From Obscurity to Immortality. How Rene Robert Sparked the NHL's Greatest Line
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- čas přidán 9. 11. 2021
- Rene Robert was the missing ingredient the Buffalo Sabres needed to ignite the NHL’s most colorful and productive line of the 1970 -- the French Connection
But unlike his star-studded linemates (Gil Perreault and Rick Martin), Robert was not a prized #1 draft pick -- in fact, he was essentially a castoff plucked from obscurity by a coach who had once discarded him.
Robert seized on the opportunity with the Sabres and quickly became a legend. He was the first Sabre ever to ever reach the 100 point plateau and he scored some of the most dramatic goals in franchise history.
This is the story of fast-skating, hard-shooting Sabres icon Rene Robert and his unlikely climb to hockey immortality.
With Robert’s career in doubt, the relentless Punch Imlach again entered the scene and acquired Rene in exchange for aging veteran Eddie Shack in what turned out to be one of the most lopsided deals of the decade.
Robert, who had scored just 7 goals in 59 games with the Penguins, scored six goals in 12 games with the Sabres and set the stage for a magical decade-long run in the Queen City.
In the 1972 training camp, Sabres coach Joe Crozier placed Robert with spectacular center Gilbert Perreault and prolific LW Rick Martin on a line dubbed the “French Connection".
Perreault was the star with his penchant for end-to-end rushes, Martin the unrelenting goal scorer. But Robert was the piece that made the trio tick -- a physical do-it-all winger who made his linemates better.
The French Connection was the talk of the NHL
Resources:
The NHL
The Buffalo Sabres
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I was blessed to have played hockey and after 4 years with the Edmonton Oilkings 72-76 I was drafted by Buffalo in the 4th round....went to rookie camp in Kitchener then the main camp in Buffalo...roomy was Don Edwards....my first scrimmage was against the French Connection line...a dream...sent to Hershey after camp...I realized that hockey wasn't what I thought that there were players in Hershey that were signed and had to play and there wasn't room for me, I wasn't going down to the NAHL in Utica NY...made to big decision to go back to Edmonton, become a cop and play beer hockey with my friends....wouldn't believe the people that thought I was crazy....Get this...years later our Faded Blues Police Hockey team played in fund raising games (8 years in a row) with GWE and "Old timers hockey challenge" that involved NHL old-timers. The likes of Perreault, Shutt, Sittler, (have a funny story about him and trying to buy a 1988 Poor boy Olympic hat from my 4 year old daughter, that's for another day) Big M, Trottier, Hawerchuk Shack, Lambert, Hull, even the "Rocket" who was the ref the first game you name it....Sat down with them all for dinner many times after our yearly game.....always remember Perreault talking about Imlach/Smith and how their practices were the same all the time ...boring....LOL....
more awesome memories from the "front lines" of pro hockey ... Thx again, Rocky --- excellent contribution!
Perreault was my favorite, love to hear these stories, thanks!
What a team, what a line, what a player, what a time. One of the best lines ever and they lived up to their name, The French Connection. What a name.
Fun to watch and I'm a life long Leaf fan. Though I do like Buffalo (Toronto's little brother)
@Willie Gordon Just a few things to consider. Somebody has to win and somebody has to lose in a Championship. Buffalo might not have won a Stanley Cup but they were division and conference champions. Gilbert Perreault was one of the greatest players in any sport. He could do everything at top speed. His end to end rushes, tape to tape passes were things of beauty to see. Hard to name a better skater in any era. If I could of played just one shift in the pros I would of considered that a success. I never heard Perreault wine or cry about being in Buffalo. Team player all the way. I seen him in an old timers game in Edmonton in the early 90’s and even then he could skate. The French Connection Line was one of the greatest lines ever and nobody can take that away from Perreault, Martin and Robert. Maybe not Stanley Cup Champions, but Champions in my mind anyways. A lot of players are really beat up by the time they get to the finals. Broken fingers, broken ribs, sore knees, sore shoulders but win or lose nobody quits until the final buzzer.
so funny story years ago, i lived in mississauga, somehow i ended up with his old phone number, as mine, so ron ellis would call asking me to come out and play, not realizing im not rene, , mr ellis was a wondefull man after a few conversations, then sittler called, a few times,
@@stevenmcinally4420 Now that’s a great story to share with everyone and especially with your Grandchildren. Ron Ellis always came across as a great guy and he was there in 72 on the team that really brought our country together. Sittler was a great leader and it shows that Robert was well liked. Thanks for sharing that.
@@northernclimate8297 After the loss to Philly in 1975, the Sabres’ greatest nemesis became the Islanders. In the 76 quarterfinals a very good Sabres team were up two games to none with home-ice advantage but managed to lose four straight to the up and coming Isles. In 77 it wasn’t that close, with the Isles winning four straight, and then in 80 a very good Sabres’ team once again had home ice versus the Isles but lost the first three, then won two, before losing Game Six on Long Island. The Sabres teams of the late 90s and early 00s, the ones with Hasek, were on a whole inferior to the mid-late 70s and early 80s ones that didn’t quite make it over the hump. Those latter teams that had playoff success had it almost entirely because of Hasek.
The French Connection. Wow, so many memories. These guys were magic together. It was a pleasure to watch them play the most beautiful game in the world.
Right on … pure magic!
Nice!
The French Connection.
Some people, you wish they could live forever. When I was a kid, these three made me a hockey fan for life.
And it was Robert that broke the 100 point mark for the franchise. What a play maker with a decent shot!
I hope the Sabres can build a winner and finally capture a Cup. If my Blues did it, so can Buffalo. So sad seeing these 70's NHL stars die off.
Great fans in Buffalo .. they deserve a championship!
@Willie Gordon The dynasty the Islanders became is what everybody expected the Sabres to be, but the Islanders kind of built their dynasty by climbing over the Sabres. They beat them in the playoffs I think 3 times in 5 years, including the year they won their first cup. The Sabres were kind of like the Ottawa Senators in the 00's-a really good team that just couldn't win at the end..
Beautiful. Thank you for this tribute to a great all-round player, Rene Robert.
Thanks for watching --- your comment is greatly appreciated!
Rene Robert was the Martin St. Louis of his time, overachiever turned overnight star.
R.I.P. René Robert. Great video!
The "Thank you Sabres" chant was especially heartwarming, what great fans.
The were grateful to have an NHL club ... and the players were such a big part of the community ... you'll never see that again. THX
They got it again this year. After more than a decade of suffering, Buffalo’s young team fought hard and got within 1 win of a playoff birth… you can feel the excitement in the air again here.
You guys are the best with presentations like this. Love the tributes celebrating the greatest game on earth. The French Connection statue is a classic and so is the name of the line of Perreault, Martin and Robert. RIP Rene.
Thanks, my man BJM ... appreciate your kind words! A line as colorful and carefree as the Connection will never appear again ... pure magic!
I was at the thank you Sabers game, still remember it well. Thanks for the memories
That must be an incredible memory ... certainly made an impact on the players
That was absolutely amazing!!!
Growing up in Trois Rivieres, I have fond memories of Rene Robert with the hometown Junior Leafs - Salut Rene !
74-75 was my all time favorite season. a deep Flyers fan here , but Robert was one of my players i always checked to see how he did. Great player, a great person. RIP
My love for hockey started with watching the Sabres game in a rural town, where I could only get the tv signal using rabbit ears on the second floor of the house I grew up in.
I was a west coast kid and we had the california golden seals. They were not very good but we would go out to see the good teams come to town and everybody wanted to see the French connection. What a great video and what a wonderful time to be a kid.
Rene desrves a tribute thanks for this. Even as a kid on my paper route I enjoyed reading the sports section and seeing Rene's 100 pooint season in 1975. That trade for shack was as much a steal as Ron Caron's trade acquiring Adam Oates for Federko.R.I.P Rene!
Thanks for watching ... That Shack trade was a bad for one for the Pens. Although you wonder how Rene would have developed with that mediocre PGH group.
And sadly for all the Sabres fans, it never got better than this.
Thank you for your excellent videos of my old NHL stars....RIP Rene...
Thanks for watching ... we're here for classic fans just like you!
For someone new to hockey history, these videos are excellent. Thank you.
Top 10 of all time NHL uniforms..Buffalo deserves a cup!
I would not be unhappy to see the cup in Buffalo,they are after all a NY team.......lifetime ranger fan.....
Thank you..all those nice childhood memories of going to the Aud to see the Sabres and the French Connection have been restored after watching this nice tribute..on a side note: has anyone ever seen a better goal than Gil's @7:10..! wow!! Poor Dunc Wilson didn't know which way to go..what a fantastic time the 70's were for hockey..would love to be a kid again...
Thank you ... when I see Perreault clips, it reminds me a bit of McDavid ... everything at top speed ... Gil could have dominated in an era.
@@ProHockeyAlumni I can see that..the closes Sabre to Gil for me in terms of style was Maxim Afinogenov..he like Gil, was often at full tilt when he'd burn through a team..superior skaters all 3 are, great combination of strength and balance..
This brings back so many memories of watching hockey as a kid. That line was so great to watch.
I was 13 in 1970 and a hockey fan growing up in Buffalo, the French Connection was a once in a lifetime line I’ll never forget. Now I’m in Vegas enjoying my 2nd franchise team. Still waiting for the Cup.
I lived in Southern Ontario and went to many Sabres games in the 70's.
Great video. One of the greatest lines ever assembled. When you see old Perreault highlights I think he could easily play in today’s game and at that pace. He was ahead of his time for sure.
👍✊
Beautiful tribute. Rest well, Rene.
I didn't know his history when he joined the Rockies but I sure did enjoy watching him play while he was here. I'm sad to see he has passed away. A nice tribute to a good player.
The line that put Buffalo on the map!
These guys played before my time, but I love hockey history and learn about the old time players and collecting their cards. One of the cool things I found out about Rene Robert when I attained one of his cards is that we share the same birthday. That’s awesome. Rest In Peace Rene Robert.
Glad you find value in these stories ... Thanks for watching.
Very well done. The trading of Robert several days before the start of the 1979-80 season caught fans by surprise. New Coach/GM Scotty Bowman felt the Sabres needed another defenseman due to a pre-season injury to Jerry Korab. It was the beginning of a major housecleaning by Bowman.
Thanks again for your comments -- and historical contributions!
Also, Bowman and Robert had a feud. In a later interview, Robert relayed how Bowman, as Canadiens coach, used to chirp him from the bench. Robert would chirp back, calling Bowman “plate head,” because the insert in Bowman’s skull from a terrible head injury. Robert was not surprised that one of Bowman’s first move as Sabres GM was to send Robert to hockey’s worst franchise, the Rockies.
@@johnknab9994 The story in those days was that Bowman was universally hated by his players. He wasn't the nice old Scotty we'd see interviewed as an old man. But he won, so the players were stuck with him.
You're amazing. I'm only 35. I always grew up hearing my coaches talk about all these greats but there wasn't really much you could do to learn about them in the 90s, if you weren't old enough to experience it. You really catch the spirit of the thing. This video was especially touching. I was tearing up in the end. Keep it up!
That's "capture the spirit of the thing"---Dickie Dunn
Thanks Derek ... fans like you make it all worthwhile!
@@danmusec5634 that's what I was going for! Haha. Thanks.
Great clip!
Really enjoyed this look at Rene Robert. He was certainly clutch when the playoffs came around. I still have nightmares of that overtime goal in the fog he scored against the Flyers in the 1975 finals. You did an awesome job putting this together. These player profiles are terrific.
Thank you very much ... I really enjoy producing them for knowledgeable fans such as you. Imagine being a goalie in the fog with the French Connection bearing down on you? thx again!
I did not know he had passed. Loved him on The Leafs.
This was an awesome video on the life and career of Rene Robert. When traded from Buffalo to the then Colorado Rockies at the start of the 1979-80 Robert didn’t miss a beat. He could’ve sulked after the deal but instead showed what an excellent team player he was. I had no idea he was traded for Eddie Shack. It is too bad the Sabres led by the renowned French Connection couldn’t capture a Stanley Cup. Thanks for posting this video and I particularly loved the highlights of Robert. May he RIP.
Thanks again ... glad you enjoyed it. Your assessments of Robert's character are right on!
You have a great voice for narrating. Also great at bringing forth accurate and moving facts about players that I’ve grown up watch and many I am too young to know. Either way the stories are always moving and interesting to learn about.
Keep up the hard work. I hope it’s paying off for you.
Much appreciated! The "payoff" is positive comments from true hockey fans like you! Thank you!
Always loved the Buffalo Sabres!! And I was on the protected list of the Sabres in 1976!! Would have been an honor to make the Buffalo Sabres team !!
RENE IS MY IDOL RIP
What a fantastic tribute! Thank you
They truly were an amazing line to watch. In my mind it was like watching 3 players who played like 1 person. Incredible. I believe there's hockey in heaven and it's going to be fantastic to see. God bless them all.
I think you may be right! Thanks!
In the mid 70s I was in my teens and lived in the Syracuse, NY area. I could sometimes get the Sabres’ game broadcasts on radio (it had to be real cold to get them at that range). I listened when it cooperated, and rooted for them that whole decade. Good memories! Thank you for this excellent video and tribute!
A GREAT team! Rene was my hero. Never ever forget! He was a tough dude.
and a good hero to have ... The Sabres were loaded with talent -- and character ... They just needed a piece or two to wi it all.
Great job once again. Nothing flashy.. just telling a story...
Thanks again! I guess if I were a hockey player I'd have been Don Marcotte -- stayin' in my lane!
A great retrospective on the career and life of Rene Robert. I watched him and the rest of the Sabres play growing up in the Buffalo area in the 1970s. This brought back some great memories. There was even a local candy and chocolate company that had a "Rene Rabbit" in their catalog one year
Excellent piece! Your best one yet. A shame is that Robert retired early, at 32. According to reporting back then, the NHL was undergoing a youth movement and older, expensive vets like Robert were pushed out. Had he stayed healthy and played a few more years, he would be more well known.
Thanks so much ... you're right -- in the 80s a player was considered "aging" at 29 ... a lot of good careers were cut short and there was no WHA to jump to.
I remember Rene Robert playing for the Tulsa Oilers. Once he hit the NHL a star was born.
I cried after Rene Robert passed away last year, I love this video good job. can you make a video about leafs coach John Brophy?
Very NICE great video . Thanks .
and thanks for watching! appreciate your support.
Thank you for the great documented video, love seeing the old clips. Two side notes of interest 1) Sabers wearing home jersey for the 1977- 78 playoffs. Manufacture Stall and Dean placed the back numbers to high pushing the mandatory name plate into the shoulder yoke trim. 2) Last clip of the video 24 February 1974 Bruins at Sabers NBC Sunday afternoon hockey. Bruins wearing names while the Sabers weren't for the nationally televised game.
Thanks for the info! Great comment and thanks for watching!
Great video great memories thank you
Thank YOU 🙏 appreciated!
I cried when they traded him.. oh we warmed up to John Van Boxmeer... but he wasn't Rene... and I always wonder if that deal wasn't made.. if the Sabres the following spring don't beat the Islanders to move on to the finals rather than the other way around... that trade really marked the end of an era in buffalo...
Robert scored that OT goal in the fog game by NOT emerging from the fog. I don't think Parent ever saw the shot coming. When they beat the Habs in the playoffs earlier that year, even though Buffalo had a better record in the regular season (just barely), it was monumental, because the idea then of an expansion team beating the mighty Habs was too much to contemplate. A couple of other things in the video: famed baseball announcer Bob Prince on the call of the Buffalo-Pittsburgh game at the beginning, and the ad for Korvettes in the newspaper clipping at 8:43. Korvettes was a major department store chain in the US north east at the time, but went out of business a few years after this. The TV I watched the "fog game" on was bought at Korvettes.
love the insights and info ... thanks so much for your comment!
@@ProHockeyAlumni What's interesting is that was the last year of the NBC TV contract with the NHL, and they would only carry the weekend games because ratings were too lousy to show the games in prime time on the network. So the fog game wouldn't have even been on TV in the NYC area, except that the local PBS station (channel 13) picked it up from the Hockey Night in Canada broadcast! They also carried the Summit Series games in 1972, which I don't think were on TV anywhere else in the US. Hockey was a very low priority in those days for US television. The next year, the NHL started their own syndicated network and in NYC, a "Game of the Week" and all Stanley Cup finals games were carried on a local station, WPIX, channel 11.
Thank you for another very well done video of Rene Robert. I love watching old hockey clips of the 1970's. It brings me back to a much better time. I was always a Sabres fan, although I never lived there, but b/c of the "French Connection" I loved that team, and it was always my favorite team. I will never forget in 10th grade I had to create a project for school, and I laminated a picture of my favorite player, Gilbert Pearault on a piece of wood. I got an A-plus on that, and my teacher praised me for it. It meant even more for me since she graded tough, and I was only an average student.
Those are great memories and I'm glad you took a moment to share them. Great stuff!
I remember listening to the hockey scores coming over the radio one morning in the mid 1970s and the announcer said "and Reen Robert (instead of pronouncing it Renee Robear) scored a hat trick for Buffalo..." so I got all excited and started looking through Buffalo's minor league players and then their roster looking for this Robert guy and as soon as I saw his name it clicked, I had to laugh.... great player! Thanks for posting this!
great and humorous stuff ... Peter Lee is a hockey historian. THX again, bud
@@ProHockeyAlumni Thank you. Your stories bring back great memories of scanning the radio for games! Keep up the good work! Blessings to all who contribute!
Similar memory: Howard Cosell, who did a short, 5 minute sports news "take" on radio in New York in the 1970's, jumping on the Rangers bandwagon when they were emerging as a contender, and showing off his hockey expertise, talking about the brilliant young Rangers star "Rod Gil-bert". Not, "Rod Jeel-bear", but "Gil-bert". LOL. Even as a ten year old kid I knew the correct pronunciation.
@@RRaquello There were a few head scratchers like that! I think it was Bill "Big Whistle" Chadwick that used to pronounce Guy Lafleur's name just fine (i.e. Gueee) but he pronounced Guy Lapointe's first name like guy on the street or Hi guy.... both French, on the same teem yet you insist on the wrong pronunciation for Guy Lapointe. Trivia: Cosell was hired by Telly Savalas... good times in a screwball world!
@@peterlee4682 I grew up listening to Bill Chadwick on the Ranger broadcasts, but either didn't notice or don't remember that. Chadwick was a lot of laughs to listen to, including his own penchant for mispronunciations (he used to have particular trouble with a short-time Philadelphia player named Mike Busniuk. He just couldn't say that name.) My favorite memory was when he got into an on-air shouting match with Dave Schultz during a Ranger broadcast. Schultz had gotten thrown out of the game for fighting and had gone to sit in the press box to watch the rest of the game, and him & Chadwick got into it hot & heavy. Great memories.
Its really a shame that the Sabres team of the 70s and early 80s never won a Cup. They were a very good team during that time, but had stiff competition in established teams like Boston, Montreal, Philadelphia and the NY Islanders. Martin's career was cut a little short by injuries and he would have posted great numbers if he lasted a little longer. Robert just fit in well with his two line mates and always showed up in big games. Perreault was a spectacular player who is often overlooked among the greats because of the small market and never winning a Cup. Had Perreault landed in Montreal instead of the expansion Sabres he would be a God in the province of Quebec. Perreault always played great for Canada in international tournaments and was probably their best forward in 76 and 81 before an injury derailed him from completing the tournament alongside Lafleur and Gretzky. Perreault also showed up for the Sabres when it counted and to this day is still in the top 10 all-time Playoff PPGs amongst all NHL players, a stat not a lot of people know about.......What a great line the three formed, so entertaining to watch in the old Aud in Buffalo........Great video, thx for the memories!, new subscriber here.
valuable comment ... I learned a few things there ... great work and thanks for joining the Pro Hockey Alumni!
Many years ago I heard Martin talk about the knee injury that ended his career and he put the blame on Leafs goalie Mike Palmateer, who he said kicked him. Kicking is something you don't hear much about in hockey because it almost never happens-for obvious reasons. The Sabres traded Martin, I guess flim-flamming the LA Kings, who didn't know about the injury, and the draft pick they got for Martin turned out to be Tom Barrasso. I think Martin might have played 5 games for LA before he had to retire. The Kings were doing things like that a lot in those days, also trading the draft pick that became Ray Bourque.
one of our heroes....
Top notch work as always.
Thank you very much .. loved the French Connection!
0:54 flew past the defense like they were standing still, reminds me of myself...
... the defensemen that is.
Great video and memories of some of the tormentors of my youth...The French Connection Line!
Rene Robert, he didn't even pronounce it Robert...Ro-bear? Ugh...
Thanks for another great throwback, and another tough guy too...
Traded for Eddie Shack...man, I forgot that part...Rene was as amazing as presented.
The narrator is pronouncing the man's name properly. Robert was a French-Canadian...so "Ro-Bear" is absolutely correct.
@@Lava1964 sorry for the late reply…I was kidding about Rene…I did say they lit up my Blues. A tremendous Sabre line from a day long past. I don’t forget those great days of sports before the players became entertainers in a show.
love your series! I remember all of these players from my youth so its been a real informative nostalgia trip you have gotten me on - thanks!
Thanks vey much ... very happy to have you along for the ride!
I could watch the French connection score on Ken Dryden all day....
This video was awesome!! Very good job as always bud!! This is one of my favorites you’ve done
Thanks - glad to gave the young studs like yourself Bringing the history of the game to a new generation … enjoyed the piece on Kenny Linseman …. Great guy
Another amazing video
Glad you enjoyed it ... Thanks for watching and commenting!
Wow WSBK-38 footage at 3:08!
Wasn't sure how that was going to end, I knew about Martin not Robert. Wow. Still to young. Best line name in hockey, probably never surpassed. *** Hockey Hall of Fame, hire this man and let him have access to the media vault. Another win . Also another VAN connection with missing the draft pick and losing Perrault.
Thanks, my friend ...greatly appreciate your support!
As a kid in Buffalo,I never missed a game either on the radio or tv,from 1975-1983,its a shame that the right moves weren't made for the 75 -80 teams to succeed, Perreault should have been dealt to a contender in 83 ,its a shame they didn't get a cup while they had the Connection and that core .
My dad used to call him Robert Renee
Johnny Pierson must have been drunk calling him Roberto lol. Fred Cusick the best!
Yup, he kept wanted to say "Phil Roberto" but didn't know who Rene was!
Robert had his driveway in buffalo made with material from the old aud
9:32 What a nasty hit in a time without helmets 😬
you're right ... brutal hit ... but at least the Flyers scored!
The mighty French Connection
AWESOME Footage - ur vids just keep getting better - so is ur pronunciation of French names lol
😁. Thanks Davey ... Don't ever let me forget "Jeels Gratton"
That part where the Colorado coach was praising him for not quitting even with a not so good collection of players is something cry baby Eichel can learn from.
At 14:42 - what team is Buffalo playing? Can't place the uniforms...
Isn’t Eddie Shack the guy that got in all those stick fights with that one crazy dude Larry
Yes 👍
No RJ call on the flyers goal is a crime
Well 72 is old
I always ask myself how many points McDavid could have gotten back then?
50 years ago he would not have had the size, speed and training he has now ... but if you could transport him as is, he'd score 100 goals. Conversely, if Gil Perreault were born in 2000, he'd be like McDavid is now. In my opinion.
@@ProHockeyAlumni Perrault might be the best player that never won a cup. That being said, he was never the best player when he was playing. Sorry, as great as he was, he was never the greatest of his time. McDavid is bigger than you think. He’s no push over. No one pushes him off of the puck anymore and he throws the body. At 6’1” and 195lbs. plus add in his speed I bet it doesn’t tickle when he body checks. To me it’s one of those “what ifs?” The big difference is the goaltending now. The goalie is the biggest guy on the ice, not the smallest like it used to be. Half the guys back then couldn’t even skate, now every player can. The Flyers won two cups with 5 players, one great goalie and 15 goons. Thank God the Habs took them to the woodshed and saved the sport. And guys like Dave Schultz, Moose DuPont and Gary Dornhoffer were assigned to the ash heap of spots history. No sport has gotten more entertaining in the last 15 years than hockey has. McDavid is just the pinnacle the sport has reached. He’s as big a leap forward as Gretzky was.
The goaltending in those days was really really bad.
Thank you Sabres...!? For What...? Losing? No wonder that Buffalo will never win the Stanley Cup or the Super Bowl.
Is his rookie work anything?..nope
Incredible! I was at the Montreal Forum to see the game where. The French connection Line beat the Canadians.
It’s so wild these guys played without helmets
So refreshing to hear a goal without all the bullshit music , just crowd noise! This was hockey, unlike that shopping mall shit today!
I really enjoyed watching the Sabres as a kid. Perrault was such a talent.
Playing with Gilbert Perrault as your Center was truly winning the lottery.
Martin and Robert were a great on their own but take away Perrault and they are not the legends they are now. Some players simply are so good, they make you better too. It’s funny how that works.