Every year the NHL draft is a highlight on my calendar. I gather my notes on the players and sit down to watch the intrigue between the teams and see who the Sabres will pick.

This year was no different, but I was in a state of shock and dismay at their selection of Kassian, a player who is only an average skater but a great fighter. He models himself after Todd Bertuzzi. Bertuzzi, whose claim to fame is the mugging of Steve Moore in 2004, which caused him to be banned for the rest of the season and fined $250,000. This guy is Kassian’s role model?

Darcy’s explanation for his selection was that we needed big, tough players. Well, what are Mair, Gaustad and Kaleta? Choir boys?

Meanwhile the Sabres passed on players they could have really used, foremost of which is Kulikov. This guy is a top 10 pick that amazingly fell into the Sabres’ hands. He could have helped them where they need it most—on defense. He was snapped up by the Panthers and I’m sure they thanked their lucky stars.

I was so disgusted by this that I tore up my notes and shut off the TV. It became painfully obvious to me that the Sabres management is only interested in fielding a mediocre team that will put people in the seats and nothing more. Certainly Kassian will do that with his hitting and fighting. But they have no interest in giving fans what they really want— putting together the talent needed to build a Stanley Cup contending team. Kulikov came to them as a gift and they threw him away in favor of a Dave Schultz wannabe who will be lucky to make the third line. I don’t expect to see a Cup in Buffalo for many, many years.

West Amherst