Kevin Devine spends most of his time working on the NHL Entry Draft. ©2012, Dan Hickling, Olean Times HeraldPITTSBURGH – More on the Buffalo Sabres’ final five picks Saturday during the 2012 NHL Entry Draft:
Justin Kea, center, Sagina Spirit, Ontario Hockey League, third round, 73rd overall
Despite only three goals and 11 points in 65 games to go with his 76 penalty minutes, amateur scouting director Kevin Devine believes Kea has strong upside.
“If you look at his stats, they’re not very good,” he said. “Halfway through the season they fired their coach. They got a coach there, Greg Gilbert, …
The Sabres moved up to take Zemgus Girgensons 14th overall. ©2012, Jim Naprstek, Dubuque Fighting SaintsPITTSBURGH – A blockbuster trade for established talent never materialized. Instead, the Buffalo Sabres dished two high choices to Calgary early, grabbed their second coveted center during a wild first round and kept on picking.
They selected six players in the final six rounds Saturday, the NHL Entry Draft’s second and final day – three centers, two defensemen and one goalie – and left the Consol Energy feeling good about their eight total choices.
The Sabres grabbed Jake McCabe, a University of …
The Sabres were thrilled slick Russian Mikhail Grigorenko fell to them at No. 12. ©2012, Quebec RempartsPITTSBURGH – The defensemen kept going and going at the 2012 NHL Entry Draft; seven straight after the Montreal Canadiens selected center Alex Galchenyuk third overall, in fact.
For the Buffalo Sabres, a team targeting a talented center, the planets aligned Friday night inside the Consol Energy Center.
They got two.
Incredibly, picking 12th, the Sabres grabbed a Russian, Mikhail Grigorenko, a slick playmaking center from the QMJHL’s Quebec Ramparts ranked No. 3 among North American prospects by NHL Central Scouting.
Some had the …
The Sabres selected Tyler Myers 12th overall in 2008, the last time they had two first-round picks. ©2012, Dan Hickling, Olean Times HeraldPITTSBURGH – A year and zero playoff games later, Darcy Regier still has the keys, full reign to aggressively pursue elite talent and make the Buffalo Sabres a contender again.
If you believe the general manager, then he’s in the mix and will be active on the Consol Energy Center floor this weekend during the NHL Entry Draft, which starts tonight when the Sabres pick twice – 12th and 21st, compliments of the Paul Gaustad trade with Nashville – in the …
BUFFALO – Some of the names you’ve possibly heard bandied around in trade rumors, the players fans might be drooling about seeing in blue and gold, Sabres general manager Darcy Regier has discussed with his counterparts.
The Sabres, owners of four of the first 44 selections at this weekend’s NHL Entry Draft at the Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh, including picks 12 and 21, have some nice chips if they want to deal.
At this point, nothing’s off the table, Regier said. …