Buffalo Sabres NHL Draft Positions Officially Set
Final positions for 2016 NHL Draft set
With the NHL regular season over, the final positions for the 2016 NHL Draft are now in place.
Between their own picks, and the others they’ve picked up via various trades over the years, the Buffalo Sabres currently hold 12 11 picks in the 2016 NHL Draft.
It all begins, of course, with the Buffalo Sabres selecting eighth-overall in the first round. This is currently their lone pick in the opening day of the draft. In total, 25 teams hold at least one selection in the first round.
Following that, the Buffalo Sabres will kick off the second day of the draft by picking 38th overall with their own pick, just behind Arizona and ahead of Montreal.
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The third round is where things really get interesting for the Buffalo Sabres at this year’s NHL Draft.
As of June 20, the Sabres hold three picks in the third round, though this could change quickly if Tim Murray swaps any of them.
First up, the Buffalo Sabres select at 69th overall with their own pick.
Next up, the Buffalo Sabres were set to pick at 76th overall. This one’s come a long way – from Minnesota via Florida, New Jersey and Anaheim. It’s now gone to Nashville in exchange for the rights to Jimmy Vesey.
The Buffalo Sabres will then select again at 86th, with a pick from the Dallas Stars. That came to Buffalo as a result of the trade that sent Jhonas Enroth to Dallas in exchange for Anders Lindback and the conditional pick.
Just three slots later, it’s Buffalo’s turn again, with the 89th overall selection. This one comes from the St. Louis Blues as a result of the 2014 deal that sent Ryan Miller, Steve Ott and a pair of conditional 2014 picks to the Blues. In exchange, Buffalo picked up Jaroslav Halak, Chris Stewart, William Carrier, a first-round pick in 2015 and this one.
Ten picks later, the Buffalo Sabres are up again at the NHL Draft, this time with their own pick at 99th overall. This is their lone pick of the fourth round.
Following that, we get a little break, as the Buffalo Sabres’ next selection is at 129th overall. This is the first of two consecutive picks for the Buffalo Sabres, as they also hold the 130th overall selection. That one came from Montreal, the return from the Brian Flynn deal in 2015.
Next up, the Buffalo Sabres use their pick at 159th overall, their lone selection in the sixth round.
The Buffalo Sabres then round out the 2016 NHL Draft with a pair of selections in the final round – and once again, they’re consecutive picks, this time at 189th and 190th overall. The first is their own, the second comes, once again, from Montreal, this time as a result of the deal that shipped off Torrey Mitchell and brought in Jack Nevins (and this pick.)
Next: Buffalo Sabres Mock NHL Draft
The Buffalo Sabres have a lot to work with in the upcoming 2016 NHL Draft. Eleven picks is a solid piece to work with for the team’s GM, Tim Murray, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see at least a few of these picks swapped for other pieces, whether that be other picks or as a package with players involved.