Poilievre will do 'anything to win,' must condemn Alex Jones endorsement: Trudeau
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is ramping up his attacks on Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre as he promotes his government's federal budget.
Rene Robert, a member of the Buffalo Sabres' famed "French Connection Line," died Tuesday at a Florida hospital less than a week after suffering a heart attack. He was 72.
The Sabres confirmed Robert's death in a statement released by the team. Robert had been on life support since being hospitalized in Port Charlotte, Florida, in the middle of last week.
"Rene was a tremendous player, teammate and person and truly loved this organization," the Sabres said. "His accomplishments on the ice as a member of the French Connection speak for themselves, but his impact in the community continued long past his playing career."
Acquired by the Sabres in a trade that sent Eddie Shack to Pittsburgh in 1972, Robert went on to round out one of the most productive lines in NHL history. Robert played right wing alongside left wing Rick Martin and Hockey Hall of Fame center Gilbert Perreault on a line that earned its nickname because all three players were from Quebec.
Robert was from Trois-Rivieres, about a 90-minute drive east of Montreal.
Sabres owner Terry Pegula grew up in Pennsylvania, but became a Buffalo fan because of the "French Connection Line." Upon purchasing the Sabres in February 2011, Pegula became emotional during his inaugural news conference at the sight of Perreault, Robert and Martin among those in attendance.
The trio then joined Pegula on the ice before his first game as owner in what marked one of the last times the linemates were together. Martin died a month later.
"Kim and I were saddened to hear the devastating news," Pegula said, mentioning his wife, in a statement released by the team.
"During our time with the team, Rene has been one of the most active alumni and we've grown to know him well over the past 10 years," Pegula said. "He was a friend to us and to the entire organization and will be missed dearly."
The Sabres have memorialized the line by erecting a statue of the three players that stands in a plaza outside their arena. Their numbers also have been retired, and their names hang together from the rafters in the arena.
Robert scored a career-high 40 goals twice during his seven-plus seasons in Buffalo. He was traded to the then-Colorado Rockies in 1979 and closed his career with Toronto in 1981-82.
In 524 games with Buffalo, Robert had 222 goals and 552 points. Overall, he finished with 284 goals and 702 points in 744 NHL games.
He also was known for his playoff production, collecting 22 goals and 39 points in 47 postseason games with the Sabres. Four of his goals were game-winners, including three in overtime.
Robert's most memorable goal, scored 18:29 into overtime, sealed Buffalo's 5-4 win over Philadelphia in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final in 1975.
It finished what became known as "The Fog Game," with a heavy mist shrouding the ice because of poor air-conditioning at Buffalo's Memorial Auditorium. The Flyers went on to win the series in six games.
Robert maintained a home in Buffalo after he retired and eventually had his driveway built out of pieces of the auditorium after it was demolished in 2009.
He was an avid golfer, and remained active in numerous charitable functions in Buffalo.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is ramping up his attacks on Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre as he promotes his government's federal budget.
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
New video evidence uncovered by CNN significantly undermines two Pentagon investigations into an ISIS-K suicide attack outside Kabul airport, during the American withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
There are 63 wildfires burning in Alberta's forest protection area as of Wednesday morning and seven mutual aid fires, including one in the Municipal District of Peace.
Arrests have been made after five men were captured on video rampaging through a jewelry store in Toronto, waving weapons and smashing glass display cases.
A Polish pilot proposed to his flight attendant girlfriend during a flight from Warsaw to Krakow, and she said yes.
The federal government has added $36.4 million to a program designed to support people who have been seriously injured or killed by vaccines since the end of 2020.
The RCMP says a former SNC-Lavalin executive has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison in connection with a bribery scheme for a bridge repair contract in Montreal.
A property tax bill is perplexing a small townhouse community in Fergus, Ont.
When identical twin sisters Kim and Michelle Krezonoski were invited to compete against some of the world’s most elite female runners at last week’s Boston Marathon, they were in disbelief.
The giant stone statues guarding the Lions Gate Bridge have been dressed in custom Vancouver Canucks jerseys as the NHL playoffs get underway.
A local Oilers fan is hoping to see his team cut through the postseason, so he can cut his hair.
A family from Laval, Que. is looking for answers... and their father's body. He died on vacation in Cuba and authorities sent someone else's body back to Canada.
A former educational assistant is calling attention to the rising violence in Alberta's classrooms.
The federal government says its plan to increase taxes on capital gains is aimed at wealthy Canadians to achieve “tax fairness.”
At 6'8" and 350 pounds, there is nothing typical about UBC offensive lineman Giovanni Manu, who was born in Tonga and went to high school in Pitt Meadows.
Kevin the cat has been reunited with his family after enduring a harrowing three-day ordeal while lost at Toronto Pearson International Airport earlier this week.