In the late 1980s, the probability of Soviet hockey players increased significantly. The Buffalo Sabres got in on that, taking up and coming Alexander Mogilny 89th Overall in 1988. A year later, after participating in the World Hockey Championship in Stockholm, he defected to the United States and joined the Sabres.
Pat LaFontaine only played 268 Games for the Buffalo Sabres, but it was a brief run that would land him in the Hockey Hall of Fame.
A First Round Pick in 1982, Dave Andreychuk made a mark in the National Hockey League as the master of the Power Play. In fact, he holds the all-time record with 274 Goals with an advantage.
One of the best American-born Defensemen in the game’s history, Phil Housley’s 21-year career began with an eight-year run as a Buffalo Sabre.