Question

[bob_sauve28]

I was thinking about connections. We have Briere because of Chris Gratton. But we can trace back Connelly through Peca to Mogilny, a draft pick from 1989. McKee also is connected to Mogilny. Are there any Sabres who can be traced back farther through trade? Was the Mogilny pick obtained in a trade for another player?

[Stoner]

Yes, we can go all the way back to your pal Don Edwards! Edwards was drafted in 1975. He was traded in 1982 along with defenseman Richie Dunn and some picks to Calgary for a first-round pick that year (among other picks). The Sabres used that first pick for Paul Cyr, who was traded on New Year's Eve 1987 along with a 10th-round pick to the Rangers for Mike Donnelly and a fifth-round pick that became... Alexander Mogilny.

 

But there's another link that can be traced back all the way to the inception of the franchise. Roger Crozier, one of the team's goalies in 1970, was sold to Washington for cash in 1977. Punch Imlach instructed his secretary at the time to use the dough to buy one of those newfangled fax machines. That fax machine has been used to execute every trade in Sabre history since then! It has failed only once, God bless Betsy's soul.

[Eleven]

I was thinking about connections. We have Briere because of Chris Gratton. But we can trace back Connelly through Peca to Mogilny, a draft pick from 1989. McKee also is connected to Mogilny. Are there any Sabres who can be traced back farther through trade? Was the Mogilny pick obtained in a trade for another player?

 

Don't know who has the longest branch of the Sabres family tree, but I'll trace Briere back to Barrasso for you:

 

Barrasso to Pittsburgh for Bodger and Darrin Shannon.

Shannon and others to Winnipeg for a bunch of players and a 5th-round pick (Khymlev).

Khymlev to Saint Louis for Sarich.

Sarich to Tampa for Gratton.

Gratton to Phoenix for Briere.

 

Of note: That same Daniel Briere was originally picked with a pick Buffalo traded away to get Grosek and Darryl Shannon.