| Jim Lorentz | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | May 1, 1947 Waterloo, Ontario, Canada |
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) |
| Weight | 180 lb (82 kg; 12 st 12 lb) |
| Position | Centre |
| Shoots | Left |
| Played for | Buffalo Sabres New York Rangers St. Louis Blues Boston Bruins |
| Playing career | 1968–1978 |
Jim Lorentz (born James Peter Lorentz, Jr. on May 1, 1947) is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey centre who played 10 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Boston Bruins, St. Louis Blues, New York Rangers and the Buffalo Sabres. He also won the Stanley Cup with the Boston Bruins in 1970.
Jim was the color analyst for the Sabres on the MSG Network & the Sabres Radio Network. and worked alongside play-by-play commentator Rick Jeanneret.
Playing Career[]
Jim's career started in 1964 when he played the first of three years of junior hockey with the Niagara Falls Flyers, which was part of the Ontario Hockey Association. He began his professional hockey career with the Oklahoma City Blazers of Central Hockey League in 1967-68.
He was named rookie of the year in his first season with the CHL. In his second and final season in the minor leagues, he received Phil Esposito Trophy for leading the league in scoring and was named as the Most Valuable Player (MVP)
Jim left the CHL and went to play for the Boston Bruins, which were a powerhouse in the NHL, led by Bobby Orr and Phil Esposito. He did not play much and was shuffled around from center ice and to the wing.
In his rookie season with the Bruins, Jim won the Stanley Cup in the 1970 Stanley Cup Finals. After the Cup, the Bruins traded him to St. Louis Blues in exchange for the Blues first pick in the 1970 NHL Amateur Draft (the pick was used to select Ron Plumb).
Jim played the 1970-71 season with St. Louis before splitting the 1971-72 season between the Blues, the New York Rangers and the Buffalo Sabres. Over his more than six seasons with the Sabres, Jim racked up 134 goals, 197 assists and 331 points in 487 games.
He also enjoyed his best seasons in a Sabre uniform, recording a career-high 27 goals in the 1972-73 season and a personal-best 70 points in the 1974-75 season (the same year he helped Buffalo reach the Stanley Cup Finals).
In 1975 during game three of the 1975 Stanley Cup Finals against the Philadelphia Flyers at the Memorial Auditorium, Jim earned the nickname "Batman" when he swatted a bat out of mid-air with his stick.
During the 1975 finals, Jim scored 6 goals and 10 points in 16 playoff games. He continued to play until 1978 when he retired from NHL duty. He retired with 659 games, 161 goals, 238 assists and 399 points.
Post-Playing Career[]
After Jim stopped playing hockey with the Sabres, he served as the play by play announcer for the Sabres. He filled in for Ted Darling from October 16 to November 20, 1991 when Darling was on medical leave. He also filled in for Sabres play-by-play announcer Rick Jeanneret twice.
On September 25, 2007, he announced his retirement from his position as color commentator for the Sabres after 26 years as a broadcaster with the team.
In late 2015, Jim decided to return to Western New York to coach the Hamburg Hawks youth hockey team.
On February 9, 2010, Jim was inducted to the Buffalo Sabres Hall of Fame. He has been an avid fisherman since his retirement from broadcasting and is currently working on a book about salmon fishing.