As you’re probably aware, the NHL Draft lottery was held last night in Toronto. For only the second time in the last 10 years, the team with the worst record (in this case the Buffalo Sabres) won the first overall pick. The Carolina Hurricanes jumped nine spots from 11th to 2nd, and the Montreal Canadiens moved up one spot from 4th to 3rd.
With the first overall pick, the Sabres are expected to draft Rasmus Dahlin, a blue-chip defensive prospect from Sweden. Dahlin will have an immediate impact in Buffalo, giving them a much needed boost on the blue line:
For example, Rasmus Ristolainen has played way too many minutes in his young career with the Sabres and the returns have reflected that.