Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR Sports Radio 550) - It was a special evening for Rob Ray on Friday night, as the longtime Buffalo Sabres player, broadcaster and team ambassador became the 44th member of the Sabres Hall of Fame.
Ray was originally drafted by the Sabres in the fifth round (97th overall) of the 1988 NHL Draft. The 20-year-old, at the time, would start his professional career in the American Hockey League with the Rochester Americans, where he quickly learned to embrace the enforcer role that he became so well known for in Buffalo.
"'Boxy' [head coach John Van Boxmeer] gave me the greatest advice on what I need to do to become an NHL player. He told me, at the time, what the Sabres wanted, and he was right. 446 minutes in penalties, 46 fighting majors in my first season in the American Hockey League kind of set the stage for my future career. So thank you to 'Boxy' for that great information," said Ray on Friday during his induction ceremony at KeyBank Center.
The next season, Ray made his NHL debut, and happened to score his first NHL goal on his very first shot and very first shift in the league.
"I got a goal and an assist, I was plus-3 in my first game. And statistically wise, it was the best game I ever had the NHL. I thought this point, 'Hey, man, this is going to be easy. Fighting is out, and I'm on to something different.' Reality set in really quick," Ray joked.
Ray went on to play for a number of coaches during his time in the NHL. He says it was Rick Dudley who taught him when to fight, when not to fight, and how to deal with the mental part of the role. John Muckler was the one who helped Ray grow as a player, but also taught him how to respect the game both on and off the ice. Ted Nolan was a coach that made everybody feel important, and managed to get the best out of his players on the ice.
As for Lindy Ruff, who's currently in his second coaching stint with the Sabres, Ray says he taught him how to be a leader on and off the ice.
"He taught us, as a team, how to be responsible, and when things weren't going well, he taught us to look in the mirror first at ourselves before we started to look at others. And I think that's how we really kind of grew as a group and as a team, and it made a big difference," Ray said of his former head coach.
However, Ray says it was all about the friendships made on and off the ice that made the experience for him in the game of hockey. Ray pointed to the friendships he built over the years with teammates like Brad May, Ken Sutton, Matthew Barnaby and Donald Audette.
"All these guys have become lifelong friends, and the memories that we created over the years, that's what the game's all about," Ray said. "It's not the games, it's not how many goals you get, it's the friendships you make at the end of it, and that's what's so important."
After his playing days in the NHL, Ray took the next step of his hockey life in Buffalo, joining the broadcast team, at first, as the analyst between the benches, and eventually as the color commentator right alongside either Dan Dunleavy or the late Rick Jeanneret.
Ray knows how lucky he was to have a Hall-of-Famer such as Jeanneret as a mentor.
"'RJ', I know you're looking down on us right now. You're critiquing my speech, but thank you for the legendary fight calls, and for teaching me how to be a broadcaster. I truly miss you, especially hanging out with you and all those little dive bars on the road and shooting a lot of BS, shooting it together. It's just been fantastic, and I miss you a lot, buddy. We all do," Ray said.
Representing Jeanneret in attendance for Friday night's ceremony honoring Ray was his wife, Sandra.
When Ray was drafted back in 1988, he admitted that he had no idea where Buffalo even was on a map, at first. However, he's proud to call Western New York his home for much of the last three-plus decades.
"To the greatest, most resilient fans in the world, thank you for accepting me, appreciating me and understanding my role early. You're special people. I came to the city in 1989, and today, I'm proud to say I'm a resident of Western New York, the home of amazing, passionate and caring people," Ray said.
As for his life off the ice, Ray is humbled to have had the support of his family not just back in his hometown of Stirling, Ontario, but also his family back in Buffalo.
"Hockey is humbling, life's humbling. But I look at it that I won. I won life. I was able to fulfill a dream of playing in the NHL, and best of all, I met the greatest wife a man could have. And in turn, she gave me the two greatest kids I could ever ask for," Ray said. "I would trade everything that I've ever accomplished just to have you guys, because it's all I need. And I thank you guys, and I love you guys very much."
In closing, Ray is humbled for hos many things went his way in life and in his career, for a guy who wouldn't consider himself that good.
"It's hard to believe I've been in this organization for 37 years. In those nights when I was coming off the ice and it was blood coming out of your face somewhere, that wasn't red, that was blue and gold. That's the way I look at it," Ray said.
Hear more from Ray's induction night into the Sabres Hall of Fame, including interviews with fellow Sabres Hall-of-Famer Ryan Miller, May and Ray himself following the ceremony:
