Top 3 best players that were originally drafted by the Buffalo Sabres
By Sion Fawkes
The Buffalo Sabres have drafted a plethora of stars since their inception. But who are the top three picks in team history?
The Buffalo Sabres have a rich history, and when it comes to the NHL Draft, they have selected not just a few memorable players, but Hockey Hall of Famers. They have also had more misses than we can probably count. But we don’t need to go there for this article.
Below, you will meet three players whose names and legacies are cemented in Buffalo Sabres lore. Not all of them spent their entire careers in Buffalo. But they earned numerous trips to All-Star Games and earned dozens of accolades.
So who are the top three picks originally drafted by the Sabres? Let’s find out, starting with arguably one of the greatest players in NHL history.
Best player drafted in Buffalo Sabres history: Gilbert Perreault
Perreault was a member of the legendary French Connection (pictured above). He was the first draft pick in Buffalo Sabres history, and to this day, the best. He finished his first season in Buffalo by winning the Calder Memorial Trophy after posting 72 points in 78 games.
And it was a sign of things to come, as Perreault‘s statistics only improved from there. His best season came in 1975-75, when he scored 113 points, 44 goals, and 69 assists, including 14 power play goals.
He would spend his entire career with the Sabres, playing until the 1986-87 season. And in that frame, Perreault played in six All-Star Games and earned NHL All-Star Honors twice. Besides winning the Calder Memorial Trophy in his rookie season, Perreault also won the Lady Byng Trophy in 1972-73.
His number currently hangs in the rafters at the KeyBank Center and he is a member of both the Hockey Hall of Fame and the Buffalo Sabres Hall of Fame.