Buffalo Saber’s Blue-collar Sniper: Danny Gare’s Historical Season – Hockey Writer – Buffalo Sabers
Back in the late 1970s, when the Buffalo Saber began to make serious noises in the NHL, all eyes were on the French connection. Gilbert Perreault, Rick Martin and René Robert have won the attention, and that’s right. They are magic on the ice.
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But outside that spotlight, he became a person who was just as crucial to his team’s identity in his own blue-collar manner. British Columbia’s own Danny Gare Nelson was not dazzled. He just delivered it.
Gal scored 56 goals, he didn’t have a shortcut
Let’s get it right: 1979-80, Gare scored 56 goals. Not only is it impressive, it also joins Charlie Simmer and Blaine Stoughton, linking him with the most goals in the league that year. This is one of those seasons that have stood the test of time.
What makes it better? It’s hard for him to do it. Gare is not floating around or filling around the stats in the blowout. At 5-foot-9 and 175 pounds all, he walked to the front of the net. He struggled through checks. He was knocked down and recovered immediately. In a money-making alliance, the rulebook is a bit loose and Gal thrives.
Gal plays with the stars and he becomes one
That 1979-80 sabre team was stacked. They completed the franchise record at the time with 110 points. Although France’s connections are still buzzing, Gal is the one to achieve the biggest goal. He didn’t have Perreault’s hand or Martin’s shot.
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Gare’s most incredible motor, fast release and hockey IQ tells him exactly where it is. Do you know the type – does it seem that the puck always finds at the right place at the right time? That’s old-fashioned gare.
gare starts quickly from sabes and he keeps consistent
If you remember Gare’s Sabers debut, you know he won’t waste any time. Later became captain of the Sabers, he scored 18 seconds in his first NHL transition in 1974. Talk about entering. He continued to move forward.
(Photography by Steve Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images)
In his seven seasons in Buffalo, he scored 267 goals and 500 points in 503 games. This production (basically the rhythm of every game) is held in any era. He hit 50 goals for the first time in 1975-76 and hit again with an unforgettable 56-goal season. He is an elite, even as a franchise on the record playing names like Pat Lafontaine and Alex Mogilny.
Gare’s deal with Red Wings is hurt, but his legacy remains
In 1981, Gare was traded to the Detroit Red Wing with a sensational move. He also went on to be the captain there, and later served briefly with the Edmonton Oilers. But ask any saber fan who has passed those years; he never really stopped the sword. When Saber retired in 2005, it felt less like giving honors, more like something that has always been real, and was eventually officially announced.
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Gare is the player that Buffalo fans can always fall behind. For those fans who grew up near Buffalo (like me), the city has always been a hardworking hockey town. In Buffalo, a city of steel and industrial built on the pride of working class, fans savor beef, local pizza and wings of anchor bars on Weck and cheer loudly on the tenacious effort and skills made on the ice.
Sabre fans love Xinxin and cheer for those who put everything on the ice. That’s why Gare still resonates. He fits in the city – fans hugged him for it.
Gal is not only a number in the sub
Gare’s famous 56-goal season was not only a milestone, but the kind of season that captured him apart. It has nothing to do with flash. It’s about a battle. He scores like a star, leads like a captain, and is as important as every shift – because for him, it is.
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Gal may not be recognized by other stars of his time liked by other stars, but in Buffalo, his name has a significant significance. And it always will. For fans who want to talk about the history of saber, it’s easy to start with Gare. Just don’t forget to mention all 56 goals.
[Note: I’d like to thank Brent Bradford (PhD) for his help co-authoring this post. His profile can be found at www.linkedin.com/in/brent-bradford-phd-3a10022a9]
