MISCELLANEOUS 2020-2021 LET’S GO BUFFALO LET’S GO BUFFALO LET’S GO BUFFALO LET’S GO BUFFALO LET’S GO BUFFALOLET’S GO BUFFALO LET’S GO BUFFALO LET’S GO BUFFALO LET’S GO BUFFALO LET’S GO BUFFALO BROADCASTER BIOS 2020 - 2021 RICK JEANNERET | PLAY-BY-PLAY ANNOUNCER Currently the longest-tenured broadcaster in hockey, Rick Jeanneret will begin his 50th year behind the microphone calling the action for Buffalo Sabres games. Jeanneret was the 2012 recipient of the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award – the most prestigious award given to hockey broadcasters – and was formally recognized by the Hockey Hall of Fame in November 2012. He was inducted into the Sabres Hall of Fame in 2011 and was inducted into the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame in fall 2012. With his vast knowledge of the game and his unwavering enthusiasm for hockey, Jeanneret’s distinct voice has been synonymous with the Buffalo Sabres for over four decades. He began his prolific career with the Sabres in the 1971-72 season as the club’s radio play-by-play announcer and served primarily in that role until 1995, when he began calling the action for the team’s televised games as well. His memorable calls and player nicknames have become forever linked with Sabres history for generations of fans. Jeanneret’s career officially began in 1963, when the St. Catharines, Ontario native filled in for the regular announcer at a Niagara Falls Flyers (Junior A) game. He went on to become the color analyst for one season before moving to the play-by-play position in 1965. Jeanneret currently resides in Niagara Falls, Ontario with his wife, Sandra. Rick has two sons, Mark and Chris. DAN DUNLEAVY | PLAY-BY-PLAY ANNOUNCER/REPORTER Prior to joining the Sabres broadcast team in 2013, Dan Dunleavy spent 19 years at Sportsnet Radio and The Fan 590 Toronto. In addition to filling in as a play-by-play voice for the Sabres in the 2010-11 season, Dunleavy’s experience includes nine years of play-by-play for the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship, the 2008 IIHF World Hockey Championship in Halifax and Quebec City, Men’s and Women’s Hockey at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, the OHL’s Mississauga Majors, and Canadian Hockey League and American Hockey League games on Rogers Sportsnet. The Toronto native has also called soccer and lacrosse games, serving as the play-by-play voice for the National Lacrosse League’s Toronto Rock on The Fan 590 and the radio and television play-by-play voice for Toronto FC on Sportsnet TV/Radio and TSN 1050 Radio. Dunleavy currently resides in Fort Erie, Ontario with his wife, Brenda. ROB RAY | COLOR ANALYST Rob Ray, who begins his 17th season on Buffalo Sabres broadcasts, will be entering his ninth season as the full-time color analyst for all Sabres games this season. After joining the broadcast team in 2003-04, Ray has served as a color analyst and the “between-the-benches” reporter for the past 16 years. In his role as color analyst, Ray remains at ice level to provide a close-up perspective of the game’s action. Ray’s hockey expertise stems from his 16-year NHL career as a right wing, 14 seasons of which were spent with the Sabres. Known for his toughness on the ice, Ray ranks sixth in NHL history for career penalty minutes (3,207) and holds the Sabres’ team record in the same category with 3,189 penalty minutes. Ray played in 900 total NHL games during his career and 889 games with the Sabres, the fourth-most in franchise history. Despite being one of the game’s toughest enforcers, Ray was also awarded the NHL’s King Clancy Memorial Award in 1999 for his leadership and humanitarianism. He remains as one of the Sabres’ most active alumni, currently serving as president of the Sabres Alumni Association. Ray and his wife, Julianne, live in East Amherst, New York with their son, Rob Jr., and their daughter, Jordan. BRIAN DUFF | STUDIO HOST Entering his 10th season with the Buffalo Sabres, studio host Brian Duff has nearly 30 years of experience in the broadcasting industry, with the majority of it devoted to covering the NHL. An original member of NHL Network at the time of its launch in the United States in 2007, Duff served as the lead host for the network’s signature events, including the Stanley Cup Final, the NHL All-Star Game and the NHL Draft. Duff’s tenure with the Sabres began on a part-time basis in 2011-12, when he hosted many of the team’s road games while also completing his fifth season at NHL Network. Outside of his game night duties on MSG, Duff is also a regular content contributor to Sabres.com and has been a part of multiple New York Emmy Award wins as a member of the production team responsible for series such as Beyond Blue & Gold. A native of Whitby, Ontario, Duff served as a broadcast host on radio and/or television for the Edmonton Oilers, Ottawa Senators and Toronto Maple Leafs between 1994 and 2007. He is also an avid fan of lacrosse and has done play-by-play and commentary for the National Lacrosse League, including the league’s championship games in 2010, 2011, 2016 and 2017. MARTY BIRON | STUDIO ANALYST Martin Biron is in his fourth season as the studio analyst for the Buffalo Sabres after being named to the position in August 2017. His primary role is to serve as an analyst alongside Brian Duff during the pregame, intermission and postgame portions of the broadcast. Biron will also provide in-game analysis at select times both at ice level and in the broadcast booth. Biron was the Sabres’ first-round pick in the 1995 NHL Draft and went on to rank fourth in franchise history among goaltenders with 300 games played in his nine seasons with the club. In 2007, he was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers and led the team to the 2008 Eastern Conference Final. Following his time in Philadelphia, Biron went on to spend time with the Islanders and Rangers before retiring from the NHL in October 2013. In addition to his role on the Sabres’ broadcast, Bison is a frequent contributor to The Instigators and produces content for Sabres.com. He also assists with the goaltending program for the Academy of Hockey. 321 MEDIA INFORMATION 2020 - 2021 MEDIA INFORMATION Requests for information should be directed to the Sabres’ Media Relations Department, Buffalo Sabres, KeyBank Center, One Seymour H. Knox, III Plaza, Buffalo, NY 14203. The main office phone number is (716) 855-4100. Buffalo Sabres Media Relations Staff CHRIS DIERKEN IAN OTT LINDSEY BROWN Director of Media Relations Senior Manager of Media Relations Coordinator of Media Relations [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] 716.855.4417 (Office) 716.855.4484 (Office) 716.855.4127 (Office) 716.207.5188 (Cell) 716.479.5481 (Cell) 847.274.8974 (Cell) Media Website: SabresDigitalPressBox.com Media Relations Department Twitter Account: @SabresPR CREDENTIALS A small number of credentials will be available to writers and photographers on an individual-game basis for requests that specifically require the individual to physically be in the building. Those who need media credentials for individual games should contact Ian Ott via email ([email protected]) by 5 p.m. the day before a game, and by 5 p.m. on the Friday before a Sunday game. Individual-game credentials can be picked up on the day of a game at the media entrance described below. Media members are required to bring photo ID to claim credentials. Credentials should be displayed at all times within KeyBank Center. *All requests for pre-game live shots should be coordinated through Chrisanne Bellas at (716) 855-4476 to ensure location and transmission. GAME-DAY PROCEDURES Entering KeyBank Center Credentialed media can enter the arena via the LECOM Harborcenter bridge from level 3 in the LECOM Harborcenter parking ramp, located on the north (Perry Street) side of the building. Credentials can be picked up at the credential table at this location one and a half hours before games. Directions to Press Box Media members can access the press box by ascending the escalator to the 300 level located directly ahead of the media entrance, making a right turn at the top of the escalator, proceeding to stairwell 7A and taking the stairs to the press level. The press box elevator will be available during select times for media members who choose to or need to use it to access the press box. The press box elevator can be accessed on the 100 level opposite Aisle 14. Internet Access Wireless internet access is available for all visiting media. To access the “Sabres Media” network, enter “season20-21” as the password. Post-Game Interviews All player and head coach interviews in the 2020-21 season will take place via Zoom. Approved media members will have access to all availabilities. Head Coach Ralph Krueger will be available to the media following player interviews. Media Work Areas For the 2020-21 season, only the press box is available as a media work area. Final stats and all other media materials will be available at SabresDigitalPressBox.com. *There are electrical outlets, ethernet jacks and phone jacks at all seats in the press box, but phone lines are not active unless arrangements are made by calling Ken Dowd at (716) 855-4570. Practice sessions/Game-Day Skates Practice sessions and game-day morning skates will be open to media members with season credentials or credentials to that day’s game.