The Toronto Maple Leafs surprised absolutely nobody by select Auston Matthews first overall in the NHL Draft. Ditto Winnipeg with Patrik Laine.

The intrigue came from the Columbus Blue Jackets when Jarmo Kekalainen resist the temptation to select the big Finn Jesse Puljujarvi with the third overall pick in the draft. Who saw that coming? I had Columbus selecting Puljujarvi or big center Logan Brown third overall. I love the pick for Columbus who get a gig, snarly, skilled power forward. The Edmonton Oilers selected Puljujarvi with the 4th overall pick. Vancouver turned a lot of heads by opting to ignore Matthews Tkachuk at #5 and they instead chose defenseman Olli Juolevi. Tkachuk went to Vancouver with the sixth pick. The Arizona Coyotes surprised many people by grabbing Clayton Keller with 7.

Tim Murray and the Buffalo Sabres sat pretty with both of their left shot D targets Jakob Chychrun and Mikhail Sergachev. Murray head fakes the sold out crowd when he opted to invest pick #8 in the shifty/crafty winger Alex Nylander.

At 9, Montreal grabbed Sergachev and Colorado swiped forward Tyson Jost at 10.




1 Toronto Maple Leafs Auston Matthews
2 Winnipeg Jets Patrik Laine
3 Columbus Blue Jackets Pierre-Luc Dubois
4 Edmonton Oilers Jesse Puljujärvi
5 Vancouver Canucks Olli Juolevi
6 Calgary Flames Matthew Tkachuk
7 Arizona Coyotes Clayton Keller
8 Buffalo Sabres Alexander Nylander
10 Montréal Canadiens Mikhail Sergachyov
10 Colorado Avalanche Tyson Jost



The Buffalo Sabres shocked their fan base by side stepping one of two left shot D-men in Jakob Chychrun and Mikhail Sergachev in order to select a high end forward in Alex Nylander.

Tim Murray said at his pre-draft presser that he wanted to acquire a left shot D, be it via trade or the draft.

The Nylander pick suggest to me that Murray is going to close a trade deal on Anaheim Ducks QB Cam Fowler.

More on that later.

I love Nylander's skill and his improvisational skills.

He has a full suite of skills that includes fast hands, faster feet, a bomb of a shot and a nose for the net.

He inherited his scoring prowess from his father Miichal Nylander who was once dubbed "The Swedish Gretzky" when he starred in the NHL for Washington and NY Rangers.


At 6'0" and 185, Nylander has the size to augment his raw speed and acute hockey skills. He sees the ice very well.

His passing and shooting abilities remind me a lot of Washington Capitals star and fellow Swede sniper Nicklas Backstrom, who played with Alex's father in the U.S. capital.


The knock on Nylander is that he spends more time on the offensive side of the puck and that he has to commit himself to playing the D-side of the puck with the same passion that he plays offense with.

Plkaying for Dan Bylsma will suit Nylander just fine. Byslma will teach him the defensive zone while not sapping his offense.

with the 8th pick the @BuffaloSabres choose Alexander Nylander. @TheBuffaloNews @BNHarrington @SabresBuzz pic.twitter.com/wCCEXtEXsQ

— Harry Scull Jr (@hsjrphoto) June 25, 2016

with the 8th pick the @BuffaloSabres choose Alexander Nylander. @TheBuffaloNews @BNHarrington @SabresBuzz pic.twitter.com/4VYC7OjPcM

— Harry Scull Jr (@hsjrphoto) June 25, 2016

Alex rocking Lafontaine 16 @BuffaloSabres pic.twitter.com/i26hLNTSVs

— SabresBuzz (@SabresBuzz) June 25, 2016

Nylander: "I had a really good feeling they (BUF) would draft me" pic.twitter.com/zFJR2ya0Xl

— SabresBuzz (@SabresBuzz) June 25, 2016

Nylander:"I'm a playmaker and a game breaker" pic.twitter.com/SV9yAGIEU5

— SabresBuzz (@SabresBuzz) June 25, 2016

His Dad is the "Swedish Gretzky". He likes Nik Backatrom. He says he has better hair than bro Willie pic.twitter.com/p6fCSFBueE

— SabresBuzz (@SabresBuzz) June 25, 2016

Sibling rivalry time pic.twitter.com/on1NxbKbrm

— SabresBuzz (@SabresBuzz) June 25, 2016

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