Danny Gare: The NHL's Rookie Sensation Who Made History in Just 18 Seconds!

On October 10, 1974, the Buffalo Sabres faced off against the Boston Bruins at the Buffalo Memorial Auditorium, marking the commencement of the 1974-75 season. DannyGare, selected in the second round, had already showcased his prowess with an impressive 68-goal season in the WHL playing for the Calgary Centennials, and now, he was poised to leave his mark in the NHL.

And leave his mark, he certainly did. Just 18 seconds into the game, Gare netted his inaugural NHL goal, receiving assists from Craig Ramsay and Don Luce against Boston's goaltender, Gilles Gilbert. As if that weren't enough, Gare also contributed an assist on Ramsay's goal during the second period, culminating in a two-point performance for the rookie.

This feat remains the second fastest goal scored at the start of an NHL career, with Gus Bodnar of the Toronto Maple Leafs holding the record for a 15-second goal during his debut on October 30, 1943, against the New York Rangers. Alex Mogilny came close to Gare's record, scoring at the 20-second mark during his first game with the Sabres in the 1989-90 season.

Gare's scoring prowess didn't diminish throughout the season. He concluded the campaign with 31 goals and 31 assists, totaling 62 points. Moreover, he added seven more goals during the playoffs, where the Sabres advanced to the final before falling to the Philadelphia Flyers. Gare's exceptional performance earned him third place in the Calder Trophy voting for NHL rookie of the year, trailing behind Eric Vail and Pierre Larouche.

Entering his second season, Gare defied any notions of a sophomore slump. In the 1975-76 season, he notched an impressive 50 goals, becoming only the second player in Sabres history to achieve this milestone. Rick Martin held the record with 52 goals in the 1973-74 season. Gare, Martin, Alex Mogilny, and Pat Lafontaine stand as the only four players in franchise history to surpass the 50-goal mark in a single season, with Gare and Martin accomplishing this feat twice.

Follow the conversation on Facebook:

1979-80 NHL Goal Scoring Log Jam

1979-80 was the first year of the WHA expansion in the National Hockey League. When the World Hockey Association ceased operations after the 1978-79 season, the Edmonton Oilers, Winnipeg Jets, Hartford Whalers and Quebec Nordiques joined the NHL with depleted rosters.

It was the first year since Phil Esposito scored 55 goals in 1972-73 that the league leader finished the season with less than 60. It also marked the only time in NHL history that three players tied for the goal scoring lead, all with 56.

Charlie Simmer – Los Angeles Kings

Today, the Rocket Richard Trophy is awarded to the player in the NHL with the most goals during the regular season. Previous to 1998-99, the goal scoring leader was not honoured with any hardware. In 1979-80, the Rocket Richard Trophy would have went to Charlie Simmer of the Los Angeles Kings. Although there were three tied atop the NHL, Simmer scored his 56 in just 64 games.

Playing on the Triple Crown Line with the great MarcelDionne and Dave Taylor helped Simmer reach the same goal total in the following season. These were the only two 50 goal seasons in Simmer’s injury hampered career. Between 1974-75 and 1987-88 played just 712 of a possible 1,200 regular season games and scored 342 goals. Simmer was originally drafted by the California Seals. Although with the Seals and Kings, Charlie also played for the Cleveland Barons, Boston Bruins and Pittsburgh Penguins during his career.

 

Danny Gare – Buffalo Sabres

Danny Gare of the Buffalo Sabres scored his 56 goals in 76 games. It was the second of two times that Gare would reach the 50 goal plateau over his 13 year NHL career, scoring exactly 50 for the Sabres in 1975-76. Danny finished his career with 354 goals in 827 regular season games. He was a second round pick of the Sabres in 1974 and also played for the Detroit Red Wings and Edmonton Oilers.

Blaine Stoughton – Hartford Whalers

Blaine Stoughton played the full 80 schedule for the Hartford Whalers in 1979-80. It was his first of two 50 goal seasons, scoring 52 for the Whalers in 1981-82. Stoughton was originally the seventh overall pick at the 1973 NHL Amateur Draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins. He played just 34 of 526 NHL games with the Penguins.

Blaine played major league pro hockey from 1973-74 to 1983-84. In the NHL, he played for the Penguins, Toronto Maple Leafs, Whaler and New York Rangers. Stoughton had a three year stint in the WHA from 1976-77 to 1978-79, playing for the Cincinnati Stingers, Indianapolis Racers and New England Whalers. Blaine scored 52 goals for the Stingers in his first year in the World Hockey Association.

1975-76 NHL Goal Scoring Leaders - Leach Replaces Esposito

1975-76 was an end of an era in the National Hockey League. Phil Esposito had dominated the goal scoring landscape since 1969-70, leading the NHL for six consecutive seasons. Esposito scored 50 or more goals for five consecutive seasons and set the mark for most goals in a single season with 76 in 1970-71. In 1975-76, the Boston Bruins traded him mid-season to the New York Rangers and he totalled just 35 goals, not good enough to place in the top ten.

Reggie Leach – Philadelphia Flyers

Leading the NHL in 1975-76 with 61 goals was Reggie Leach of the Philadelphia Flyers. It was a career year for Leach with his next highest goal total coming in 1979-80 with 50. Reggie carried on into the 1975-76 playoffs with 19 goals in 16 games as the Flyers reached the finals before losing out to the Montreal Canadiens. Leach was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy in the losing cause. To date, he is one of just five players to be awarded the Conn Smythe when not winning the Stanley Cup.

Guy Lafleur – Montreal Canadiens

Guy Lafleur of the Stanley Cup champion Montreal Canadiens came second with 56 goals. It was Guy’s second of six consecutive seasons with 50 or more goals and his first of three consecutive Art Ross Trophies. The 56 goals was a far cry from the 130 he scored in 62 games for the Quebec Remparts of the QMJHL in 1970-71.

Despite finishing third in the Norris Division and making an early opening round exit from the Stanley Cup playoffs, the Pittsburgh Penguins provided the National Hockey League with two 50 goal scorers. Pierre Larouche finished third with 53 and Jean Pronovost ended 1975-76 with one less than his teammate.

Pierre Larouche – Pittsburgh Penguins

Pierre Larouche was another phenom in the QMJHL. With the Sorel Black Hawks in 1973-74, he scored 94 goals and totalled 251 points in 67 regular season games. 1975-76 was just his second season in the NHL. He would score 50 goals in a season one more time in his NHL career, exactly 50 as a member of the 1979-80 Montreal Canadiens.

Jean Pronovost – Pittsburgh Penguins

Jean Pronovost had a career year with his 52 goals and 104 points. Pronovost played two games shy of 1,000 in an NHL career that spanned from 1968-69 to 1981-82. He spent the bulk of his time with Pittsburgh but also played for the Atlanta Flames and Washington Capitals.

Bill Barber – Philadelphia Flyers

Two players tied for fifth spot in 1975-76 with 50 goals each. Bill Barber of the Philadelphia Flyers and Danny Gare each had 50. Barber gets the tie breaker nod with 112 points to Gare’s 73.

Bill Barber is one of just two of these six players to have a spot in the Hockey Hall of Fame. Barber was inducted in 1990, two years after Guy Lafleur. 1975-76 was the only time during his twelve year NHL career, all with the Flyers, that Barber reached the 50 goal plateau.

Danny Gare would reach the 50 goal plateau one more time in his career. In 1979-80, he scored 56 for the Buffalo Sabres, tying Blaine Stoughton of the Hartford Whalers and Charlie Simmer of the Los Angeles Kings for the NHL lead. Gare played in the NHL from 1974-75 to 1986-87 with the Sabres, Detroit Red Wings and Edmonton Oilers.