Freddie Hunt Jr now making good on own, photo (Tonawanda News, 1975-11-14).jpg
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Title
Freddie Hunt Jr now making good on own, photo (Tonawanda News, 1975-11-14).jpg
Description
AI transcription:
Famous Dad image hurt
Freddie Hunt Jr. now making good on own
You might think that if you were interested in becoming a professional hockey player and your father was connected with a team, your chances of making it into the pro ranks would be good.
Fred Hunt Jr., the steady right-winger of the Buffalo Norsemen, knows that song-and-dance and he will be the first to tell you that having his father connected with the Buffalo Sabres hurt his chances of making the club.
The name Fred Hunt is synonymous with hockey in Buff. The long-time player, coach and general manager of the old Buffalo Bisons of the American Hockey League and now the assistant general manager of the Buffalo Sabres, is the father of 23-year old Fred.
Fred Jr., after playing four years of high school hockey at Nichols School and four years of college hockey at the University of Vermont, was put on the Sabres negotiating list after his sophomore year.
“I went to their camp before my senior year to see what it was like,” Fred remembers.
“After I was done with school I went back to the Sabre camp for a tryout,” he continues. “This was two years ago. What a wasted year that was.
“It was tough trying to make the team because I had to be so much better than everyone else only because I was Fred Hunt’s son. The organization was overcautious and had to worry about the criticism. It hurt my chances considerably,” he added.
Fred spent most of his first year in the pros traveling among the Sabres’ farm clubs. He started in Cincinnati of the American Hockey League, for a month, was assigned to Dayton of the International League before he was called back to the Swords. They shipped him to Charlotte of the Southern League before the year was out.
“It was kind of tough to get going that year because I was in so many places,” he said. “But, the next year I was back at the Sabres’ camp and was having the best camp of my life before I broke my jaw. That kept me out of action for eight weeks.
“I worked my way back by training with the Sabres until after the holidays. Then I went to Fort Wayne of the International League. That was also another wasted year.”
That brings us up to 1975 with a new hockey team on the Niagara Frontier.
“I didn’t want to go back to the Sabres’ organization this year because I knew I didn’t have a future with them,” he stated. “I was called by Willie (Marshall, Norsemen general manager) and asked if I wanted to try out for the club.”
“Since the team was close to my home, the situation was ideal. Plus, Willie and Guy (Trottier, Norsemen player-coach) are great people to work under.”
So, Freddy decided to leave the Sabres’ organization to get a new lease on life. How does Dad feel about all this?
“Well it was hard for him in the beginning with the Sabres because he was my son,” the elder Hunt related. “The only thing he is weak on is checking. They don’t concentrate too much on that phase of the game in college but he will gain that experience with the Norsemen.”
How does Mr. Hunt feel about his son playing under his former employee Trottier. (While Guy played with the Bisons of the AHL with Hunt as GM, he set a record for most goals in a season, 55. It still stands.)
“Anyone that wants to learn how to score goals only has to watch Guy. He is one of the best goal scorers I have ever seen and he is proving it this year. Look at the number of goals he has scored as compared to the time he has been on the ice,” Hunt continued.
“I feel he is a great coach, but more importantly, he is very popular with the players,” the elder Hunt concluded.
Freddy really enjoys playing with the N-men. “We have a great bunch of guys. We all stick together and I think you need that to win hockey games,” he said.
In 13 games to date, Fred has six goals and seven assists as the right-winger of the Norsemen’s second line.
“Freddy has been playing real well for us,” his coach explained. “He came up with three big goals in Philly and seems to be finding the net a lot more now.”
Famous Dad image hurt
Freddie Hunt Jr. now making good on own
You might think that if you were interested in becoming a professional hockey player and your father was connected with a team, your chances of making it into the pro ranks would be good.
Fred Hunt Jr., the steady right-winger of the Buffalo Norsemen, knows that song-and-dance and he will be the first to tell you that having his father connected with the Buffalo Sabres hurt his chances of making the club.
The name Fred Hunt is synonymous with hockey in Buff. The long-time player, coach and general manager of the old Buffalo Bisons of the American Hockey League and now the assistant general manager of the Buffalo Sabres, is the father of 23-year old Fred.
Fred Jr., after playing four years of high school hockey at Nichols School and four years of college hockey at the University of Vermont, was put on the Sabres negotiating list after his sophomore year.
“I went to their camp before my senior year to see what it was like,” Fred remembers.
“After I was done with school I went back to the Sabre camp for a tryout,” he continues. “This was two years ago. What a wasted year that was.
“It was tough trying to make the team because I had to be so much better than everyone else only because I was Fred Hunt’s son. The organization was overcautious and had to worry about the criticism. It hurt my chances considerably,” he added.
Fred spent most of his first year in the pros traveling among the Sabres’ farm clubs. He started in Cincinnati of the American Hockey League, for a month, was assigned to Dayton of the International League before he was called back to the Swords. They shipped him to Charlotte of the Southern League before the year was out.
“It was kind of tough to get going that year because I was in so many places,” he said. “But, the next year I was back at the Sabres’ camp and was having the best camp of my life before I broke my jaw. That kept me out of action for eight weeks.
“I worked my way back by training with the Sabres until after the holidays. Then I went to Fort Wayne of the International League. That was also another wasted year.”
That brings us up to 1975 with a new hockey team on the Niagara Frontier.
“I didn’t want to go back to the Sabres’ organization this year because I knew I didn’t have a future with them,” he stated. “I was called by Willie (Marshall, Norsemen general manager) and asked if I wanted to try out for the club.”
“Since the team was close to my home, the situation was ideal. Plus, Willie and Guy (Trottier, Norsemen player-coach) are great people to work under.”
So, Freddy decided to leave the Sabres’ organization to get a new lease on life. How does Dad feel about all this?
“Well it was hard for him in the beginning with the Sabres because he was my son,” the elder Hunt related. “The only thing he is weak on is checking. They don’t concentrate too much on that phase of the game in college but he will gain that experience with the Norsemen.”
How does Mr. Hunt feel about his son playing under his former employee Trottier. (While Guy played with the Bisons of the AHL with Hunt as GM, he set a record for most goals in a season, 55. It still stands.)
“Anyone that wants to learn how to score goals only has to watch Guy. He is one of the best goal scorers I have ever seen and he is proving it this year. Look at the number of goals he has scored as compared to the time he has been on the ice,” Hunt continued.
“I feel he is a great coach, but more importantly, he is very popular with the players,” the elder Hunt concluded.
Freddy really enjoys playing with the N-men. “We have a great bunch of guys. We all stick together and I think you need that to win hockey games,” he said.
In 13 games to date, Fred has six goals and seven assists as the right-winger of the Norsemen’s second line.
“Freddy has been playing real well for us,” his coach explained. “He came up with three big goals in Philly and seems to be finding the net a lot more now.”
Date
1975-11-14
Collection
Citation
“Freddie Hunt Jr now making good on own, photo (Tonawanda News, 1975-11-14).jpg,” North Tonawanda History, accessed December 3, 2025, https://nthistory.com/items/show/4250.