These are the greatest men to don the blue-and-gold and/or red-and-black.
http://www.ranker.com/list/the-greatest-buffalo-sabres-of-all-time/willyboymcoy,
Craig Ramsay
Draft 19th overall in 1971, the original "Rammer" played his entire career in the blue-and-gold. Though not naturally gifted or flashy, Ramsay was a hard worker, a smart player and a durable one who did not miss a game in nine straight seasons. In 1974, he did not take a single penalty, the last player to do so. On a line with Don Luce and Danny Gare, "Rammer" posted eight consecutive 20+ goal seasons. One of the best defensive forwards in the game's history, he won the Frank J. Selke Trophy (best defensive forward) in 1985, and retired following that season. "Rammer" became a Sabres assistant coach the following year and remained with the organization before departing in 1992. In 2004, he won a Stanley Cup as an assistant coach with the Tampa Bay Lightning, captained by Dave Andreychuk. "Rammer" ranks fourth in team history with 672 points, third with 420 assists, sixth with 252 goals and second with 1,070 games played. His 27 SH goals and +328 plus/minus rating are still club records.
Danny Gare
A 2nd-round draft pick in 1974, Gare wasted no time establishing himself as a Sabre great. Scoring 18 seconds into his first game, Gare finished his rookie campaign with 31 goals and helped the team reach the Stanley Cup Finals. He followed that up with 50 goals in 1976. Two years later, Gare, just 23, was voted team captain, an honor he held the rest of his time in Buffalo. Gare's finest season came in 1980, when he scored 56 goals (tying for the league lead), leading the team to a division title and the best record in the Prince of Wales Conference. Despite standing only 5' 9", Gare was scrappy and willing drop the gloves, if need be. Gare departed midway through the 1981-82 season via blockbuster trade to the Red Wings, where he played until 1986, also serving as captain. He retired in 1987 after a brief stint in Edmonton. Gare ranks fourth in team history with 267 goals, the most by a RW, and ninth with 500 points. On November 22, 2005, the club retired his #18 sweater.
Dave Andreychuk
Drafted along with Phil Housley in the 1st round in 1982 at age 18, Andreychuk would become one of the club's most consistently productive players over the next 11 years. He scored 30+ goals seven times, including two seasons with 40 or more. At 6' 4", 220 lbs., Andreychuk was a force in front of the net, especially on the PP where he scored a club record 160 PP goals. In 1993, Andreychuk was en route to his best offensive season of 54 goals when was traded to the Maple Leafs. After Toronto, he played for three other teams before returning to Buffalo in 2000 and scoring another 20 goals. The team opted not to pick up the option on his contract and Andreychuk signed with Tampa Bay. He captained the Lightning to a Stanley Cup championship in 2004, before being waived in early 2006. Andreychuk ranks third in the club's history with 368 goals, second with 436 assists and second with 804 points. He is among the top scorers in NHL history and his 274 career PP goals are a league record.
Dominik Hašek
Acquired via trade with Chicago in 1992, Hašek began as a backup goaltender before he took over as starter in 1993-94, capturing the Vezina Trophy (top goaltender). It would not be his last. Hašek established himself as not only the team's greatest net-minder, but the best of his era, as well as the club's most decorated player. During his nine seasons in Buffalo, "The Dominator" won six Vezina Trophies (second most all-time) and two Hart Trophies (league MVP), the most by a goaltender. Also, Hašek backstopped the Czech Republic to a Gold Medal at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano. In 1999, he led the Sabres to the Stanley Cup Finals. Traded to Detroit in 2001, Hašek departed with every club record in goaltending, including wins (234*) and shutouts (55). After two seasons with the Red Wings (winning a Stanley Cup in 2002), one with the Senators and two more with the Red Wings (winning a second Stanley Cup), Hašek retired from the NHL with 389 wins (11th all time), 81 SO (6th all time), a 2.20 GAA (8th all time) and a 0.922 SV% (best in NHL history). "The Dominator's" #39 sweater will be retired during the 2014-15 season, the same year he enters the Hockey Hall of Fame. *since surpassed
Gilbert Perreault
With a spin of the roulette wheel, the expansion Sabres got the top pick in the 1970 Amateur Draft and selected Perreault, who became the face of the young franchise. He was an immediate star, winning the Calder Trophy (rookie of the year) in 1971, tallying 72 points. With the additions of LW Rick Martin in 1971 and RW René Robert in 1972, The French Connection was born. He was a perfect fit at C with his superb stick handling and dazzling end-to-end rushes. This forward line would power the Sabres into the 1975 Stanley Cup Finals. Perreault, who played his entire 17-season career in Buffalo, would play in eight All-Star Games, have three 40+ goals season and two 100-point campaigns, while setting club records for goals (512), assists (814), points (1,326) and games played (1,191). He retired in 1986 as the 6th leading scorer in league history. On October 17, 1990, the same year he entered the Hockey Hall of Fame, Perreault's #11 sweater was retired. It was re-raised on November 15, 1995 with the #7 and the #14 line mates Martin and Robert. On October 12, 2012, a statue of the entire line was erected outside First Niagara Center.
Mike Ramsey
The youngest member of the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team, Ramsey would play in the legendary Miracle on Ice and help the United States to a Gold Medal before joining the Sabres who drafted him 11th overall in 1979. Though known for his offensive abilities coming into pros, the 6' 3" 190 lbs. Ramsey had to adapt and became a classic "stay-at-home" defenseman, one of the league's best. Ramsey patrolled the Sabres blue-line for 14 seasons, during which he was voted to four All-Star Games and served as captain from January 1991 until his departure in October 1992. He was traded to the defending champion Penguins, then landed in Detroit in 1994, a year they advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals. After one more full season and two extra games in 1996, Ramsey retired. He ranks third in the club's history with 911 games played, the most by a Sabres blue-liner.
Pat LaFontaine
The Sabres sent former first overall pick Pierre Turgeon to Long Island to acquire LaFontaine in 1991. He made an immediate impact, with 93 points and a team-leading 46 goals in just 57 games and creating a call for the ages (LaLaLaLaLaFontaine!). Named captain in late October 1992, LaFontaine paired with RW Alexander Mogilny to form one deadly tandem. While the latter scored a club record 76 goals, LaFontaine had his best season with 95 assists, 148 points (both not only club records, but best by a U.S. born player) and 53 goals, finishing second in scoring to Mario Lemieux and runner-up for the Hart Trophy (also won by Lemieux). Despite battling injuries throughout his Sabres tenure, LaFontaine remained a productive player and fan-favorite, winning the Bill Masterton Trophy (perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication) in 1995. He scored 40 goals and tallied 91 points in 1996, as the team bid farewell to Memorial Auditorium and moved into Marine Midland Arena (now First Niagara Center). LaFontaine's final season in Buffalo was cut short by a concussion and post-concussion syndrome and he was traded to the Rangers in 1997, where another concussion ended his career at age 33. In 2003, LaFontaine was enshrined in the Hockey Hall of Fame. On March 3, 2006, the club retired his #16 sweater.
René Robert
With Robert's arrival via trade in 1972, The French Connection was complete. Robert's speed, shot, checking and work in the corners complemented Gil Perreault's playmaking and Rick Martin's slap shot perfectly. In seven full seasons with the club, he never had less than 60 points or 20 goals in a season, scoring 40 goals twice. In 1975, Robert became the first in team history with 100 points in a season as the Sabres advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals, where Robert scored the OT winner in the famous Fog Game (Game 3). He was also one of the best point men of his era on the PP and solid on the second line PK. In 1979, Robert was traded to Colorado, ending The French Connection. He played two seasons there and two more with the Maple Leafs before retiring in 1982. Robert ranks ninth in team history with 222 goals, fifth with 330 assists and sixth with 552 points. On November 15, 1995, his #14 sweater was retired along with line mate Rick Martin's #7.
Rick Martin
Drafted fifth overall in the 1971 Amateur Draft, Martin scored a then-rookie record 44 goals and with the addition of René Robert the following year, The French Connection was born. With his wicked slap shot, Martin was the line's sniper, surpassing 40 goals four more times, including back-to-back seasons with 52 and was MVP of the 1977 All-Star Game (one of seven consecutive he would play in). His 1980-81 was cut short by a knee injury that all but ended his career. Martin finished his career with the Kings (just four games) before retiring. He ranks second in team history with 382 goals, third with 695 points and first with 21 hat-tricks. On November 15, 1995, his #7 sweater was retired, along with line mate René Robert's #14.
Rob Ray
The man they called "Rayzor" arrived in 1989 and became the club's definitive tough guy and enforcer. At 6' 0", Ray wasn't the game's tallest fighter but he had his ways to get an advantage. "Rayzor" became famous (or infamous) for removing his hat, sweater and pads during a fight, giving him the upper-hand on his opponent as there was nothing to grab on to. The league ultimately outlawed this (see Rule #56: Fisticuffs, nicknamed "The Rob Ray Rule"). "Rayzor" remained the team's chief enforcer for 14 seasons, accumulating 3,189 penalty minutes (PIM), by far a club record, and his 3,207 PIM for a career is sixth all-time (his final 11 games played in Ottawa). Ray also ranks fourth in team history with 889 games played. In 1999, the year the team advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals, "Rayzor" was awarded the King Clancy Memorial Trophy (leadership and humanitarian contributions). Today, he still resides in Buffalo and is the Sabres' color commentator.