For the next few months, we here at Die By The Blade will be celebrating the Sabres' 40th anniversary with a look at the best players wearing a specific number in what we are calling the All Time Number Debate. A total of 364 players have played for the Sabres during their 40 year history and they have worn a total of 68 numbers and you have the power to pick the best.  

Two players wore the number 2 for the Sabres, one became a legend in Sabres history

Jim Watson: 1970-72

Watson played on the Buffalo Sabres for two seasons and has a place in Sabres history as he scored the first regular season goal in Sabres history. Claimed in the expansion draft from the Detroit Red Wings, Watson's two seasons composed of 144 games. During those 144 games, Watson had a total of four goals and 19 points and while he didn't light the lamp, he definitely worked the penalty box door with a total of 248 penalty minutes. That averages out to 1.72 penalty minutes/game or almost a minor a night. 

A major stat of note is Watson was sixth in the league in 1970-71, the Sabres inaugural season, in goals against with 122 and his plus/minus statistic was -28. It was the Sabres inaugural season so some defensive liability is afforded but the season after it went to a career worst -33 and Watson was never a plus player during the time the statistic was measured. 

Watson played a total of eight seasons in the NHL, six with the Detroit Red Wings before coming to the Buffalo Sabres. He ended his career in the WHA, first with the Los Angeles Sharks and then with the Chicago Cougars and Quebec Nordiques. For his total NHL career, Watson had four goals and 23 points and added another seven goals and 40 points in the WHA before his career ended in 1976. 

Following the jump, we look at the life and career of the first player on our list to have his number retired by the Sabres, Tim Horton

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For the next few months, we here at Die By The Blade will be celebrating the Sabres' 40th anniversary with a look at the best players wearing a specific number in what we are calling the All Time Number Debate. A total of 364 players have played for the Sabres during their 40 year history and they have worn a total of 68 numbers and you have the power to pick the best.  

Five players wore the number 1 for the Buffalo Sabres, all of them goaltenders.

John Blue - Wore 1 during the 1995-96 season

When we mentioned Martin Biron in the last number debate post, we mentioned that there were five goaltenders that suited up for the Buffalo Sabres during the 1995-96 season. The '95 season was a struggle for the Sabres in their final season in the Memorial Auditorium. The team finished fifth in the Northeast Division with a 33-42-7 record and it was the first season behind the bench for a new coach, Ted Nolan. 

John Blue signed as a free agent in the 1995 season after the team had major issues with their goaltending. At the time, Blue was playing with the Phoenix Roadrunners of the International Hockey League when he was released by the team in November. Blue was picked up by the Sabres at the end of December of 1995 after backup Andrei Trefilov went down with a knee injury. Blue's first game with the Sabres came on December 29, 1995 against the Chicago Blackhawks, a 5-2 loss. He made two more starts, going 1-2 as a starter and 2-2 overall with the team. Blue wasn't particularly inspiring with a 3.53 goals against average and .891 save percentage in his five games with the Sabres. 

Blue played a total of 46 games in the NHL. Most of his career came in two seasons with the Boston Bruins, 1992-93 and 93-94. He did appear in his only playoff series with the Bruins in 1993, against the Buffalo Sabres, going 0-1 in 2 games, with a 3.12 goals against average. 

After his time with the Sabres was over, Blue spent a year with the Austin Ice Bats before finally retiring after the 1996-97 season. 

Following the jump, the rest of the Sabres goaltenders who wore number 1.

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Starting today for the next few months, we here at Die By The Blade will be celebrating the Sabres' 40th anniversary with a look at the best players wearing a specific number in what we are calling the All Time Number Debate. A total of 364 players have played for the Sabres during their 40 year history and they have wore a total of 68 numbers and you have the power to pick the best.  

Before we start the process, here are the criteria for evaluating players. 

1.) Please only take into account the time frame that the player wore the number. Many players during their career wore more than one number and some players wore four different numbers during their time as a Sabre. It is only fair to take into consideration the time they played in that number rather than their entire career. A player can be declared the best player in more than one number though. 

2.) Retired numbers are not up for debate, but will still be presented. The organization has already effectively taken that debate for us. 

After each presented number, we will throw up a poll where you guys will decide who was the best player. Please state your case in the comments too.

Following the jump, we start the first debate with number 00. 

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So many Sabres have come and gone in the organization over the past 39 years.  But who was the best wearing their number.  This is going to settle that debate.  Using the Buffalo Sabres Alumni listing of all-time uniform numbers we will post a player a day based on their number.  After a certain uniform number is up, we put the vote to you.

Mark Renaud played a total of 10 games with the Buffalo Sabres during the 1983-84 season.  During that time, he scored one goal and three assists.  These were the final 10 games of Renaud's short NHL career.  He spent the rest of the 1983 season and the 1984 season with Rochester.  

Renaud spent the rest of his career with the Hartford Whalers.  He played a total of four seasons with the Whalers for a total of 142 games.  

Mark Renaud's son, Mickey Renaud played for the Memorial Cup winning Windsor Spitfires until he passed away at the age of 19.  He was the captain for the Spitfires at the time of his death.  The OHL has dedicated a captain's award in his honor and the Spitfires has retired his number 19.  

So many Sabres have come and gone in the organization over the past 39 years.  But who was the best wearing their number.  This is going to settle that debate.  Using the Buffalo Sabres Alumni listing of all-time uniform numbers we will post a player a day based on their number.  After a certain uniform number is up, we put the vote to you.

Timo's NHL career lasted a total of 10 games.  Jutila was drafted by the Sabres in the fourth round in 1982.  He played for the Sabres during the 1984 season and registered one goal and five assists.  For the rest of that 1984-85 season, he played for the Rochester Americans where he played 56 games and registered 43 points. 

Jutila's pro career lasted for 20 years.  He started playing for Tappara Tampere of the SM-liiga in 1979 and played with them until he left for the NHL in 1984.  After leaving the Sabres organization in 85, he returned to Tappara from 1985-88 and 1992-99.  In that stretch from 1989-1991, he played for Lulea of the Eliteserian league. 

Jutila's major accomplishments came during international play.  He played for the Finnish national team during the World Championships from 1983-1999 and played on the 1984, 1992, and 1996 Finnish Olympic teams.

So many Sabres have come and gone in the organization over the past 39 years.  But who was the best wearing their number.  This is going to settle that debate.  Using the Buffalo Sabres Alumni listing of all-time uniform numbers we will post a player a day based on their number.  After a certain uniform number is up, we put the vote to you.

Jerry Korab played for the Buffalo Sabres from 1973-1980 and then again in 1983-1984.  Korab was known for his physical style of play and his good defensive abilities.  Korab was brought in by Sabres GM Punch Imlach in 1973 from Vancouver for John Gould and Tracy Pratt and was part of the solid defensive core in 1975. 

Korab played a total of 537 games during his two terms in Buffalo.  Korab wore the number four for most of his career here but also wore the number 44 for a brief period.  During Korab's 537 games, he scored 67 goals and 283 points. 

Besides having somewhat of a scoring touch, Korab also took a lot of penalties.  He is 93rd all time on the penalty minute list with 1629.  Korab's nickname was King Kong primarily for his 6'3", 220 lb frame.

So many Sabres have come and gone in the organization over the past 39 years.  But who was the best wearing their number.  This is going to settle that debate.  Using the Buffalo Sabres Alumni listing of all-time uniform numbers we will post a player a day based on their number.  After a certain uniform number is up, we put the vote to you.

Korn played for the Buffalo Sabres during the 1986-87 season.  He wore three different jersey numbers during that time. Korn's trip to Buffalo was a fairly tumultous one.  On October 3, 1986, Korn was traded from Toronto to Calgary for Terry Johnson.  He was then flipped by the Flames to the Sabres for Brian Engblom.

So many Sabres have come and gone in the organization over the past 39 years.  But who was the best wearing their number.  This is going to settle that debate.  Using the Buffalo Sabres Alumni listing of all-time uniform numbers we will post a player a day based on their number.  After a certain uniform number is up, we put the vote to you.

Dykstra played for the Sabres from 1985-88.  He signed a minor-league contract with the Buffalo Sabres in 1982 and broke through with the Sabres in 1985.  During his career with the Sabres, he played a total of 128 games scoring 5 goals and 27 points.  He was traded to Edmonton in 1988 with a seventh round pick for Scott Metcalfe and a 9th round choice that ended up being Donald Audette.