Draft day was a busy day for the Buffalo Sabres. The team traded veteran defenseman Andrej Sekera to the Carolina Hurricanes for defenseman Jamie McBain and a second-round pick in Sunday's draft. In all, Buffalo drafted a league-high 11 times, including twice in the first round and three times in the second round.
With the eighth pick overall, the Sabres selected Finnish defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen. Listed at 6-foot-4 and 207 pounds, Ristolainen is regarded as a hard-hitting player who also possesses a heavy shot.
With the sixteenth pick, the team grabbed another defenseman, Nikita Zadorov. He's listed at 6-3, and 201 pounds. From Russia, Zadorov played last season with the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League.
Williamsville native Justin Bailey was taken in the second round. Buffalo native Sean Malone was taken in the sixth round.