Sabres raise banner honouring longtime Canadian broadcaster Rick Jeanneret

Rick Jeanneret, the Canadian broadcaster responsible for calling the Buffalo Sabres' most iconic moments by the team's biggest stars over the past 51 years, is now joining them in the rafters.

With the first sold-out crowd of the season chanting "RJ! RJ! RJ!" a banner honouring Jeanneret was raised in the KeyBank Center on Friday night, and hangs immediately next to former start goalie Dominik Hasek. It's the 10th banner to be raised by the Sabres, with Jeanneret becoming the third non-player, joining team founders, brothers Seymour and Northrup Knox.

"I stood down here 10 years ago upon my induction into the Sabres hall of fame, and I remember saying that night, this is the only job I ever wanted. This is the only place I wanted to be," Jeanneret said during a 15-minute ceremony held before the Sabres hosted the Nashville Predators. "I meant every word on that particular night. And boy, do I mean it now."

The 79-year-old born in St. Catharines, Ont., and raised in Terrace Bay, Ont.,, who is retiring after this season, closed his speech by turning his attention to the packed house and his audience at home by referencing Neil Diamond's song "Beautiful Noise."

"I'll tell you how much I appreciate your beautiful noise," he said, referring to the roar of the crowds. "I only have three words: I love you."

Rick Jeanneret, forever in the rafters.<br><br>Watch the full ceremony ⬇️<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ThankYouRJ?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ThankYouRJ</a>

Jeanneret has been a part of the Sabres broadcast on either radio or TV since 1971-72, the franchise's second season. He achieved the NHL's highest broadcasting honor in 2012, upon earning the Hockey Hall of Fame's Foster Hewitt Memorial Award.

Jeanneret