'He's in our hearts': Family and friends still seek answers one year after Nathan Wise’s disappearance
It’s been a year since Nathan Wise went missing and his family is no closer to finding out what happened to him.
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.
It’s been a year since Nathan Wise went missing and his family is no closer to finding out what happened to him.
Dozens of Ontarians are expressing frustration in the province’s health-care system after their family doctors either dropped them as patients or threatened to after they sought urgent care elsewhere.
An Ottawa pizzeria is being recognized as one of the top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world.
Amazon's paid subscription service provides free delivery for online shopping across Canada except for remote locations, the company said in an email. While customers in Iqaluit qualify for the offer, all other communities in Nunavut are excluded.
The fire burning near Fort McMurray grew from 25 hectares to 5,500 hectares over the weekend.
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin began a Cabinet shakeup on Sunday, proposing the replacement of Sergei Shoigu as defence minister as he begins his fifth term in office.
Police are searching for a male suspect after a man was “slashed in neck” on Sunday morning in downtown Toronto and died.
There were some scary moments for several people on a northern Ontario highway caught on video Thursday after a chain reaction following a truck fire.
Health Canada announced various product recalls this week, including electric adapters, armchairs, cannabis edibles and vehicle components.
English, history, entertainment, math and geography: high school trivia teams could be quizzed on any of it when they compete at the Reach for the Top Nationals in Ottawa in June.
An Ottawa pizzeria is being recognized as one of the top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world.
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
A Listowel, Ont. man, drafted by the Hamilton Tigercats last week, is also getting looks from the NFL, despite only playing 27 games of football in his life.
The threat of zebra mussels has prompted the federal government to temporarily ban watercraft from a Manitoba lake popular with tourists.
A small Ajax dessert shop that recently received a glowing review from celebrity food critic Keith Lee is being forced to move after a zoning complaint was made following the social media influencer’s visit last month.
The Canada Science and Technology Museum is inviting visitors to explore their poop. A new exhibition opens at the Ottawa museum on Friday called, 'Oh Crap! Rethinking human waste.'
The Regina Police Service says it is the first in Saskatchewan and possibly Canada to implement new technology in its detention facility that will offer real-time monitoring of detainees’ vital health metrics.
Just as she had feared, a restaurant owner from eastern Quebec who visited Montreal had her SUV stolen, but says it was all thanks to the kindness of strangers on the internet — not the police — that she got it back.