Written by Conor Thompson
The city of Buffalo is well known for their sports teams. One of the most famous numbers is number 11. The most famous Buffalo athlete to grace number 11 is Gilbert Perreault. The original Sabre was the first draft pick in Sabres franchise history and played a total of 17 NHL seasons, all in blue and gold. Electric on the ice, he quickly became a fan favorite and proved he was one of the best players in the NHL by his playmaking abilities. Gilbert was the centerman on the famous “French Connection” line, playing alongside Rick Martin and Rene Robert. All three members of the French connection are retired by the Sabres, and each of their numbers are together in the rafters at Key Bank Center.
Another Buffalo legend who graced number 11 is considered to be the greatest box lacrosse player to ever play and is currently the NLL’s all time leader in games played,
goals, assists and 3 time NLL MVP. Born in Ontario, John Tavares is also the uncle of the Toronto Maple Leafs star forward, John Tavares. John is currently the man behind the bench for the Buffalo Bandits. When he’s not coaching lacrosse, he is a mathematics teacher.
When you think of number 11 on the Bills, your first thought is Cole Beasley. The slot wide receiver who spent much of his career with the Dallas Cowboys, but made a name for himself as one of the best slot wideouts in the league when he arrived in Buffalo. A number 11 in Buffalo that may be forgotten is Drew Bledsoe. Probably most well known as being the man Tom Brady replaced, Drew still had a fantastic career. Playing 14 seasons in the NFL for the New England Patriots, Buffalo Bills and Dallas Cowboys. Drew was the first overall draft pick in 1993 by the Patriots and is a member of the Patriots hall of fame. Drew’s time in Buffalo was short lived, but after Bledsoe departed, the Bills didn’t have a top quarterback for some time.