By Budd Bailey, Buffalo Sports Page Columnist
Sean McKenna of the Sabres
Taken in Round 3 in 1980
Other picks in that round: Eleven players in this group reached 100 NHL games played, led by Craig Ludwig (1,256) and Mark Osbourne (919). Some of the other names were Troy Murray, taken right after McKenna, Steve Bozek, Randy Velischek, and Tom Fergus.
The details: McKenna looked like a great pick right after he was taken. The winger scored 57 goals in his final two junior seasons, and was called up for a few games early in 1982. Sean had a pair of 20-goal seasons for Buffalo, but never developed past that point. He was traded to Los Angeles as part of a package that brought Brian Engblom and Doug Smith to Buffalo.
Other 56s: Marty Schottenheimer spent four seasons as a Bill as a reserve linebacker. As you probably know, he did his best work as a coach. Scott Thomas, a graduate of Nichols High School in Buffalo, was drafted in 1989 and played 39 games with the Sabres. Keith Gretzky (1985) had an impossible act to follow in brother Wayne. He spent parts of two seasons in Rochester before bouncing around the minors and European leagues.
(Follow Budd on Twitter @WDX2BB)
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