The career of Rick Martin

Editor's Note: This is the second of a two-part series.

In order to make it in the NHL, you need to be able to take a hit and still score the goal, something that famed Sabres forward Rick Martin prides himself on.

"The guys who get hit are the ones who aren't paying attention," said Martin in an interview. "They're used to not being hit and they keep their heads down. These guys aren't on their toes as much as far as getting hit, and when they get near the boards, sometimes you're going to get nailed...don't turn your back into the players when you're going into the board. Unless you're really ready for the hit, you can get hurt."

Martin graced the ice from 1971 to 1982. In this day and age, Martin's legacy is a distant memory as fans of a new generation give their hearts to the Sabres, who have fought their way to the Eastern Conference Finals two years in a row.

Many things have changed since Martin's era, ranging from new logos, new playing styles and games played outside of the typical arena setting. Despite the differences, Martin still has certain feelings on the game that was his life.

"There aren't any guys who approach the game the way I approached it," Martin said. "There're no shooters. The openings are there, but the guys aren't taking them. Prior to the lockout, they were coached more as a unit and more of a defensive standpoint. After the lockout, (the Sabres) went on the offense, and it paid out for them."

From the inception of the Buffalo Sabres as an expansion team in 1970 to the end of the 1995-96 season, the team sported their famous blue and gold jerseys, with the beloved logo of a bison above two swords. After that season, the Sabres took on a more modern image, with the infamous bison head logo and a black, red and gray jersey. Currently, the Sabres wear their new jerseys sporting a sleek bison, while paying homage to their roots with blue and gold jerseys. Martin feels the new look is good for Buffalo.

"Am I crazy about the new jersey? I don't think the colors are that bad," Martin said. "They did some neat stuff, you know, with the number on the front. Am I crazy about what people call the slug or whatever? It's a little bland. I think with a better blend between the old jersey and the new jersey would be good. In the end, they sold a lot of jerseys last year, which is what it's all about."

Another important event in current Sabres news is the upcoming 2008 AMP NHL Winter Classic, set on Jan. 1, 2008 at Ralph Wilson Stadium. The event is the first outdoor regular-season NHL game in the United States. Attendance is expected to surpass the NHL single-game record, set on November 22, 2003 when the Montreal Canadians and Edmonton Oilers drew 57,167 hockey fans to the NHL Heritage Classic. While many players and fans think it is going to be absolutely amazing, Martin feels that it's more for the fans.

"It's more of a novelty than anything," Martin said. "The biggest problem they may have is weather. If it's 45 degrees out, it's going to be really funny. I don't know if you've seen the one where Montreal and Edmonton played where it was 30 below zero. That wasn't any better. As a novelty, it will be good for the fans, but I think the players would rather not have a game like that."

When all is said and done, the NHL has truly had a facelift since play in the '70s. With children growing up to the names of Thomas Vanek, Ryan Miller and Brian Campbell, people like Rick Martin, Rene Robert or Gilbert Perreault are fading into the past. All Martin wishes is that he and his legacies are never forgotten.

"Everyone has their day," Martin said. "We had our day. The current players have their day. I still go to games and people ask me for autographs, so that's good, as long as they remember us."