Memorial Service for #7

I just wanted to touch on the memorial service for Rick Martin that was held today at the HSBC Arena.

I went with my mom and as we were sitting in our seats waiting for it to begin, we could already tell what a great service it was going to be. The lights were dimmed down low, Martin's banner was lowered down to the stage, and his favorite music was playing over the speakers.

Hearing Rick's loved ones talk about him onstage and remember memories of Rick was very emotional and bittersweet for the fans sitting in the stands. While a lot of fans were lucky to get to know Rick as a person after his hockey career, a lot of fans like me just knew Rick Martin the hockey legend, so it was nice to hear his friends, family, and teammates talk about what a great man he was.

The service was simple and elegant, and the photos that were shown on the jumbotron showed a man full of life who touched everyone's life who had the chance to know him.

Everyone's speech about Rick was great, but his son, Cory really nailed it. You could tell he was just speaking from his heart and he portrayed a wonderful man, hockey player, friend, husband, and father. It was especially moving when he said that it was comforting to know that his father now has the best seat in the house to watch the Sabres finish what he began. I also loved When Gilbert Perreault said, "Who knows, maybe in another life we'll reconnect again."

Buffalo and the hockey world lost a great man on March 13, but I'm proud that I was able to attend a service celebrating Rico's life, and I'm even more proud of the Sabres organization who put it together. It meant a lot to fans and I'm sure it meant so much to Rick's family. It was the perfect send off for number 7.