Buffalo has been dealt with a lot this season. From coach firings to their franchise goalie being shipped off like an ex-girlfriend, and the worse season where 80+ games were played in franchise history the only bright spot they had was looking forward to the No. 1 overall pick in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. But the script was flipped when the Florida Panthers jumped ahead of the Sabres Tuesday night in the lottery to determine the draft order for teams who did not make the playoffs.
Buffalo was looking for the first pick overall since Pierre Turgeon in 1987. The other No. 1 overall pick the franchise has had was the first player ever drafted Gilbert Perreault in 1970. But the dreams of drafting a club legend like the previous two were dashed and Florida looks to capitalize on the clubs first No. 1 pick since Ed Jovanowski in 1994.
It is some sort of vindication for the Panthers, who were slated to get the top pick last year before their dreams were killed in the lottery when they were overtaken by Colorado- who used the pick on Nathan McKinnon.
Here are the draft results in chronological order:
1st: Florida Panthers (moved up one spot)
2nd: Buffalo Sabres (moved down one spot)
3rd: Edmonton Oilers (retained)
4th: Calgary Flames (retained)
5th: New York Islanders (retained)
6th: Vancouver (retained)
7th: Carolina (retained)
8th: Toronto (retained)
9th: Winnipeg (retained)
10th: Anaheim (retained)
11th: Nashville (retained)
12th: Phoenix Coyotes (retained)
13th: Washington Capitals (retained)
The New Jersey Devils participated in the draft lottery but was ineligible to pick in the top-14 because of sanctions from the Illya Kovalchuk contract situation. They will pick 30th in the first round.
The 2014 NHL Entry Draft will take place June 27-28, 2014 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.
