By Jourdon LaBarber

Rob Ray will be inducted into the Buffalo Sabres Hall of Fame ahead of the team’s game against the Nashville Predators at KeyBank Center on Friday, Jan. 31.

Ray was announced as the 44th inductee into the Sabres Hall of Fame earlier this season, when he was surprised with a message from previous inductees Dominik Hasek and Ryan Miller that played live on the videoboard during the team’s game against Florida.

The game on Jan. 31 will also be a Black and Red Friday, meaning the Sabres will be in the black-and-red uniforms that Ray wore during the latter part of his career.

Ray ranks fourth in franchise history with 889 games played spanning 14 seasons in a Sabres uniform, during which he became one of the most iconic enforcers in NHL history. He holds the team record for penalty minutes with 3,189 while his 3,207 career penalty minutes (including two seasons with Ottawa) rank sixth on the league’s all-time list.

Ray’s fights – often set to the backdrop of his future broadcast partner and fellow Sabres Hall of Famer Rick Jeanneret’s energetic narrations – made him a fan favorite during his playing career. But his impact on the Sabres extended beyond the ice.

Ray served as an alternate captain for the latter part of his playing career and in 1998-99 became the first Sabres player to receive the King Clancy Memorial Trophy, given to the NHL player “who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution in his community.” He was a dedicated supporter of Make-A-Wish and Roswell Park, and his charitable efforts have continued beyond his playing days.

Ray has remained with the Sabres as a color analyst on the team’s MSG broadcast, a role he’s held since the 2003-04 season.

“It’s a complete honor," Ray said after learning of his induction. "This has been my life for the last 35 years and I know nothing else. I’ve never had another job. This is me. I don’t know, I’m just so excited. I know I don’t show it sometimes, but I’m trying not to cry in front of everybody because I’ve got to kind of act tough. It’s the greatest thing that could happen. For me, it’s an honor and it’s a privilege to even be named with a lot of those guys on the wall.