres during the 1976-77 season but spent the majority of the year with the AHL's Rhode Island Reds, while Edwards was initially the more successful of the two and was the first to stick with the big club in Buffalo. The next season saw Sauvé split time with the Hershey Bears and the Sabres as Edwards' backup.

As the 1978-79 season began, Sauvé entered training camp determined to make the NHL for good. Unfortunately, he suffered a broken finger and began the season in Hershey. After Edwards later suffered a sprained ankle, Sauvé was called up to Buffalo, this time to stay. The goaltending duo of Sauvé and Edwards had an immediate impact on the Sabres. Sauvé led the league in goals against average for the 1979-80 season and was co-recipient of the Vezina Trophy with Edwards in the same season.

Sauvé was traded to the Detroit Red Wings on December 2, 1981, but re-signed with the Sabres as a free agent on June 1, 1982, after Edwards was traded to the Calgary Flames. Sauvé was joined in nets by a young phenom just out of high school named Tom Barrasso for the 1983-84 season, and the duo went on to share the William M. Jennings Trophy for fewest goals allowed in 1984-85. Barrasso was always quick to credit Sauvé for not only helping him but for challenging him with his own strong play. Sauvé was dealt by Buffalo to the Chicago Black Hawks in exchange for a 3rd round pick in the 1986 NHL Entry Draft. Sauvé spent two uneventful seasons in Chicago before signing with the New Jersey Devils as a free agent on July 10, 1987. After two seasons in New Jersey, Sauvé announced his retirement from the NHL in 1989 due to chronic back problems.

Other
Sauvé's younger brother, forward Jean-François Sauvé, also played in the NHL and was briefly a teammate of his older brother in Buffalo. His son Philippe Sauvé is also a professional goaltender who currently plays in Europe for the Hamburg Freezers.

Sauvé remained active in hockey after retirement, first as the president of the New Jersey Devil's alumni association, then as a goalie coach and later as a player agent. His list of clientele has included many of Quebec's biggest names including Patrick Roy, Vincent Lecavalier, Jocelyn Thibault, Pierre Turgeon, Vincent Damphousse and Simon Gagné.

Awards and achievements

 * 1979-80: Vezina Trophy
 * 1984-85: William M. Jennings Trophy

Career statistics
Season  Team                        Lge    GP   Min   GA  EN SO   GAA   W   L   T   Svs    Pct --- 1971-72 Verdun Maple Leafs          QMJHL  33     0  202   0  0  6.01   0   0   0  1213  0.857 1972-73 Laval National              QMJHL  35  1489  224   0  0  6.40   0   0   0     0  0.000 1973-74 Laval National              QMJHL  61     0  341   0  0  5.65   0   0   0     0  0.000 1974-75 Laval National              QMJHL  57  3403  287   0  0  5.06   0   0   0     0  0.000 1975-76 Charlotte Checkers          SHL    17   979   36   0  2  2.21  11   4   1   531  0.937 1976-77 Buffalo Sabres              NHL     4   184   11   0  0  3.59   1   2   0     0  0.000 1977-78 Buffalo Sabres              NHL    11   480   20   0  0  2.50   6   2   0     0  0.000 1978-79 Buffalo Sabres              NHL    29  1610  100   0  0  3.73  10  10   7     0  0.000 1979-80 Buffalo Sabres              NHL    32  1880   74   1  4  2.36  20   8   4     0  0.000 1980-81 Buffalo Sabres              NHL    35  2100  111   2  2  3.17  16  10   9     0  0.000 1981-82 Detroit Red Wings           NHL    41  2365  165   0  0  4.19  11  25   4     0  0.000 1981-82 Buffalo Sabres              NHL    14   760   35   0  0  2.76   6   1   5     0  0.000 1982-83 Buffalo Sabres              NHL    54  3110  179   3  1  3.45  25  20   7  1214  0.872 1983-84 Buffalo Sabres              NHL    40  2375  138   0  0  3.49  22  13   4   912  0.869 1984-85 Buffalo Sabres              NHL    27  1564   84   1  0  3.22  13  10   3   497  0.855 1985-86 Chicago Blackhawks          NHL    38  2099  138   0  0  3.94  19  13   2  1072  0.886 1986-87 Chicago Blackhawks          NHL    46  2660  159   0  1  3.59  19  19   5  1338  0.894 1987-88 New Jersey Devils           NHL    34  1803  107   2  2  3.56  10  16   3   714  0.870 1988-89 New Jersey Devils           NHL    15   720   56   2  0  4.67   4   5   1   275  0.831