Foligno inducted into Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) -- Hockey-starved Buffalo Sabres fans got an opportunity to honor one of their former stars when Mike Foligno was inducted into the Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame on Wednesday night.

"I'm a short, quick fix," said Foligno, who was among the 11-member class of 2004 inducted. "You can never replace the real thing, and hopefully we'll get the opportunity to see the real thing in action soon enough. It's a great game and we can't go too long without it."

Sabres followers have been shut out since the National Hockey League locked out players Sept. 15 following expiration of the collective bargaining agreement.

Foligno made his NHL debut in 1979 after the Detroit Red Wings selected him in the first round of that year's draft. He played three seasons with the Red Wings before he was traded to the Sabres, spending a decade in Buffalo where Sabres hockey is a way of life.

Because of that, Foligno feels sympathetic toward those who are currently missing the game.

"It's something that the fans, especially in this area, love to see, love to cheer for, and love to be a part of, so we hope they get back to playing soon," said Foligno, who currently is the coach and general manager of his hometown junior hockey team in Sudbury, Ontario.

Foligno played in 664 games with the Sabres, and accumulated 247 goals, ranking sixth on the all-time franchise list. He's eighth on the team's all-time points list with 511.

Ironically, Foligno retired during the 1994-95 NHL lockout, which wiped out half of that season.

"I didn't know at that time how long it would go," Foligno said. "I had just finished my 15th season so I just thought the timing was right."

In all, Foligno played in 1,018 NHL games, registering 355 goals and 727 points.

Along with Foligno, former Buffalo Bills wide receiver Andre Reed was inducted Wednesday. Reed, currently working in San Diego on Chargers pre-game and post-game shows, played on a Bills team that won four consecutive AFC championships in the early '90s. That's a far cry from the current edition that has won just once in the last nine games dating back to last season.

"They're still trying to find a mix in the backfield," Reed said. "Drew (Bledsoe) is kind of having some problems and their offensive line is a little bit in disarray. And when you lose, all the little things become big things."

Still, his heart is with his former team.

"I want them to win," he said. "I spent half of my life here, and I'm going to be biased when it comes to the Bills. So I'm going to stick with them."