Sabres Edge

LOS ANGELES -- Greetings from the floor of the Staples Center, where the GMs are chatting, scouts are sweating and media members are watching the flesh-pushing trying to gather whether every extended handshake between general managers means a trade is on the way.

Nothing yet on that front. We'll have more soon. I see Scott Arniel and have to go congratulate him on the new head coaching job in Columbus.

6:27 p.m.: This has been the worst-kept secret for months, but it's pretty obvious the Sabres are returning full time to their vintage logo and dumping the slug. All the "primary" jerseys have been deeply discounted at the Sabres' Store since the season ended, and there's no sign of that logo anywhere. The placard on the Sabres' table has the vintage logo, and the flag waving above the stage is the buffalo and crossed sabres, as is the little logo on the draft board.

So, in other words, the 40th season uniforms will look a lot like the first season.

6:34 p.m.: Still no deals, but one significant signing in the Northeast Division as the Bruins are keeping Mark Recchi for at least one more season. The 42-year-old certainly proved his worth during the first-round playoff victory over the Sabres.

6:38 p.m.: Big roar from the seats behind me, so I look to see what the commotion is, and as nice little bonus to the stellar week in Vegas and L.A., it's the Kings Ice Crew throwing shirts to the crowd. This town has talent.

6:41 p.m.: Darcy Reiger is chatting with the Flames' Darryl Sutter.

6:42 p.m.: Ryan Miller's West Coast swing continues as the Sabres' Vezina-winning goaltender is with the scouts, Regier and coach Lindy Ruff.

6:47 p.m.: Not a bad little crowd here in the arena as we hit about 15 minutes to show time. It's not packed like Montreal and Ottawa the past two years, but I'm sure no one expected it to be. But the 300 level is filled, as are the lower sections farthest away from the draft stage. The prospects and their friends and families are slowly filling in the 100 level.

6:52 p.m.: The teams are conducting the roll call, and it's a roar as they get to the Kings. Loud ovation for the Oilers earlier, too, as the fans have turned out to see them pick first overall.

7:04 p.m.: Rumors swirling that the Panthers are sending defenseman and former Sabres prospect Keith Ballard to Vancouver for short-time Sabres forward Steve Bernier and the 25th overall pick. We'll have confirmation once the television intro is over and the draft really gets swinging.

7:13 p.m.: Gary Bettman steps to the podium and, of course, gets booed.

7:15 p.m.: ESPN's Pierre LeBrun, who I haven't seen without his phone all week, reports that Florida trades Ballard and prospect Victor Oreskovich to Vancouver for Bernier, Michael Grabner and the Canucks' first-round pick, but it is conditional on the player Florida wants being available at 25.

7:18 p.m.: The Oilers make Taylor Hall the first overall pick, as expected.

7:22 p.m.: The Bruins are on the clock, and it would be a shock if they didn't go with Tyler Seguin.

7:26 p.m.: Boston does indeed select Seguin.

7:45 p.m.: While I was in the back hall interviewing Hall and Seguin, the Florida Panthers picked defenseman Erik Gudbranson third overall and the Columbus Blue Jackets just selected Ryan Johansen with the fourth pick. He was rated just 10th by Central Scouting, but my childhood buddy Kris Baker of SabresProspects.com said Johansen had a great second half to shoot up folks' draft boards.

7:48 p.m.: You can see our draft chart here.

7:55 p.m.: This is taking much longer than I remember from the previous two years. The Islanders select Nino Niederreiter. Profiles compiled by the NHL on these prospects can be found here.

8:05 p.m.: Tampa Bay selects Brett Connolly at No. 6.

8:07 p.m.: I don't see Regier at the Sabres' table, and I saw them readying a hat and jersey. Interesting. Quite possibly meaningless, but interesting nonetheless.

8:13 p.m.: Well, Regier is making his way back to the table as the Hurricanes select Jeff Skinner. Regier immediately went to chat with coach Lindy Ruff.

8:20 p.m.: Regier has finally returned to his seat on the opposite side of the table from Ruff as the Thrashers use the eighth pick on Alexander Burmistrov.

8:25 p.m.: Minnesota takes Finn Mikael Granlund, the top-rated European skater.

8:33 p.m.: The Rangers go with defenseman Dylan McIlrath, continuing an unexpected drop for Windsor blue-liner Cam Fowler.

8:38 p.m.: The first goalie is off the board as Dallas selects American world juniors backstop Jack Campbell. Solid choice for an organization that is ending the Marty Turco era.

8:41 p.m.: Ear-ringing boos from the L.A. folks as the neighboring Anaheim Ducks go on the clock.

8:45 p.m.: Scoreboard shows a guy with a Ducks '07 champion jersey and the place goes bonkers. Was unable to heard the Ducks' pick over the booing, but the board says they finally took Fowler off the board. He might be able to step in immediately following the recent retirement of Scott Niedermayer.

8:53 p.m.: Regier is back from another stroll, and he has a big smile.

8:55 p.m.: Run on defensemen as Phoenix picks Brandon Gormley with the 13th pick. It's likely the Sabres will have to go with the best available forward at this rate.

9:04 p.m.: We're nearing the halfway point as S. Louis selects Jaden Schwartz with the 14th pick. I'm beginning to worry a bit about the Sabres drafting before tonight's deadline ...

9:09 p.m.: Genuine excitement in the building as the Panthers trade the 15th pick to the Kings for the 19th selection and the 59th pick. The Kings pick U.S. defenseman Derek Forbort, disappointing some who were hoping for California-born Emerson Etem.

9:12 p.m.: Fans go bonkers again as Forbort gets handed the retro purple and gold jersey instead of the next black one for the first photo op.

9:20 p.m.: Ottawa acquires David Rundblad, chosen 17th by St. Louis last year, and gives the Blues the 16th pick. They take Russian Vladimir Tarasenko, the second-ranked European.

9:22 p.m.: The Sabres are seven picks away.

9:28 p.m.: Joey Hishon goes to Colorado with the 17th pick.

9:33 p.m.: Nashville picks Austin Watson, whom Bakes tells me was traded for Zack Kassian during the OHL season.

9:36 p.m.: Florida takes a player who would have fit in well with the Sabres, big Minnesota high school center Nick Bjugstad.

9:40 p.m.: We've got Pittsburgh, Detroit, Phoenix and Buffalo in the next four.

9:43 p.m.: The Pens go with California-born Beau Bennett, getting a rise from several sections of the crowd.

9:45 p.m.: Two teams to go before Buffalo, and the player who makes the most sense -- St. Catharines-born center Riley Sheahan, is still available.

9:49 p.m.: Frowns and head-shaking at the Sabres' table as the Red Wings take Sheahan.

9:54 p.m.: Regier is on the phone ...

9:55 p.m.: He got off the phone and shook his head in a negative manner with scout Nik Fattey directly to his right.

9:56 p.m.: Phoenix sends the 22nd pick and the 113th to Montreal for the 27th and the 57th.

9:59 p.m.: the Habs pick Jarred Tinordi, another big American defenseman. Regier has the Sabres' ceremonial jersey in his hand, so it looks like the Sabres will indeed pick next.

10:01 p.m.: A few people applaud as Bettman announces the Sabres are up.

10:10 p.m.: After a long TV wait, the Sabres pick defenseman Mark Pysyk of the Edmonton Oil Kings of the Western Hockey League.

10:44 p.m.: Here is the link to the post-selection audio with Pysyk. Funny, well-spoken kid. Here's his Central Scouting profile.

10:50 p.m.: The Ducks make the place a madhouse by selecting California's Etem. Only one pick left.

11:09 p.m.: The draft is over till the morning, as is this blog. I will have audio from Darcy Reiger and Kevin Devine up soon. In one last bit of news, the Sabres have sent out qualifying offers to all their restricted free agents with the exception of Matt Generous and Mike Kostka.

---John Vogl