Top 3 best players that were originally drafted by the Buffalo Sabres
By Sion Fawkes
Ryan Miller
Regardless of the sport, fifth-round draft picks are nothing more than a gamble. General managers often draft these players based on their potential, and many don’t make it past the AHL level. But 138th overall pick Ryan Miller became the face of the Buffalo Sabres franchise between 2007 and 2013.
After starting his career with a 6-11-1 record, Miller broke out in 2005-06 when he finished the season 30-14-3, allowing just a GAA of 2.60. He followed that up in 2006-07 with a 40-16-6 record, and from there, it was smooth sailing.
His best season occurred in 2009-10, when he finished 41-18-6 with a 2.22 GAA and a 0.929 save percentage. While Miller’s statistics waned following the season, he was still an effective player for a Sabres team that floated into irrelevance.
He appeared in the 2007 All-Star Game, won first-team All-Star honors in 2009-10, and even snagged the Vezina Trophy that season. In June 2022, the Sabres hung Miller’s legendary number 30 jersey in the KeyBank Center’s rafters, cementing his legacy in Buffalo.