Diary of the Final Season: Through the words of Rick Jeanneret and those around him

While the Buffalo Sabres' 2021-22 season will forever be remembered for the trade of Jack Eichel, the transformation and improvement of large segments of the roster, and the debut of No. 1 overall pick Owen Power, its overriding theme at home has been about one man.

After first taking the airways in October 1971, Rick Jeanneret is calling it a career following the play by play of Friday's season finale against Chicago in KeyBank Center. The season has been a celebration of his wit, his quick thinking, his classic verbiage and his innate ability to bring the iconic calls of Sabres history to life – and for some, immortality. 

RJ Night on April 1 against Nashville was a ceremony unlike any the arena has seen since it opened its doors in 1996. The fans stood and cheered and cheered and did not stop. In the arena rafters, a banner was dropped and on it was Jeanneret's name and the perfect touch of a microphone instead of a uniform number. There it will stand in perpetuity next to Dominik Hasek's. The Dominator and The Orator.

Over the course of the season, The Buffalo News has chatted with Jeanneret to keep a diary of the memorable moments of his final broadcasts and attended his "Sabres Road Crew" tribute in Las Vegas. Here's a look back at the season of "RJ":

The early season

Jeanneret's itinerary for the season is 21 home games. The rest of the schedule was called by Dan Dunleavy or the national crews from TNT and ESPN. While Jeanneret misses visiting arenas – and their pregame media dining rooms – as well as chatting with longtime broadcasting friends, the late-night charter flights and cross-country hops are in the past for the 79-year-old.

"I already said before anybody made that decision on behalf of the club to not travel that I did not want to travel to any games," he said in October. "I was happy about that."

The Sabres were just 6-10-3 in Jeanneret's first 19 games calling the action this season. Five times, they scored only one goal and he's had some stinkers, including a 6-1 loss to Tampa Bay and a 3-1 loss to Ottawa that was so boring he castigated linesmen for breaking up a fight before it started by saying, "Oh, come on guys. Let them go. This ain't ballet!"

But there have been good moments. Jeanneret was stoked for the season opener Oct. 14 against Montreal because fans would be in the building en masse for the first time after the empty-arena season of 2021. He would have loved to have met people in the arena atrium before the opener, but health protocols prevented that. 

"I was really hoping that we'd be further along in the process that would allow me to go downstairs and to do that," he said. "The problem is now is not just autographs anymore. It's pictures and so you've got your arms around people and things like that. They've got them around you. Even if they wanted to do it, and I wanted to do it, it would be a dumb thing to do."

The Sabres handled the Habs in the opener, 5-1, and beat Arizona in a shootout two days later, 2-1. They were feisty and the crowds, albeit small, were vocal and supportive. Same for those who came to a last-second 5-4 loss to Toronto on Nov. 13, played with far fewer Leafs fans in the building than normal due to Covid issues.

"The ones that are there really made themselves heard, which is great," Jeanneret said. "They haven't forgotten how to boo, either. And that's only natural. A couple of nights there the last few years, I was ready to boo. It hasn't been that great. But you have to like what you see so far. They really don't feel far away."

The first Jeanneret goal call of his final season? Kyle Okposo on the power play at 6:40 of the first period against Montreal.

"Brought up on the wing. Cozens rips in over the line. Cozens around behind the net. Dropped it off in the corner. Comes back to the point. Held in there by Buffalo. Okposo will whip a shot SCOOOOOORES! Kyle Okposo. Welcome to the 21-22 season with the first Buffalo Sabres goal. On the powwwwwwwer play!

It was a busy time off the ice as well.

On Nov. 9, the club announced it had a team dog and, by fan request, would be named "Rick" in honor of Jeanneret. The 8-month-old Newfoundland was rescued by the Niagara County SPCA and was being trained to be a service dog for a local veteran.

"I was impressed. I never had anybody named after me," Jeanneret said. "Not even a horse – and I've been known to bet the odd horse in my time. It was nice and I saw how big he was, too. Holy mackerel, this is a puppy? He's up to my waist now. If he sits on me, my career ends before the 51st year. He's just enormous but as docile as they come, too."

RJ met Rick in the press box prior to the Toronto game. On his Instagram page, Jeanneret posted a picture of him holding the dog on the leash while the dog was sprawled on the carpet in front of him. Wrote Jeanneret, "No need to bow, young fella."

Dramatic intros

One feature of the MSG broadcasts this year has been the way Jeanneret has been introduced for the opening faceoff. After the national anthems and a graphic panel for the starting goalies, the high-end camera zooms in on Jeanneret in the press box peering to the ice and host Brian Duff provides a dramatic interlude.

For the Dec. 10 visit by the New York Rangers: "I think it's very fitting in the long history between the Buffalo Sabres and New York Rangers, Buffalo has amassed 51 home ice wins against New York, exactly the number of years behind the mic for this man. The Hall of Famer, Rick Jeanneret."

For last week's game against St. Louis: "I believe that when Rick Jeanneret first started with the Buffalo Sabres and first saw a St. Louis-Buffalo matchup, it would have been Ernie Wakely and Roger Crozier as the goaltending matchup on that night. But I know this: Whether it's hits, goals and saves, it always has and always will sound great when coming from the Hall of Famer, Rick Jeanneret."

Jeanneret thanks Duff and immediately launches into the listing of the officials and then the opening faceoff. The idea was first broached by longtime producer Joe Pinter and is perfect for a phrase-turner such as Duff. 

"I love stuff like that and we all grew up listening to RJ. It all comes naturally," Duff said. "And it adds more excitement for me building up to puck drop. The first few times, you remind people where he's been, the Hall of Fames he's been in. He crosses generations."

Things morphed at various points of the season with others providing a taped intro. It started with Brad May, forever connected to Jeanneret through the 1993 "May Day" goal, introducing him prior to the Jan. 22 game against Philadelphia.

"RJ, it's absolutely the greatest moment of my professional career, no doubt about it," May said on the video. "And with no further ado, I'd like to throw the broadcast up to the booth to the one and only Rick Jeanneret."

Jeanneret briefly had to collect himself before saying quietly, "Wow. I have a feeling 'Maysie' forever we will walk together. I didn't know that was coming, folks. Didn't know that was coming. (Another pause). Now we get it under way, Hagg back at his own line, worked it to Bryson ... "

"It was perfect, because RJ had this reaction where he knew they had done an intro, but he didn't know what he was gonna say," Duff said. "And you could hear that it really got him. And I think then all of us collectively in the truck and on the set were like, 'This is exactly what we were hoping for' with others reading."

There have been other memorable ones. Jason Pominville said prior to the Feb. 17 Ottawa game that his favorite RJ call was, of course, "scary good." Replied a smiling Jeanneret, "And I might say to you that since you left Pominville, the population base has been very stagnant."

And longtime equipment manager Rip Simonick brought out more emotion when he ended his read prior to the Feb. 15 game vs. the New York Islanders with, "My friend, the great Rick Jeanneret." Said Jeanneret, "Aw, Ripper, Ripper. Love you like a brother, man. Love you like a brother. Thank you kindly."

More conversations

• Visitors aplenty all season to Jeanneret's perch atop the 300 level. From visiting broadcasters and writers to contest winners to former players such as captain Chris Drury, now the Rangers general manager. "You never know what you might find when you walk into this booth," Jeanneret said on the air. "I must say that (Drury) came in to see me before the game tonight and I won't tell you what the conversation was, but it's everything I expected from a nice guy and a gentleman of the game."

• At the Las Vegas "Road Crew" party, former Sabre J.P. Dumont acknowledged he goes to YouTube from time to time to watch Jeanneret's call of Dumont's Game 3 overtime winner against Ottawa in 2006. "When I'm feeling a little down or just need to pump me up a little bit, I love to listen to it over and over," Dumont said. "I remember watching over and over the way he was pronouncing my name. Stretching it out to make it last. I loved that. It was pretty cool."

• Jeanneret was honored to meet Seattle radio voice Everett Fitzhugh, the NHL's first Black play-by-play man who had come from Cincinnati, the ECHL team the Sabres periodically send players to. "He came in to the booth and he called me 'Mister.' I told him, 'Cool it here. I don't want to be sainted.' What a nice man. Very complimentary of me and asked me about my career. Asked if he could have a picture. Of course he can. He was pretty neat. He was very well read about me and about hockey in general. A refreshing guy to talk to."

• During the Nov. 24 loss to the Kraken, Jeanneret paid tribute to his grandson, Alex Harrison, who was in the hospital after suffering a broken tibia during a youth hockey game. "In all the games I've watched over the years and all the injuries I have seen, none of them hurt more than this one," Jeanneret said. Five months later, Harrison is doing better and was in the booth for the April 14 St. Louis game. "He's graduated to one crutch now, but it's been five months. We walked into the building, he's got the crutch and I got the cane. It was like, 'RJ and Co. are here.'"

• Prior to the Feb. 10 game against Columbus, Jeanneret did a meet-and-greet at the Seneca Buffalo Creek casino downtown and appeared on the MSG pregame show. "So many wonderful people. But it must be it. Apparently people are telling me that. I can't change my mind now."

Like many appearances, that one pushed the bounds of its scheduled time. So did the Las Vegas party. "I couldn't leave. Some of those folks flew in from San Diego, San Francisco," Jeanneret said. "They came in for just that special event. And I sure as heck wasn't going to leave them in the lurch."

Rayzor's edge

Jeanneret's calls of Rob Ray fights, many against Tie Domi, are some of his most memorable. But the team, clearly at the NHL's urging, has shown limited fight call highlights during the final season on its broadcast or the Jumbotron. Ray became a TV analyst and one of Jeanneret's chief foibles on the road. They regularly crack on each other off camera and some of the byplay has made it on the air this season.

During a January game against Tampa Bay, goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen went down with an injury and Ray begged the question what the Sabres would do if there was an injury to Malcolm Subban – which actually happened in the third period.

Ray: You've done everything in this company. You might just come down.

RJ: That's a thought.

Ray: It is. Why not? You want to build that resume, RJ.

RJ: Yeah, you really need it when you're 79 years old. By the way, Rick (the dog) came up to see me between periods.

Ray: Nice. Did you eat all his food?

RJ: No, but we got a headset on him. So he's my new color man.

During a break in a January visit by Philadelphia, a song by "Poison" came over the arena loudspeakers 

Ray: Listening to this music, RJ, and is that Chubby Checker?

RJ: No. No. (singing) "Twist again like we did last summer"

Rayzor: If I remember correctly, he had really good moves.

RJ: Oh, he did.

Rayzor: So maybe it was a compliment and it wasn't a shot.

RJ: Of course it was a compliment. Have I ever dished you anything but compliments in your entire career?

Rayzor: You know what? It seemed like when I played I had an awful lot of compliments. I started working with you, not quite so many.

RJ: That's cuz I got to know you.

During a February game against the Islanders, a classic hockey play:

Rayzor: Brock Nelson is gonna get high stuck down here. Accidentally by Jokiharju. He goes down right here. Comes back to the bench, takes his tooth out, drops it in the trainer's hand. He sits for a minute or so, goes back on the ice and he's gonna get a scoring chance. ... RJ, that's a hockey player right there.

RJ: Yes, that's a hockey player but I am questioning your English, however.

Rayzor: Why?

RJ: I don't think you can be 'high-stuck.' I think you can be 'high-sticked.' I don't think you can be high-stuck.

Rayzor: Aw, he *stuck* him.

RJ: That's different than being HIGH stuck.

Rayzor: I got my own way. It's where I came from. Don't blame me. It's where I came from.

RJ: Oh, It's the Sterling (Ontario) English.

RJ Night

The Sabres banned Jeanneret from the arena the week of his April 1 pregame banner unveiling ceremony. The team was conducting rehearsals for the principals and timing tests for the setup crew. They told Jeanneret to prepare to speak but did not want him to know anything that had been planned. All he was aware of was that there would be alums and former broadcast partners on the floor with him.

"I knew which people would be on the ice. I did know that," he said. "But beyond that, I knew nothing about it. And it was wonderful."

Sure was. It began with video presentations and Duff intoning, "There are two constants in the history of the Buffalo Sabres: The City of Buffalo and Rick Jeanneret."

"I don't enjoy public speaking, believe it or not. It has never been my most comfortable environment to be in," Duff said last week. "However, when I was asked to do this, a very strange kind of phenomenon happened. I was  more blown away by the honor of being asked to do it, which helped offset the nerves."

The ovation that greeted Jeanneret's entrance lasted 2½ minutes. 

"Any nerves was outweighed by the excitement, the honor of being part of it," Duff said. "But because of the roar of the crowd, anything that you're feeling is all washed away, because you're just standing there going, 'I can't believe I'm standing next to him' as this is all unfolding. Why would you ever think at any point in your life you're going to find yourself in that moment? 

A video narrated by Danny Gare was poignant. 

"For most sports fans, it's what they've seen that stays with them, the replay in their minds. But not in Buffalo. In this town, the triumphant moments, the unforgettable excitement, the did-that-really-happen ecstasy? It's all tied to what we heard. Hockey in Buffalo became art on a spoken canvas. ... There's no one else who could tell our story quite like you. ... Your name will hang in the rafters. Top shelf, of course. But your voice will echo forever."

Ray was next. The former enforcer told colleagues the next day it was a nerve-wracking moment for him, but he knocked it out of the park.

"As his TV partner, he took me under his wing and showed me the ropes of broadcasting," Ray said of Jeanneret. "Then after countless nights on the road at dive bars, bowling alleys and race tracks, we became good friends. ... I speak for all Buffalo Sabres alumni when I say you deserve to be in the rafters as much as anyone who ever wore the uniform. You are one of us. You are the Buffalo Sabres. Now let's see the banner."

The banner was dropped from the rafters as the crowd roared and then it was Jeanneret's turn.

"I stood down here 10 years ago upon my induction into the Sabres Hall of Fame along with the late Dale Hawerchuk and I remember saying that night, 'This is the only job I ever wanted. This is the only place I ever wanted to be.' I meant every word on that particular night and boy do I mean it now!"

Jeanneret went on to thank his wife, Sandra "aka 'Cupcake'," his medical team at ECMC, his three children and "all the grandbrats they begat." He thanked his former broadcast colleagues, making sure to acknowledge the late Ted Darling and the late Pat Hannigan. He thanked the TV crew behind the scenes and arena workers and joked that Ray was happy to see him go so he could get Jeanneret's parking space. He thanked the 547 players who have worn the Sabres uniform, then saved his final salute for the fans, listeners and viewers.

"Shortly after I started this gig about a half-century ago, Neil Diamond wrote and recorded a song called 'Beautiful Noise.' In it he reminisces about everyday sounds from the streets. He called that beautiful noise. My beautiful noise is a little different. Mine is the roar of the crowd (Jeanneret's voice trembles and the fans erupt in cheers). The roar of the crowd from you and your moms and dads and your grandmas and grandpas and even some great-grandmas and great-grandpas. I've met many of you.

"The noise you and all the others have created is like my lullaby. I find it very soothing. And so how do I acknowledge the hundreds of thousands of people who have gone through the doors of the Aud and here at KeyBank Center? How do I acknowledge that now it must be millions listening and watching over the last 51 years? Well, I'll tell you how much I appreciate your beautiful noise. I would say this to you. I have only three words. Just three: I. Love. You."

Intoned Duff in closing: "Our celebration of Rick Jeanneret continues throughout this night and, of course, forever."

"There hasn't been a feeling quite like that in my 10 years with the Sabres, where in the days that followed, every single entity in this company felt the pride of having some kind of tiny role in all of it," Duff said. "Because it was RJ, it meant more. People felt like they were able to do something and give something back to the guy who has just led us all these years."

The players came to center ice and raised their sticks in salute and then played a solid game in holding off Nashville, 4-3, in front of the arena's first sellout crowd in more than two years. Fans expected Jeanneret's speech and the unveiling of the banner. What no one expected was the unplanned ceremony after the game.

The team approached Jeanneret and asked him to go down to ice level and greet the players if the Sabres won the game. Give the crowd one more wave as well. We know what happened. It turned into one of the great organic moments in franchise history, featuring Jeanneret in the middle of a team picture.

"Alex Tuch came over and said, 'Come on, you're going on the ice with us,' " Jeanneret said, 'I've already been out there. I don't know if I want to go out again. Plus, I got no runner to walk on. There's nothing.' And he said, 'You're going with us.' He grabbed me by the arm and I didn't have any choice. Cody Eakin had my other hand so I wasn't worried about falling. I know my wife was. She was croaking when I went out but I wasn't worried about it. They had a good grip on me. It was nice going out like that."

"It was something that just happened heat in the moment and it worked out perfectly," Tuch said. "It was emotional. It was a lot of fun. He's a legend. ... An unbelievable moment."

The players retreated to the dressing room, where coach Don Granato's usual postgame chat after a win included a salute to Jeanneret. Then came time for the player of the game award in which the team awards a ceremonial sword to the night's honoree. On April 1 – to quote Jeanneret's iconic call of Drury's 2007 tying goal against the New York Rangers – it went to "Who Else? Who Else?" Kyle Okposo did the honors.

"To be a part of your special night was unbelievable for us and we're happy we put forth the effort that we did," Okposo said. "You've had some of the most iconic calls in this entire league. It's giving me goosebumps just thinking about it. So thank you for everything you've done for this organization and this one's for you."

The next day, all the alums met with Jeanneret for a private luncheon at Chef's restaurant on Seneca Street.

"They made all the right decisions with it. No outsiders, no cameras," Jeanneret said. "And the boys can let it all hang out, and did they ever. It was hilarious. For three hours, I did nothing but laugh. Some of the stories I heard before. Didn't matter. It was incredible. I had a great time."

Pat LaFontaine attended the luncheon. The long-deposed team president, no longer a part of the organization even though his number remains in the rafters, was whisked in and out of the building to watch the RJ Night ceremony.

"It was hugely important to me he was there," Jeanneret said. "I keep referencing back to when I was having cancer problems and being treated. He was texting me constantly through that whole ordeal. Between that and 'Cupcake' and my grandchildren sending me messages, they really kept me on the bright side of things."

The end is near

With RJ Night passed, the final days of Jeanneret's career are speeding closer. On April 12, Niagara Falls (Ont.) Mayor Jim Diodati presented him with a key to the city. He did the April 14 game against St. Louis, the April 16 game against Philadelphia and Saturday's matinee against the Islanders. It leaves one game, the April 29 season finale against Chicago. 

Earlier this month, the Sabres and Pegula Sports & Entertainment staff feted Jeanneret in the arena's Lexus Club.

"They had come to me and said, 'We're getting all kinds of people who are coming up to us and saying we never get a chance to meet RJ. We don't see him, we're in a different building or whatever,'" Jeanneret recalled. "So they set up a whale of a party and there was a ton of people there. It was like a Road Crew party. Take pictures, sign a few things, really cool. The hour and a half went by very quickly. It was good."

Last night we presented legendary Rick Jeanneret with a Key to the City of @NiagaraFalls. He started with the @BuffaloSabres in the 1971/72 season & has since been recognized as the longest tenure play-by-play announcer (51 yrs) with a single team in NHL history! #LetsGoBuffalo pic.twitter.com/LCzVOfiwDG

— Jim Diodati (@jimdiodati) April 13, 2022

That said, Jeanneret noted the whirlwind of April hasn't been easy.

"I'm fine with it coming to the finish and, to be honest, I'm tired," he said. "It's been so busy. There's been an awful lot of events off the ice.  I was in Buffalo every day for a week for one thing or another earlier this month. It has worn me down a bit and reminds me how old I am every time I step out the door anymore.

"But it's been a wonderful ride. And I give the organization just a ton of credit for what they did, obviously on my behalf.  I had trouble keeping it together at times. I really did."