Daniel Mirl Gare (born May 14, 1954) is a Canadian broadcaster, ice hockey coach and former National Hockey League (NHL) player, most notably of the Buffalo Sabres. During a 13-year professional career, Gare also played for the Detroit Red Wings and Edmonton Oilers. He was a two-time All-Star right winger who twice scored 50 goals in a season for the Sabres. He was known for his quick wrist shot and status as a small, yet scrappy and fearless player.[citation needed]

Danny Gare
Born (1954-05-14) May 14, 1954 (age 70)
Nelson, British Columbia, Canada
Height 5 ft 9 in (175 cm)
Weight 175 lb (79 kg; 12 st 7 lb)
Position Right wing
Shot Right
Played for Buffalo Sabres
Detroit Red Wings
Edmonton Oilers
National team  Canada
NHL draft 29th overall, 1974
Buffalo Sabres
WHA draft 36th overall, 1974
Winnipeg Jets
Playing career 1974–1987

Playing career

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Gare played for the WCJHL's Calgary Centennials from 1971 to 1974. In his final season with the team, he had 127 points. Gare was selected by the Buffalo Sabres with the 29th pick of the 1974 NHL amateur draft.

Gare, who wore #18, scored his first career NHL goal just 18 seconds into his first regular season game[1] helping the Sabres defeat the Boston Bruins, 9-5, on October 10, 1974.[2]

In his rookie season of 1974–75, he had 62 points in the regular season and 13 points in the playoffs, as Buffalo went to the Stanley Cup finals. The following year, Gare had 50 goals and 73 points. He had 77 points in 1977–78. In 1979–80, he tied for the league lead with 56 goals and had a career-high 89 points. He then had 85 points the following season.

Because of his goal scoring prowess he played right wing on the power play even during The French Connection years, which pushed René Robert back to the point. He holds team records for most goals by a right winger (267), most game-tying goals (21), and fastest goal scored from start of NHL career (0:18 into his debut versus the Boston Bruins on 10 October 1974).[3]

On December 2, 1981, Gare, along with Jim Schoenfeld and Derek Smith were traded to the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for Mike Foligno, Dale McCourt and Brent Peterson.[4] Sabres goalie Bob Sauve was dealt to the Red Wings in a separate transaction.[5] Gare finished his career with the Edmonton Oilers in 1986–87.[6]

Gare served as the Sabres captain from the 1977–78 season through his trade to Detroit.[7] He was the Red Wings captain for four seasons from 1982 through 1986.[8]

Post-career

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Following his playing career, Gare was briefly an assistant coach and TV color analyst[9] for the Tampa Bay Lightning, and served on the Buffalo Sabres broadcast team on Empire Sports Network. He served as color analyst for the Columbus Blue Jackets under FSN Ohio from 2006 until April 2009.[10] He also served as an interim studio analyst for the Sabres when Mike Robitaille has been unavailable and did color commentary for games that Harry Neale was unable to work.[11] He was appointed the alternate Sabres color analyst and paired with Kevin Sylvester in an effort to reduce the workload of longtime Sabres broadcaster Rick Jeanneret.

Gare was inducted into the Buffalo Sabres Hall of Fame in 1994. On November 22, 2005, Gare had his number 18 jersey retired by the Sabres. He is the fifth player of seven total so honored.

Achievements and awards

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Career statistics

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Regular season and playoffs

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    Regular season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1971–72 Calgary Centennials WCHL 56 10 17 27 15 13 1 1 2 2
1972–73 Calgary Centennials WCHL 65 45 43 88 107 6 5 5 10 18
1973–74 Calgary Centennials WCHL 65 68 59 127 238 14 10 12 22 53
1974–75 Buffalo Sabres NHL 78 31 31 62 75 17 7 6 13 19
1975–76 Buffalo Sabres NHL 79 50 23 73 129 9 5 2 7 21
1976–77 Buffalo Sabres NHL 35 11 15 26 73 4 0 0 0 18
1977–78 Buffalo Sabres NHL 69 39 38 77 95 8 4 6 10 37
1978–79 Buffalo Sabres NHL 71 27 40 67 90 3 0 0 0 9
1979–80 Buffalo Sabres NHL 76 56 33 89 90 14 4 7 11 35
1980–81 Buffalo Sabres NHL 73 46 39 85 109 3 3 0 3 8
1981–82 Buffalo Sabres NHL 22 7 14 21 25
1981–82 Detroit Red Wings NHL 36 13 9 22 74
1982–83 Detroit Red Wings NHL 79 26 35 61 107
1983–84 Detroit Red Wings NHL 63 13 13 26 147 4 2 0 2 38
1984–85 Detroit Red Wings NHL 71 27 29 56 163 2 0 0 0 10
1985–86 Detroit Red Wings NHL 57 7 9 16 102
1986–87 Edmonton Oilers NHL 18 1 3 4 6
NHL totals 827 354 331 685 1,285 64 25 21 46 195

International

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Year Team Event   GP G A Pts PIM
1976 Canada CC 1 0 0 0 0
1981 Canada CC 7 1 5 6 2
Senior totals 8 1 5 6 2

References

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  1. ^ Admin, BCHHF. "Danny Gare". BC Hockey Hall of Fame. Retrieved 17 August 2022.
  2. ^ "Boston Bruins at Buffalo Sabres Box Score — October 10, 1974". Hockey-Reference.com. Retrieved 17 August 2022.
  3. ^ "Buffalo Sabres Media Guide" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 22 October 2009.
  4. ^ Hessler, Warner (3 December 1981). "4 Sabres Gone in Major Trade With Detroit". Buffalo Courier-Express. p. 1. Retrieved 17 November 2022 – via nyshistoricnewspapers.org.
  5. ^ Bailey, Budd (2 December 2011). "This Day in Buffalo Sports History, Dec. 2, 1981: Sabres trade Gare, Schoenfeld, Smith, Sauve". Buffalo News. Retrieved 17 August 2022.
  6. ^ a b "Danny Gare". legendsofhockey.net. Retrieved February 8, 2016.
  7. ^ "All-Time Sabres Captains // TEAM". Buffalo Sabres. Retrieved 17 August 2022.
  8. ^ "Detroit Red Wings Captains". Hockey-Reference.com. Retrieved 17 August 2022.
  9. ^ "And There Was Gare".
  10. ^ "May 4, 2009. Retrieved May 4, 2009". Archived from the original on 5 June 2009. Retrieved 5 May 2009.
  11. ^ "Sabres Broadcast Team Schedules Announced - Buffalo Sabres - News". Sabres.nhl.com. Retrieved 30 October 2011.
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Preceded by Buffalo Sabres captain
197781
Succeeded by
Preceded by NHL Goal Leader
1980

(tied with Charlie Simmer and Blaine Stoughton)

Succeeded by
Preceded by Detroit Red Wings captain
198286
Succeeded by