Part III of our Sabres' draft review revisits the first-round draft choices of the 1990s. Look for decade-by-decade wrapups all week.
Sabres First-Round Draft Picks: The 1990s
May Day! May Day! Yes, before he hit the broadcast booth Brad May could play a little. The 14th pick of the 1990 draft spent just seven seasons with the Sabres but played in the league until he was 38. Remembered most for his 1993 overtime goal that completed Buffalo's first-round playoff sweep of the Bruins. He proceeded to skate around the ice like a guy who'd just hit the lottery.
Sabres First-Round Draft Picks: The 1990s
Defenseman Philippe Boucher became the 13th pick in the 1991 draft but played only 65 games with the Sabres before he was sent to the Kings in a six-player deal. Boucher became an NHL fixture through age 35 and had back-to-back seasons of 16 and 19 goals with Dallas in the mid-2000s.
Sabres First-Round Draft Picks: The 1990s
A big swing and a miss. The Sabres took David Cooper 11th overall in '92 but he never played a game for the franchise and appeared in only 30 NHL games, all with Toronto.
Sabres First-Round Draft Picks: The 1990s
Center Wayne Primeau, selected 17th overall, never hit double digits in goals during his six seasons with the Sabres. He was sent to Tampa Bay in a deal involving Chris Gratton and ended up playing 774 NHL games with scant success (69 goals) on the offensive end.
Sabres First-Round Draft Picks: The 1990s
Picked 14th overall, defenseman Jay McKee played 10 years in Buffalo and became a shot blocker extraordinaire. He left for St. Louis as a free agent in 2006 and spent his final four seasons with the Blues.
Sabres First-Round Draft Picks: The 1990s
The Sabres opted to spend a first-round pick on a goaltender for the third time in their history, choosing Marty Biron 16th overall in 1995. He spent nine seasons with Buffalo, three as the primary goaltender, and went on to become the No. 1 goaltender in Philly for two seasons.
Sabres First-Round Draft Picks: The 1990s
Erik Rasmussen became the first of three University of Minnesota players the Sabres drafted in the first round over a nine-year span. He scored just 33 goals here before being sent to the Kings in exchange for Adam Mair.
Sabres First-Round Draft Picks: The 1990s
For the second time in three seasons Buffalo opted for a goaltender at No. 1. This time the target was Mika Noronen of Finland. He went 22-31-6 with the Sabres and spent one season with the Leafs before resuming his career in Europe.
Sabres First-Round Draft Picks: The 1990s
The drafting of Barrett Heisten proved another waste. The Sabres never signed Heisten, whom they selected 20th overall. He joined the New York Rangers as a free agent but appeared in only 30 games and spent the vast majority of his career floating around the minors.
Power is the Sabres’ presumed selection with the first overall pick, but it’s uncertain where he will play this season.
