John Richard Jeanneret was a Canadian television and radio personality best known as the play-by-play announcer for the National Hockey League's Buffalo Sabres and its broadcast network, the Sabres Hockey Network for 51 years.
29 Facts About Rick Jeanneret
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Rick Jeanneret was known as "RJ" within the Sabres organization and by close associates.
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Rick Jeanneret was then hired by CHVC, later CJRN in Niagara Falls.
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In 1963, Rick Jeanneret took over the play-by-play of a Niagara Falls Flyers Junior A hockey game for the regular announcer, Edd Felstead, who had become sick.
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Rick Jeanneret became the color analyst the following season before assuming full-time play by play radio duties in 1965.
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Rick Jeanneret consistently declined to accept the title of "voice of the Buffalo Sabres" out of deference to Darling.
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Rick Jeanneret was off when the Sabres played the Ottawa Senators in Ottawa on January 25,2011.
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The idea for Rick Jeanneret to take time off during west-coast road games during these seasons was that of former managing partner Larry Quinn.
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Furthermore, Rick Jeanneret missed the first four games of the season due to illness; he ended up calling 44 games for the Sabres in the shortened 2013 season.
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Rick Jeanneret announced his intent to slowly phase out of the Sabres play-by-play job over the course of three years.
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On November 7,2014, Rick Jeanneret announced that following a CAT scan he was clear of cancer.
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Rick Jeanneret appeared in a commercial for Molson Canadian, giving a call for a pick-up pond hockey game.
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Rick Jeanneret is the play-by-play announcer for ICE's Super Chexx arcade machines.
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On December 22,2018, during the third period in a home game against the Anaheim Ducks, Rick Jeanneret suffered an acute medical emergency and abruptly cut out of the broadcast, leaving color commentator Rob Ray and on-site studio host Brian Duff to call play-by-play for the remainder of the game.
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Almost immediately, fans watching the broadcast or listening to the game took to the Sabres' Twitter page, expressing worry and concern for Rick Jeanneret and asking for updates.
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Buffalo News sports commentator Mike Harrington was at the game and tweeted about seeing Rick Jeanneret being carried out of the arena on a stretcher - prompting hundreds of further tweets from fans at the Sabres' page.
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Rick Jeanneret had shown no signs of illness immediately prior to the game.
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Rick Jeanneret expressed major disappointment in the Sabres play that season, noting he had never seen a team collapse the way the Sabres had that year.
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Rick Jeanneret, who called 20 games that season, was set to have his contract expire during the 2021 offseason at the same time as Rob Ray and Dan Dunleavy's; while Sabres spokesman Scott Preisler stated that they intended to bring Ray and Dunleavy back, he made no such commitment to Rick Jeanneret; negotiations for any potential return would not begin until after the season ended.
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Rick Jeanneret stated that he was unwilling to retire from the team during a season in which there were no fans in attendance, even if the 50-year mark had been a logical milestone.
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Rick Jeanneret was born on July 23,1942, in St Catharines, Ontario, and raised in Terrace Bay, Ontario.
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Rick Jeanneret was known for his energetic delivery, colorful player nicknames, passionate goal calls, and his trademark suspenders worn on air and uncanny resemblance to late comedian Rodney Dangerfield.
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Rick Jeanneret resided in Niagara Falls, Ontario, with his wife, Sandra.
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Rick Jeanneret had two sons, Mark and Chris, and a stepdaughter, Shelly.
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Rick Jeanneret substituted for Rick as an announcer for the Buffalo Sabres games against the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers on December 27 and 28,2010.
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Rick Jeanneret died on August 17,2023, from multiple organ failure, which his family stated had begun in 2021 during his final season with the team.
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On June 6,2012, the Sabres announced that Rick Jeanneret would be inducted into the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame.
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On June 8,2012, the Sabres announced that Rick Jeanneret would be given the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award and thus be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
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Rick Jeanneret was inducted into the Buffalo Broadcasting Hall of Fame on September 20,2012.