Breaking down the best draft class in Buffalo Sabres history
By Sion Fawkes
Who was the best draft class in Buffalo Sabres history? Read on to find out which class produced enough talent to grace the top of our rankings.
The NHL Draft is so very nearly upon us, and I’m sure you have a nice list of players that you want to join the Buffalo Sabres prospects pool over the next two days. But before we find out where the NHL’s stars of tomorrow will land, let’s take a minute and enjoy a quick history lesson, breaking down the best draft class in Sabres history.
Who gets the honor of being the best, and who clocked in as honorable mentions? Keep reading to find out.
Breaking down the best draft class in Buffalo Sabres history…
The Buffalo Sabres landed arguably their best player ever in the 1970 NHL Draft, but the 1971 Draft brought in a plethora of key contributors. The Blue and Gold snagged Rick Martin fifth overall, and he ended up with 695 points in 681 games for the Sabres, helping to forge a legendary first line with Gilbert Perreault and Rene Robert in the 1970s called the French Connection.
But Craig Ramsay, 19th overall, was also a ringer thanks to his overall longevity, having played 1,070 games with Buffalo between 1971 and 1985. Ramsay scored 672 points in those contests and made a name for himself as an incredible defensive forward, often finishing in the running for the Selke, which he won following his final season.
And finally, we can’t remember the best draft class in team history without mentioning Bill Hajt, who was an imposing blueliner who occasionally put up some solid numbers in the scoring department. He finished his career with 244 points in 854 contests across 14 years with the team.
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Other memorable Buffalo Sabres draft classes in consideration for the top spot included those from 1979, 1982, 1983, and 1985. And who knows? If the Sabres keep improving with general manager Kevyn Adams in charge, we may eventually need to add more classes to the current list!
(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference)