With standouts like Rasmus Ristolainen, Sam Reinhart and Jack Eichel all taken in the first round the last three years, the Buffalo Sabres' recent draft history has provided some immediate dividends. While the career paths of those three players have yet to be written, the Sabres have flourished over the years with selections both at the top of the draft and in lower rounds. Here's Mike Harrington's look at the best draft choices in Sabres history:
The top 12 Sabres draft picks of all-time
1. Gil Perreault, 1970 (1st round, 1st overall). Yes, they had to get lucky with the famous Spin of the Wheel to take him. But when the first draft choice finishes with 512 goals, 1,326 points, makes the Hall of Fame and is forever the face of the franchise, thatu2019s the quintessential good pick.
The top 12 Sabres draft picks of all-time
2. Ryan Miller, 1999 (5th round, 138th overall): The Sabres went bust at the top of the draft with the likes of Barrett Heisten and Milan Bartovic but hit with the former Michigan State Hobey Baker winner, who became the franchiseu2019s all-time victory leader in goal before he was traded in February 2014.
The top 12 Sabres draft picks of all-time
3. Tom Barrasso, 1983 (1st round, 5th overall): Taking a chance on an 18-year-old Massachusetts high schooler, the Sabres were immediately paid back by Barrasso winning the Calder and Vezina Trophy in his rookie year. No high school goalie had ever jumped directly into the NHL. Barrasso played six seasons in Buffalo and won two Stanley Cups with Pittsburgh.
The top 12 Sabres draft picks of all-time
4. Rick Martin, 1971 (1st round, 5th overall), Craig Ramsay (2nd round, 19th), Bill Hajt (3rd round, 33) u2013 Youu2019ve nailed it when you go 1-2-3 with a trio of franchise Hall of Famers and cornerstones on a Stanley Cup final team four years later.
The top 12 Sabres draft picks of all-time
5. Alexander Mogilny, 1988 (fifth round, No. 89): It took the Sabres nearly a year after drafting him to get the Russian to defect and the enigmatic forward eventually grew into a 76-goal scorer who combined with Pat LaFontaine as the top scoring 1-2 punch in franchise history during the 1992-93 season. By the way, it was just eight picks after Mogilny at No. 97 that franchise penalty minutes leader and popular broadcaster Rob Ray was taken. Mogilny is in the team's Hall of Fame, Ray might be some day too
The top 12 Sabres draft picks of all-time
6. Phil Housley and Dave Andreychuk 1982 (1st round, 6th and 16th overall): Housley, a Minnesota high schooler, and Oshawau2019s Andreychuk (16) went on to have stellar Buffalo careers before moving on to several other teams, with Housley earning induction to the Hall of Fame in November after becoming the highest-scoring American-born defenseman in history. Andreychuk, who won a Cup with Tampa Bay, is still awaiting a potential Hall call of his own.
The top 12 Sabres draft picks of all-time
7. Thomas Vanek, 2003 (1st round, 5th overall): With the franchise at a low point, you couldnu2019t miss and the Sabres didnu2019t with a two-time 40-goal scorer who was in his ninth season before being traded in October 2013. Vanek was one of a dozen star players in the first round of what might be the best draft ever.
The top 12 Sabres draft picks of all-time
8. Don Edwards, 1975 (5th round, 89th overall): Bob Sauve was drafted first that year but it was the 5-9, 165-pound Edwards who took over late in the 1976-77 season and won 156 games over six years, third only to Miller and Dominik Hasek in franchise annals.
The top 12 Sabres draft picks of all-time
9. Mike Ramsey, 1979 (1st round, 11th overall): The University of Minnesota standout and Lake Placid Olympian remains the best pure defenseman in franchise annals. Even served time as an assistant coach on 1999 Cup finalists under Lindy Ruff u2013 who was drafted at No. 32 in 1979.
The top 12 Sabres draft picks of all-time
10. Danny Gare, 1974 (2nd round, 29th overall): Lee Fogolin was actually the first round pick before the little winger from Calgary of the WHL was tabbed. He became a captain and one of the top snipers in franchise history with a pair of 50-goal seasons.
The top 12 Sabres draft picks of all-time
11. Jim Schoenfeld, 1972 (1st round, 5th overall): Just as Rick Martin proved the previous year and Tom Barrasso and Thomas Vanek would prove in later drafts, No. 5 has been a sweet spot for the Sabres. They got the captain of their 1975 finalists and a defensive mainstay for many years in their third draft. Solid pick.
The top 12 Sabres draft picks of all-time
12. Brian Campbell, 1997 (6th round, 167th overall): In a draft that started with Mika Noronen, Henrik Tallinder and Maxim Afinogenov, the red-headed defenseman from the Ottawa 67ers became the biggest find. A career that started slow saw him blossom into a mainstay player on back-to-back Eastern Conference finalists and a Stanley Cup winner in Chicago in 2010
The top 12 Sabres draft picks of all-time
Best low-round talent: Donald Audette (pictured), 1989 (9th round, 183), Paul Gaustad, 2000 (7th round, 220), Uwe Krupp 1983 (11th round, 214), Derek Plante 1989 (8th round, 161), Ales Kotalik 1998 (6th round, 164), Patrick Kaleta 2004 (6th round, 176), Derek Smith 1974 (10th round, 16).
Power is the Sabres’ presumed selection with the first overall pick, but it’s uncertain where he will play this season.
