By Budd Bailey, Buffalo Sports Page Columnist
Matthew Barnaby of the Sabres
Taken in Round 4 in 1992
Other picks in that round: Jere Lehtinen went 88th to Minnesota that year, and he went on to become one of the best defensive forwards in hockey (three-time Selke Trophy winner). Calgary took Robert Svehla of Czechoslovakia at No. 78.
The details: Barnaby averaged more than a point a game for Beauport in 1991-92, and also had 476 penalty minutes. That combination got the Sabres attention. He saw some limited playing time in Buffalo before arriving for good in 1995, and stayed through 1999. While he was here, Matthew was a memorable pest as a winger. Barnaby continued to play in the NHL through 2007 with six other teams.
Other 83s: Ken Johnson was a backup defensive end for the Bills from 1979 until 1983, and then won the starting job in 1984. Keith Goganious was a reserve linebacker for three years , including the 1993 Super Bowl team. The Sabres drafted defenseman Jim Wiemer in 1980, and he spent about three and one-half years in their organization before going to the Rangers in a trade. Jim did a lot of bouncing between the majors and minors, but did his best NHL work in Boston in the early 1990s.
(Follow Budd on Twitter @WDX2BB)
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