Buffalo Sabres’ 5 Biggest Draft Blunders

All ground has been covered as it relates to the 2024 NHL Draft. Every prospect has been pored over to the nth degree. Mock drafts have been performed by everyone under the sun. We have a decent idea of what lies ahead.

So, why not take a look back? The Buffalo Sabres have an important decision to make with their draft pick, but hopefully, it won’t turn out like some they’ve made in the past. Who are the worst picks to have had their names called by the Sabres?

Biggest Draft Blunders in Buffalo Sabres History

It is fair to say that every franchise has had its share of bad draft picks. Even if you left the cut-off at 2000, there are enough names on the list to leave some NHL executives feeling embarrassed.

Related: 4 Players Buffalo Sabres Could Package 11^th Overall Pick For

For the Sabres, the list runs a bit deeper. Joel Savage (13^th overall, 1988), Mika Noronen (21^st overall, 1997), Jiri Novotny (22^nd overall, 2001), Marek Zapragan (13^th overall, 2005), and Mikhail Grigorenko (12^th overall, 2012) don’t even make this list, which says a lot about the Sabres’ draft history.

There is a good chance a few of these names will garner a, “Who?” or two. Leaving them forgotten in the past is likely best for all parties involved.

Shawn Anderson, D – 5^th Overall, 1986

Anderson was a swing and a miss for a lot of reasons. At fifth overall, he was supposed to be a cornerstone for the franchise. Among all first-round defensemen that year, he played the fewest games by quite a bit (255 in total).

What’s worse is who the Sabres could have had. Vincent Damphousse (nearly 1,400 games and 1,200 points) was the next pick. Scott Young (11^th) and Tom Fitzgerald (17^th) were both solid NHLers with more than 1,000 games played. But the biggest miss? Brian Leetch, who went 9^th overall to the New York Rangers.

David Cooper, D – 11^th Overall, 1992

Buffalo again struck out early on a defenseman. Of everyone who played a game from that first-round class, Cooper had the fewest with just 30 games and would be out of hockey by 2001.

Just three picks later, the Washington Capitals took Russian defenseman Sergei Gonchar. With more than 800 points in 1,301 career games, his mobility would have been welcome. Sticking with defense, Jason Smith (18^th overall) would have been solid. The team also had Martin Straka (19^th overall) right there for a potential punch of offense down the middle.

Artem Kryukov, C/W – 15^th Overall, 2000

The 2000 first round is a bit underrated. Dany Heatley, Marian Gaborik, Scott Hartnell, Ron Hainsey, and others all played for several years. Yet, the Sabres took the Russian Kryukov, unquestionably one of the worst picks of the entire draft.

How bad could he be? Kryukov is the only member of that first-round class not to suit up in a single NHL game. Even Brent Krahn, a legendary bust taken 9^th overall by the Calgary Flames, managed to suit up for one game. Kryukov came as part of a lauded but completely underwhelming class of Russian forwards that included Pavel Vorobiev (11^th overall, Chicago Blackhawks), Alexei Smirnov (12^th overall, Anaheim Ducks), and Alexei Mikhnov (17^th overall, Edmonton Oilers). With Brooks Orpik, Anton Volcheckov, Brad Boyes, Steve Ott, and Justin Williams taken later in the first round, it was a miss that hurt even more.

Zack Kassian, RW – 13^th Overall, 2009

With all due respect to Kassian, he’s had a decent NHL career: 661 games, and 203 points. There are worse picks in this draft (Scott Glenne, 8^th overall to the Dallas Stars, played just one game). It’s more about who the Sabres could have had that stings most.

Nick Leddy (1,011 games and counting) went three picks later. Chris Kreider, with more than 300 goals and 500 points, went 19^th overall to the Rangers. Marcus Johansson (24^th overall, Washington Capitals) has more than 900 games, and Kyle Palmieri (26^th overall, Ducks) has carved out a solid career for himself. Kassian spent all of 27 games with the Sabres, and none of them were memorable.

Alexander Nylander, LW – 8^th Overall, 2016

Nylander was one of the more talented players, according to scouts, when he was taken early by the Sabres. He may even be finally finding footing as an everyday NHLer, albeit seven years after he was drafted and with a different team.

Unfortunately, he had zero impact on the Sabres. Mikhail Sergachev was taken with the very next pick and would easily be top-5 in a re-draft. Another stud defenseman, Charlie McAvoy, went 14^th to the Boston Bruins. The Sabres also could have had a player they eventually traded for: Tage Thompson (26^th overall, St. Louis Blues).

Better Under the Adams Regime

Fortunately, the Sabres’ drafting has been much better under the GM Kevyn Adams regime. Though it would be nice if he could develop some of the mid-later picks, it is hard to complain about what he has done in the first and second rounds.

In four years at the helm, Adams has nabbed the following:

• Jack Quinn (8^th overall, 2020)
• J.J. Peterka (34^th overall, 2020)
• Owen Power (1^st overall, 2021)
• Isak Rosen (14^th overall, 2021)
• Matthew Savoie (9^th overall, 2022)
• Noah Ostlund (16^th overall, 2022)
• Jiri Kulich (28^th overall, 2022)
• Zach Benson (13^th overall, 2023)

While history may not look back kindly on more than a handful of Sabres’ drafts, the future is still bright. At least now, we can look back at some of those blunders with a laugh rather than a cringe.