Quick Facts
Biography
Robert F. Sauvé (born June 17, 1955 in Sainte-Geneviève, Quebec) is a retired professional ice hockey goaltender, and currently a player agent.
Playing career
After a successful junior career with the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League's Laval National, Sauvé was drafted by the NHL's Buffalo Sabres in the 1st round (17th overall) in 1975 NHL Entry Draft. The World Hockey Association's Cincinnati Stingers also selected Sauvé in round 2 (16th overall) in the 1975 WHA Amateur Draft, but his ambition was to play in the NHL. The Sabres selected three goaltenders in the 1975 draft, with Sauvé and Don Edwards being the most notable. Sauvé played four games for the Sabres during the 1976–77 season but spent the majority of the year with the AHL's Rhode Island Reds, while Edwards was initially the more successful of the two and was the first to stick with the big club in Buffalo. The next season saw Sauvé split time with the Hershey Bears and the Sabres as Edwards' backup.
As the 1978–79 season began, Sauvé entered training camp determined to make the NHL for good. Unfortunately, he suffered a broken finger and began the season in Hershey. After Edwards later suffered a sprained ankle, Sauvé was called up to Buffalo, this time to stay. The goaltending duo of Sauvé and Edwards had an immediate impact on the Sabres. Sauvé led the league in goals against average for the 1979–80 season and was co-recipient of the Vezina Trophy with Edwards in the same season.
Sauvé was traded to the Detroit Red Wings on December 2, 1981, but re-signed with the Sabres as a free agent on June 1, 1982, after Edwards was traded to the Calgary Flames. Sauvé was joined in net by a young phenom just out of high school named Tom Barrasso for the 1983–84 season, and the duo went on to share the William M. Jennings Trophy for fewest goals allowed in 1984–85. Barrasso was always quick to credit Sauvé for not only helping him but for challenging him with his own strong play. Sauvé was dealt by Buffalo to the Chicago Black Hawks in exchange for a 3rd round pick in the 1986 NHL Entry Draft. Sauvé spent two uneventful seasons in Chicago before signing with the New Jersey Devils as a free agent on July 10, 1987. After two seasons in New Jersey, Sauvé announced his retirement from the NHL in 1989 due to chronic back problems.
Awards and achievements
- Selected to the QMJHL First All-Star Team in 1974.
- Vezina Trophy winner in 1980 (shared with Don Edwards).
- William M. Jennings Trophy winner in 1985 (shared with Tom Barasso).
Career statistics
Regular season
| Season | Team | League | GP | W | L | T | MIN | GA | SO | GAA | SV% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971–72 | Verdun Maple Leafs | QMJHL | 34 | — | — | — | 2020 | 202 | 0 | 6.00 | .851 |
| 1972–73 | Laval National | QMJHL | 35 | — | — | — | 2100 | 224 | 0 | 6.40 | .850 |
| 1973–74 | Laval National | QMJHL | 61 | — | — | — | 3620 | 341 | 0 | 5.65 | .867 |
| 1974–75 | Laval National | QMJHL | 57 | — | — | — | 3403 | 287 | 0 | 5.06 | .876 |
| 1975–76 | Providence Reds | AHL | 14 | 5 | 8 | 1 | 848 | 44 | 0 | 3.11 | — |
| 1976–77 | Charlotte Checkers | SHL | 17 | — | — | — | 979 | 36 | 2 | 2.21 | .937 |
| 1976–77 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 184 | 11 | 0 | 3.59 | .845 |
| 1976–77 | Rhode Island Reds | AHL | 25 | — | — | — | 1346 | 94 | 0 | 4.14 | .878 |
| 1976–77 | Hershey Bears | AHL | 9 | — | — | — | 539 | 38 | 0 | 4.23 | — |
| 1977–78 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 11 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 480 | 20 | 0 | 2.50 | .912 |
| 1977–78 | Hershey Bears | AHL | 16 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 872 | 59 | 0 | 4.05 | — |
| 1978–79 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 29 | 10 | 10 | 7 | 1610 | 100 | 0 | 3.73 | .876 |
| 1978–79 | Hershey Bears | AHL | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 278 | 14 | 0 | 3.02 | — |
| 1979–80 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 32 | 20 | 8 | 4 | 1880 | 74 | 4 | 2.36 | .901 |
| 1980–81 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 35 | 16 | 10 | 9 | 2100 | 111 | 2 | 3.17 | .880 |
| 1981–82 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 14 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 760 | 35 | 0 | 2.76 | .893 |
| 1981–82 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 41 | 11 | 25 | 4 | 2365 | 165 | 0 | 4.19 | .846 |
| 1982–83 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 54 | 25 | 20 | 7 | 3110 | 179 | 1 | 3.45 | .872 |
| 1983–84 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 40 | 22 | 13 | 4 | 2375 | 138 | 0 | 3.49 | .869 |
| 1984–85 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 27 | 13 | 10 | 3 | 1564 | 84 | 0 | 3.22 | .855 |
| 1985–86 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 38 | 19 | 13 | 2 | 2099 | 138 | 0 | 3.94 | .886 |
| 1986–87 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 46 | 19 | 19 | 5 | 2660 | 159 | 1 | 3.59 | .894 |
| 1987–88 | New Jersey Devils | NHL | 34 | 10 | 16 | 3 | 1798 | 107 | 0 | 3.57 | .870 |
| 1988–89 | New Jersey Devils | NHL | 15 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 721 | 56 | 0 | 4.66 | .832 |
| NHL totals | 420 | 182 | 154 | 54 | 23,706 | 1377 | 8 | 3.49 | .875 | ||
Playoffs
| Season | Team | League | GP | W | L | MIN | GA | SO | GAA | SV% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971–72 | Verdun Maple Leafs | QMJHL | 2 | 0 | 2 | 120 | 12 | 0 | 6.00 | .836 |
| 1972–73 | Laval National | QMJHL | 3 | — | — | 160 | 20 | 0 | 7.50 | .856 |
| 1973–74 | Laval National | QMJHL | 11 | — | — | 660 | 60 | 0 | 5.45 | .869 |
| 1974–75 | Laval National | QMJHL | 16 | — | — | 960 | 81 | 0 | 5.06 | .872 |
| 1975–76 | Charlotte Checkers | SHL | 7 | — | — | 420 | 10 | 2 | 1.43 | — |
| 1978–79 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 3 | 1 | 2 | 181 | 9 | 0 | 2.98 | .883 |
| 1979–80 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 8 | 6 | 2 | 501 | 17 | 2 | 2.04 | .926 |
| 1982–83 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 10 | 6 | 4 | 545 | 28 | 2 | 3.08 | .881 |
| 1983–84 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 2 | 0 | 1 | 41 | 5 | 0 | 7.32 | .643 |
| 1985–86 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 2 | 0 | 2 | 99 | 8 | 0 | 4.85 | .869 |
| 1986–87 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 4 | 0 | 4 | 245 | 15 | 0 | 3.67 | .890 |
| 1987–88 | New Jersey Devils | NHL | 5 | 2 | 1 | 236 | 13 | 0 | 3.30 | .890 |
| NHL totals | 34 | 15 | 16 | 1848 | 95 | 4 | 3.08 | .891 | ||