Gilbert Perreault

Gilbert Perreault (born November 13, 1950) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey center who played 17 seasons in the National Hockey League, all with the Buffalo Sabres. A standout junior player, he was the first draft pick the Sabres made in their inaugural NHL season. He served as the centre man for the trio of Sabres forwards known as The French Connection, a line that helped the team reach the 1975 Stanley Cup Final. Known for his ability to stickhandle in close quarters, Perreault won the Calder Memorial Trophy and a Lady Byng Trophy over the course of his career. He was selected to nine NHL All-Star Games and named to two post-season NHL All-Star teams as a second-team centre. He played his entire 17-year career in Buffalo and remains the franchise's all-time leader in regular season games played, goals, assists, points, game-winning goals, and shots on goal. Perreault was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1990. In 2017 he was named one of the "100 Greatest NHL Players" in history.