Oct 4, 2013; Buffalo, NY, USA; A general view of the pre-game light show for the game between the Buffalo Sabres and the Ottawa Senators at First Niagara Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports
According to the Buffalo Sabres Wikipedia page regarding draft picks, for what it is worth, the Buffalo Sabres have since their inception into the participated in 42 NHL Entry Drafts and 6 supplemental drafts as a member of the National Hockey League.
That amounts to 448 draft picks in the history of the franchise. Buffalo has drafted nineteen players in the history of the franchise that have gone on to play for teams that have won the Stanley Cup. They also have two invalid claims – one that has been stricken from official records, but is a great feel good story for its fans.
While the modern draft is only seven rounds long – the draft was once 12 rounds – a tedious affair. Here are the top picks in each round of the NHL Entry Draft for the Buffalo Sabres, twelve hockey players that have helped the Buffalo Sabres in one way or another do anything but win the Stanley Cup.
Retired numbers, storied careers, championship rings, and All Star Appearances, but who makes the list as the top draft pick in each round?
Will a 2015 draft selection help bring home the Stanley Cup or make a huge impact on the team? Here are the top draft picks for each round, click forward and let me know if you agree or disagree with my selections.
The top first round pick ever drafted by the Buffalo Sabres is none other than first ever pick of the Buffalo Sabres, the number one overall pick in the 1970 NHL Entry Draft – Gilbert Perreault.
He doesn’t have a Stanley Cup ring, but he is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame, and he has his number in the Rafter’s Club at First Niagara Center.
There will always be only one number 11 in Buffalo Sabres franchise history – and that makes him the best first overall draft pick in the first round of the NHL Entry Draft.
There are plenty of great first round draft picks in the annals of the Buffalo Sabres media guide. There are eleven first round draft picks that have never laced up skates in an NHL game (most of them from the supplemental draft era), but some of them have yet to play a game for the Buffalo Sabres who could.
The list of great players taken with the first pick for the Buffalo Sabres includes Rick Martin, Phil Housley, and Dave Andreychuk – is there a future first round draft pick that will rate among the greatest to ever wear blue and gold – and possibly supplant Gilbert Perreault on one of the many records he holds?
The first round was a no-brainer pick, despite a solid cast of runner-ups who could easily be called a great pick in their own right – but that is what makes them first rounders right?
The second round draft picks of the Buffalo Sabres lists several great players as well.
Craig Ramsay has the most NHL games played of all second round draft picks selected by the Buffalo Sabres, but Danny Gare has his number retired by the team. There are plenty of decent players selected in the second round that could carry the weight of the best second round draft pick in Bufalo Sabres history.
My vote here is once again for a member of the Rafter Elite – Danny Gare, the Buffalo Sabres 29th overall draft selection in the 1974 draft. Gare had two 50 goals seasons, and is the scrappy goal scorer that the city of Buffalo loved to have wearing their blue and gold uniform. Unlike Perreault, Gare would only start his career in Buffalo, before moving on to stops with the Detroit Red Wings and Edmonton Oilers.
Next: Rounds 3 and 4
The third round – the part of the NHL draft where you start looking for diamonds in the rough – or guys that are going to start filling out your AHL roster. Guys can make it to the NHL from all rounds, but your odds off a lasting career start to drop off as you enter into the deeper parts of the draft.
A few names stood out to me when looking over the list of guys taken in the third round of the draft. Bill Hajt played his entire career with the Buffalo Sabres. I have a soft spot in my heart for goaltenders, so Jacques Cloutier jumped out at me.
Bob Corkum played with the Buffalo Sabres twice, book-ending a career that also spanned six other franchises.
For the best third round draft choice by the Buffalo Sabres, I am going to go with a modern era player however, and tap number 61, Maxim Afinogenov as the Buffalo Sabres best third round draft pick.
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Afinogenov was drafted by the Buffalo Sabres 69th overall in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft. He played nine seasons with the Buffalo Sabres before a stop in Atlanta before returning home to Russia to play in the KHL.
From the fourth round there were a couple of names that stood out as well, as the Buffalo Sabres were still pretty adept at finding talent in the later rounds. I am going to go with a goaltender in the fourth round, however, I almost went with the US born Keith Carney – or I could have gone with fan favorite Matt Barnaby.
Instead I am going with the 74th overall selection in the 1983 NHL Draft – Darren Puppa. Puppa played in 16 NHL seasons with the Buffalo Sabres, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Tampa Bay Lightning. In 429 NHL games he he was 179-161-54 all time.
Next: Rounds 5 and 6
I didn’t anticipate the fifth round of the NHL Entry draft to expose so many great players for the Buffalo Sabres. I figured once we got to the fifth round and beyond, the decision making process was going to be easier. But here are the list of candidates that I think are the All-Time Buffalo Sabres top fifth round draft selection.
Alexander Mogilny. Ok, that right there is a statement in itself, how did Mogilny slip to the fifth round? Certainly the answer is obvious, the Iron Curtain and defection were big at the time, but what a payoff for the gambling Buffalo Sabres on this draft pick.
Rob Ray – the things he did for this organization both on and off the ice – a fan favorite forever, if only that should include him on the list of notable fifth round draft picks. As far as fan favorites goes – he is the biggest name on the list that could include Steve Shields, Richard Smehlik, and Yuri Khmylev.
Nathan Gerbe – while no longer on the team he was a favorite of some while he was here.
Ryan Miller – Miller had tall shoes to fill when stepping into the crease in the shadow of Dominik Hasek. I think he stood up to the task – he was no Hasek, but he gave the Buffalo Sabres some great hockey.
A tough call for the best overall fifth round draft pick, but it has to go to come down to Alexander Mogilny and Ryan Miller. And with that, my choice here goes to Alexander Mogilny. Why Mogilny and not Miller – because Mogilny was a gamble even in the fifth round.
So with the best fifth round pick – we give it to the 89th overall pick in the 1988 NHL Entry draft – Alexander Mogilny.
The sixth round really bears no contest, and it surprises me that this name even fell that far. While it didn’t have a stellar career, he did pick up a Stanley Cup win, and is probably going to be remembered the most for his thundering check on RJ Umberger.
With the 156th pick in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft, the Buffalo Sabres selected Brian Campbell – who goes down as the top sixth round pick in franchise history.
Next: Rounds 7 and 8
Apr 15, 2015; Nashville, TN, USA; Chicago Blackhawks center
(28) during the first period in game one of the first round of the the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
How do you turn a seventh round draft pick into a first round draft pick? You thank Darcy Regier for trading the Buffalo Sabres best 7th round draft selection for a first round draft pick to the Nashville Predators.
With the 220th pick in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, the Buffalo Sabres selected Paul Gaustad. He was an ok player for the Buffalo Sabres, but really paid off when Darcy Regier held his ground and overvalued his player, but got what he wanted at trade deadline day.
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Now let’s pause for a moment for all those people to jump down to the comments section and enter in their stop bashing Darcy comments, because well that is what one does when reading a Buffalo Sabres site that even mentions his name.
For the eighth round – it came down to two players, Randy Cunneyworth and Derek Plante. Even though he was traded to the eventual Stanley Cup Champion Dallas Stars – and was honored with a Stanley Cup ring – Randy Cunneyworth gets the nod as the best eight round draft selection in Buffalo Sabres history, as the 167th selection in the 1980 NHL Entry Draft.
9th Round Best Selection – 183rd overall in the 1989 Draft – Donald Audette.
10th Round Best Selection – 168th overall in the 1974 draft – Derek Smith
11th Round Best Selection – a line in the sand by the relatively young Buffalo Sabres who had already grown wear of the lengthy draft process of the NHL – with the 183rd selection in the 1974 NHL Entry Draft, the Buffalo Sabres selected Taro Tsujimoto from Japan. The draft was done via telephone at this point, and Punch Imlach wanted to make a statement.
Taro was stricken from official draft records and the draft selection was vacated, but the Buffalo Sabres still list him as a draft choice. Buffalo has selected good hockey players in the past in the 11th round Uwe Krupp and Scott Nichol both had decent NHL careers, but the icing on the cake goes to Taro.
12th Round Best Selection – 245th overall in the 1984 NHL Entry Draft – Ken Baumgartner.
