Ted Darling The original voice of the Buffalo Sabres

A Walk with a Legend: Remembering Ted Darling

On a recent walk through Cold Springs Cemetery in Lockport, New York — tucked away in the Niagara Falls region — I came upon the grave of a true Buffalo sports icon: Ted Darling. With a puck in one hand and a flag in the other, I paused to pay my respects to the original “Voice of the Buffalo Sabres.”

Ted was the play-by-play man for the Sabres for twenty-two seasons, calling games on television from the team’s inaugural year in 1970 all the way to 1991. For fans across Buffalo and Southern Ontario, his voice became synonymous with Sabres hockey.

He shared the mic — and a deep friendship — with the late, great Rick Jeanneret. Starting in 1971, the two legends rotated TV and radio duties. If a game wasn’t televised, they often worked side by side on the radio. Now that was a Hall of Fame combination.

One of Ted’s most memorable moments came during the infamous Blizzard of ’77. With the city of Buffalo paralyzed by snow, he couldn’t make it to Montreal to call a Sabres–Canadiens game at the old Forum. But Ted wasn’t one to sit out. Instead, he called the game over the phone — watching on TV and delivering his commentary remotely. Pure brilliance.

Ted Darling died in Lockport, New York on December 19, 1996. He was 61.

1935-1996