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Top three worst draft picks in Buffalo Sabres history

By Sion Fawkes

UNIONDALE, NEW YORK - MARCH 30: Alexander Nylander #92 of the Buffalo Sabres skates against the New York islanders at NYCB Live's Nassau Coliseum on March 30, 2019 in Uniondale, New York. The Islanders defeated the Sabres 5-1. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
UNIONDALE, NEW YORK - MARCH 30: Alexander Nylander #92 of the Buffalo Sabres skates against the New York islanders at NYCB Live's Nassau Coliseum on March 30, 2019 in Uniondale, New York. The Islanders defeated the Sabres 5-1. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /
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Buffalo Sabres
TORONTO – SEPTEMBER 22: Goaltender Justin Pogge #29 of the Toronto Maple Leafs keeps an eye on the play along with Marek Zagrapan #8 of the Buffalo Sabres during a preseason NHL game at the Air Canada Centre September 22, 2008 in Toronto, Ontario.(Photo By Dave Sandford/Getty Images) /

Pick #2: Marek Zagrapan, 2005

In the photo above, you see Zagrapan in a Buffalo Sabres uniform. And that’s because it was a preseason game. Like Persson, Zagrapan never recorded NHL stats because he never played in an NHL game. He did spend time in Rochester and Portland, however, appearing in 227 contests.

But how bad did things get for the star-crossed center? He scored just 127 times in those 227 games, averaging 0.56 points per game. Not quite the production you are looking for from a center drafted 13th overall in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft.

And whether he was playing in the EHL, the AHL, or the Slovak league, Zagrapan never panned. To add insult to injury, two NHL All-Stars, Anze Kopitar and Marc Staal, were drafted right before the ill-fated Zagrapan.

The New York Islanders and then-Phoenix Coyotes drafted the next two centers, Ryan O’Marra and Martin Hanzal. And while neither were great players, they spent far more time in the NHL than Zagrapan.

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