The Buffalo Sabres have undergone a lot of changes this offseason, bringing in an entirely new management team. and coaching staff to try and turn the franchise around. As John Vogl of the Buffalo News reports, it didn’t stop there. New GM Jason Botterill has also made sweeping changes to the scouting side, including hiring amateur scouts from the St. Louis Blues, Columbus Blue Jackets and Pittsburgh Penguins.
One of the downfalls of the Sabres in recent times has been their inability to find top-end players in the first few rounds. Going back a few years before they selected Jack Eichel and Sam Reinhart second overall in back to back drafts, the Sabres last fifteen first-round picks look like this:
Rasmus Ristolainen
Nikita Zadorov
Mikhail Grigorenko
Zemgus Girgensons
Joel Armia
Mark Pysyk
Zack Kassian
Tyler Myers
Tyler Ennis
Dennis Persson
Marek Zagrapan
Drew Stafford
Thomas Vanek
Keith Ballard
Daniel Paille
There is some real NHL talent there, but outside of Vanek and perhaps Ristolainen not much to help lead a franchise to Stanley Cup contention. The entry draft is always something of a crapshoot, but the combination of missing somewhat on your first-round picks while also getting unlucky in the later rounds has a huge negative impact on your ability to find continued success. Botterill and his team will have to change that, and start supplying Eichel and company with a better supporting cast.