Gilbert Perreault

Who is Gilbert Perreault?

Gilbert Perreault is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey centre who played for seventeen seasons with the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League. He was inducted to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1990. Known for his ability to stickhandle in close quarters, he was regarded as one of the most gifted and skillful playmaking centres ever to play the game. He is the original Buffalo Sabre because he was drafted first by the team in their inaugural season in the NHL. He is well known as the centre man for the prolific trio of Sabres forwards known as The French Connection.

Perreault was a standout junior hockey player who went on to become a nine-time NHL ALL-Star, two-time official NHL All-Star Team selection, a Calder Trophy winner, a Lady Byng Trophy winner and a Hockey Hall of Famer. He played his entire 17 year career with the Buffalo Sabres and continues to be the all-time franchise leader in career regular season games played, goals, assists, points, game-winning goals, and shots on goal, serving as the team's captain from 1981 until his initial retirement in November 1986. He led the team to eleven consecutive playoff appearances ending with the 1984–85 season.