Stories Of Gilbert Perreault

What follows are eight stories from the Hockey Hall of Fame career of Gilbert Perreault. From his first NHL goal to his 500th, there’s lots of excitement in between. Following that, we have Perreault’s career stats, a hockey card video and hockey card collection.

Gilbert Perreault NHL Career Stats

NHL Hockey Card Legends: Gilbert Perreault [Video]

Gilbert Perreault Hockey Card Collection

Gilbert Perreault’s 1st NHL Goal (also the 1st powerplay goal and game winning goal in Buffalo Sabres history)

For their first 16 years of existence in the National Hockey League, Gil Perreault was the face of the Buffalo Sabres. He came with high expectations, taken first overall by Buffalo at the 1970 NHL Amateur Draft, and didn’t ever disappoint.

In the club’s inaugural NHL game, an October 10, 1970 away game against the Pittsburgh Penguins at the Igloo, Perreault showed the Buffalo fans what was to come. With the game tied at one each after two periods, Perreault scored the first of his 512 career goals at 11:26 of the third on Les Binkley, assisted by Kevin O’Shea and Gerry Meehan. It was a powerplay marker with Greg Polis in the box for tripping.

Buffalo won the game 2-1, partly on the back of this rookie named Perreault and partly on the stellar performance by goalie Roger Crozier. Crozier turned away 35 of 36 shots put his way in the win. Crozier came in from the Detroit Red Wings and was the number one guy with the Sabres for their first three years in the NHL. He remained with the club until 1975-76, moving into a backup role.

Reality set in for the Sabres following that opening game, however. They entered a 1-11-1 stretch and were outscored 57-17 over those 13 games, getting shutout three times. Still, Perreault was the team’s highlight, scoring 38 goals in his rookie campaign and taking home the Calder Trophy as NHL rookie of the year. Buffalo stayed out of the basement, finishing fifth in the seven team East Division.

Gilbert Perreault lights up Gilles Gilbert and the Bruins on Opening Night 1974-75

For the first game of the 1974-75 NHL season for both the Buffalo Sabres and Boston Bruins, Buffalo Memorial Auditorium was the venue for a showdown between two of the best teams in the league. In a game more known for Danny Gare scoring 18 seconds into his first NHL game, Gil Perreault also had a pretty good start to his campaign with three goals and two assists.

Perreault played just 55 games for the Sabres in 1973-74 and was anxious to get things going. After Gare’s goal to start the game, Boston came back to lead 2-1. However, Gil tied the score at 14:23 on the powerplay (Bobby Orr in the box) with help from Jim Lorentz and Jerry Korab.

It was all Sabres in the second period, scoring four goals to make the score 6-2. Perreault assisted on two of those four goals, both scored by Rick Martin. Gil then made the score 7-2 2:08 into the third, another product of the French Connection line with Martin and Rene Robert assisting. His third goal of the game was scored at 14:12 of the third, unassisted on the powerplay.

The final score was typical of the Sabres in the 1970’s with a 9-5 win. Jim Lorentz, Don Luce and Craig Ramsay all had three point games and the team fired 40 shots at Gilles Gilbert. Gary Bromley was not spectacular at the Buffalo end with just 13 saves on 18 shots, but a win’s a win. The Sabres would go on to win the season series between the two teams with five wins, one loss and one tie.

Gilbert Perreault Leads Crazy Sabres Comeback Against Penguins In 1976

On March 10, 1976, the hockey fans at Pittsburgh Civic Arena experienced NHL hockey at its wildest. The first period was tame with Craig Ramsay and Rick Martin (assisted by Gilbert Perreault) scoring for Buffalo while Stan Gilbertson kept it close, scoring for the Pens. The score remained 2-1 until nearly halfway through the game. Then it got a little nuts.

Over a span of 6:24 in the second, between Lowell MacDonald’s goal at 8:13 and Rick Kehoe‘s third of the period at 14:37, Pittsburgh scored five straight goals to go up 6-2. that lead stood until over halfway through the third period. That was when Buffalo struck.

At 11:25 of the third, Craig Ramsay scored his 19th of the 1975-76 NHL season and second of the game, assisted by Danny Gare. Just 19 seconds later, Jim Lorentz cut the score to 6-4 with help from Fred Stanfield and Jacques Richard. 56 seconds after that, Rene Robert cut the lead to just one with his 31st of the campaign, assisted by Perreault and Lee Fogolin.

It was Perreault that tied the score at 6-6, putting one past Michel Plasse at 15:05 of the third, assisted by Robert and Jim Schoenfeld. It looked like the game would end in a deadlock but with just 21 seconds left in the game, Gil popped in his 36th of the season, assisted by his French Connection linemates, Martin and Robert. Buffalo came out with the 7-6 win.

Perreault had a four point game with two goals and two assists. On the Pittsburgh side, Rick Kehoe had the hat trick while Pierre Larouche and Ron Stackhouse had three assists each. Buffalo’s Al Smith made 34 saves on 40 shots in the win. Michel Plasse also faced 40 shots, led by six off the stick of Danny Gare.

Gilbert Perreault Sets Still Unbroken Buffalo Sabres Franchise Record With 7 Points Vs. Seals

Danny Gare’s hat trick and Rene Robert’s five point night both were overshadowed by Gil Perreault’s performance on February 1, 1976 against the California Golden Seals at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena. Gilbert’s seven points remain today as a Sabres franchise record.

In a 9-5 Buffalo win featuring 14 total goals, it was slow getting started. Robert scored the only goal of the first period, assisted by Perreault and Jocelyn Guevremont. Things opened up in the second with the Sabres scoring four and the Seals two. Perreault assisted on goals by Danny Gare and Jacques Richard.

In the third, Gil assisted on a pair of goals by Gare, the last coming with just four seconds left in the game. He also added two goals of his own, his 28th and 29th of the 1975-76 NHL season. All Buffalo goals were scored on Gary Simmons. The California netminder made just 22 saves on 31 shots. Ten of those shots were off the stick of Gare while Perreault had a modest four.

Over his legendary career with the Sabres, Perreault also had three six-point games. In that 1975-76 NHL season, Gilbert had a career year with 44 goals and 69 assists for 113 points. Despite the performance, he tied for just seventh in the voting for the Hart Trophy with Pete Mahovlich of the Montreal Canadiens.

Sabres Duo Wows Home Crowd at 1978 NHL All-Star Game

On January 24, 1978, the 31st NHL All-Star Game was held at the Buffalo Memorial Auditorium. It was the first and only time the mid-season showcase has been hosted by the Sabres. The home team was represented by two players on the Wales Conference side, Gilbert Perreault and Rick Martin.

Things looked glum for the Wales team, down 2-1 with 1:39 left in the game. However, Rick Martin came through at 18:21 with the tying goal, assisted by Marcel Dionne and Terry O’Reilly on Campbell Conference goalie Wayne Stephenson. This forced a five minute sudden death overtime period, the first time an extra frame was played in an NHL All-Star match.

3:55 into the fourth period, Gilbert Perreault played hero, scoring the winning goal with assists going to Steve Shutt and Borje Salming. Despite the Wales win, the MVP award went to Campbell Conference goalie Billy Smith. Smith kept the Wales skaters off the scoreboard for the first half of the game with all three goals coming on second half goalie Stephenson.

The two members of the French Connection powered the Sabres to a second place finish in the Adams Division that year with 105 points. Buffalo eliminated the New York Rangers in the preliminary round before falling in the quarter-final to the Philadelphia Flyers.

Gilbert Perreault Scores His Only Career Playoff Hat Trick, Helping Sabres Avoid The Sweep In 1980

On May 6, 1980, the New York Islanders hosted the Buffalo Sabres for game four of their semi-final series. New York went into the game up 3-0 in the set. The Sabres weren’t about to give up just yet. In game 4, they beat the Islanders 7-4 and followed that up with a 2-0 victory at home. In the end, the Isles won the series in six games.

In that game 4, the Islanders held a 3-2 lead with the game nearly half done. That’s when Gilbert Perreault kicked it into gear. Perreault scored his sixth of the playoffs at 9:29 of the second, assisted by Derek Smith and Lindy Ruff to tie the score. It was a power play goal with John Tonelli in the box for elbowing.

Shortly after, at 11:10 of the second, Gil scored his second of the game with help from Don Luce to put Buffalo up by one. With 30 seconds to go in the frame, Perreault and Danny Gare set up Derek Smith for what would stand as the game winning goal. Perreault added the hat trick goal into the empty net with 13 seconds to go in the match.

Despite not reaching the Stanley Cup final, Gilbert had a great post season in 1979-80. In 14 games, he scored ten and assisted on eleven for 21 points. His two game winning goals were also series clinchers, the first against the Vancouver Canucks and the second against the Chicago Blackhawks. He had a four assist game against Chicago in game 2 of that quarter-final series.

Gilbert Perreault Becomes The 12th Player In NHL History To Reach The 500 Goal Plateau

On March 9, 1986, the Buffalo Sabres hosted the New Jersey Devils at the Aud. Gilbert Perreault had scored the 499th of his career two nights earlier in a home loss to the Hartford Whalers. Number 500 was scored at 10:44 of the second period on New Jersey goalie Alain Chevrier, assisted by Mike Foligno and Bill Hajt.

It was Gil’s only point of the game, a 4-3 win. Foligno led the Sabres with a goal and assist while Doug Smith put in the game winner at 15:29 of the third. Tom Barrasso was the busier goaltender, stopping 31 of 34 in the win.

For Perreault, it was nearing the end of the line. His 500th was his 18th of the 1985-86 NHL season. He scored three more to finish with 21, still good for fourth on the team. The Sabres did not qualify for the post season that year. Gilbert played just 20 games in 1986-87 before retiring. He added nine more goals to the total that year, finishing his career with 512.

Gilbert Perreault played 1,191 regular season and 90 playoff games in the National Hockey League between 1970-71 and 1986-87, all with Buffalo. He is the only player in franchise history to wear number 11 and he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1990. He now ranks 43rd all-time for goals scored, one behind Jeremy Roenick.

First and Last: Gilbert Perreault

The Gilbert Perreault rookie card appears in the 1970-71 O-Pee-Chee and Topps sets and he is shown with the Buffalo Sabres. Perreault had not previously played in the NHL and was the first overall pick by the Sabres at the 1970 NHL Amateur Draft.

Gil made an immediate impact with Buffalo in their inaugural season in the league. His first goal came in the team’s first game and was the game winner against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Perreault went on to score 38 that year and added 34 assists for 72 points. He was the Calder Trophy winner as the NHL’s rookie of the year.

The final hockey card featuring Perreault during his playing career was included in the 1986-87 O-Pee-Chee and Topps sets as a member of the Sabres. Gilbert played just 20 games for Buffalo that year but was still able to contribute 16 points. He had a three point game against the Toronto Maple Leafs and a pair of goals in a game against the Vancouver Canucks.

Gilbert Perreault played 1,191 regular season and 90 playoff games in the National Hockey League between 1970-71 and 1986-87, all with the Buffalo Sabres. The 1972-73 Lady Byng Trophy winner was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1990.

Gilbert Perreault NHL Career Stats

Regular Season

Year	Team	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1970-71	Buffalo Sabres	78	38	34	72	19
1971-72	Buffalo Sabres	76	26	48	74	24
1972-73	Buffalo Sabres	78	28	60	88	10
1973-74	Buffalo Sabres	55	18	33	51	10
1974-75	Buffalo Sabres	68	39	57	96	36
1975-76	Buffalo Sabres	80	44	69	113	36
1976-77	Buffalo Sabres	80	39	56	95	30
1977-78	Buffalo Sabres	79	41	48	89	20
1978-79	Buffalo Sabres	79	27	58	85	20
1979-80	Buffalo Sabres	80	40	66	106	57
1980-81	Buffalo Sabres	56	20	39	59	56
1981-82	Buffalo Sabres	62	31	42	73	40
1982-83	Buffalo Sabres	77	30	46	76	34
1983-84	Buffalo Sabres	73	31	59	90	32
1984-85	Buffalo Sabres	78	30	53	83	42
1985-86	Buffalo Sabres	72	21	39	60	28
1986-87	Buffalo Sabres	20	9	7	16	6
	Totals	1191	512	814	1326	500

Playoffs

Year	Team	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1970-71	Buffalo Sabres	0	0	0	0	0
1971-72	Buffalo Sabres	0	0	0	0	0
1972-73	Buffalo Sabres	6	3	7	10	2
1973-74	Buffalo Sabres	0	0	0	0	0
1974-75	Buffalo Sabres	17	6	9	15	10
1975-76	Buffalo Sabres	9	4	4	8	4
1976-77	Buffalo Sabres	6	1	8	9	4
1977-78	Buffalo Sabres	8	3	2	5	0
1978-79	Buffalo Sabres	3	1	0	1	2
1979-80	Buffalo Sabres	14	10	11	21	8
1980-81	Buffalo Sabres	8	2	10	12	2
1981-82	Buffalo Sabres	4	0	7	7	0
1982-83	Buffalo Sabres	10	0	7	7	8
1983-84	Buffalo Sabres	0	0	0	0	0
1984-85	Buffalo Sabres	5	3	5	8	4
1985-86	Buffalo Sabres	0	0	0	0	0
1986-87	Buffalo Sabres	0	0	0	0	0
	Totals	90	33	70	103	44

NHL Hockey Card Legends: Gilbert Perreault [Video]

Gilbert Perreault Hockey Card Collection

1970-71 O-Pee-Chee

1971-72 O-Pee-Chee (Calder Trophy)

1973-74 O-Pee-Chee

1974-75 O-Pee-Chee

1975-76 O-Pee-Chee

1976-77 O-Pee-Chee

1977-78 O-Pee-Chee