Sabres Get Defensive in First Round – 13WHAM

The Buffalo Sabres have selected two defenseman in the first round of the NHL draft.

With the eighth pick of the draft, the Sabres selected Finnish defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen. The hard hitting defenseman is listed at 6-foot-3, 201 pounds. Ristolainen had 15 points in 52 games this past season as a rookie in the Finnish league.

Buffalo picked again at pick 16. A pick in which they acquired via the Jason Pomminville trade to Minnesota. With that pick, Buffalo got even more mean with the selection of 6-foot-5 defenseman Nakita Zadrov.

Zadorov played his junior hockey in Canada with the London Knights. Zadorov is said to have been “the meanest player in this years draft.”

The Sabres made ten total selections in this year’s draft.

Rasmus Ristolainen – Defense
Nikita Zadorov – Defense
JT Compher – Center
Connor Hurley – Forward
Justin Bailey – Center
Nick Baptiste – Right Wing
Cal Peterson – Goalie
Gustav Possler – Right Wing
Anthony Florentino – Defense
Sean Malone – Center