Though the focus on the 1970’s Buffalo Sabres lied with the French Connection line, Danny Gare showcased a few seasons that matched what any sniper was doing at the time. Gare enjoyed a pair of 50 goal seasons and was even the co-goal scoring champion in the 1979-1980 campaign. The scrappy star’s game tailed off after being traded to Detroit, but Gare had enough impact to have his jersey retired in Buffalo. It is unlikely though, he can receive a similar accolade in the Hockey Hall in Toronto.

One of the few stars left yet to be enshrined from the “old time hockey era”, Larry Aurie was a master of the penalty kill and was dubbed the “The Little Rag Man” for his entertaining puck handling while shorthanded. Famed Red Wings owner James Norris dubbed the diminutive (he was only 5 ft 6) as the heart and soul of the Red Wings. He may have been one of the smallest NHL players, but he was also one of its toughest. Had Aurie not suffered a severe leg injury in 1937, his career totals would have likely been much higher as he never did recover properly. His number #6 was retired by the Red Wings but has been inconspicuously omitted from the rafters in Detroit’s home arena. Perhaps, if he was posthumously honored in Toronto, he would properly be honored in Detroit as well.

Dave Kerr began his National Hockey League career with the Montreal Maroons, the New York Americans and he went back to the Maroons but was traded by the cash strapped team to the New York Rangers where he would become one of the top Goalies in the last half of the 1930’s and early 40’s.  Kerr would be named a Second Team All Star in 1938, and in 1940 he would have the best year of his career where he was a First Team All-Star, the Vezina Trophy winner and took the Rangers would become the Stanley Cup Champions.

Don Beaupre may have lost more games than he won, but considering he played two seasons for a horrific Ottawa Senators expansion team early in his career, perhaps we can cut him some slack on that one.