It is widely known who the Buffalo Sabres selected first overall at the 1970 NHL Amateur Draft. Gilbert Perreault was a great choice, to say the least, and led the National Hockey League team through its first 17 years of existence.
However, there were nine picks total by Buffalo through nine rounds at that 1970 Amateur Draft (not to be mistaken for the 1970 NHL Expansion Draft where the Sabres and Vancouver Canucks got to pick unprotected players from the other 12 teams). None of them went on to a career like Perreault but, for the most part, went on to play hockey professionally to some degree.
Of the nine players picked, four played at least a game with the Sabres. Five never played a game in the National Hockey League. Two helped the Cincinnati Swords, Buffalo’s AHL affiliate, to a Calder Cup title in 1972-73. Four played at least a game in the World Hockey Association. One of the nine played no professional hockey. Four found themselves on the front of at least one hockey card.
Buffalo Sabres 1970 NHL Amateur Draft Selections
Round 1 / 1st Overall: Gilbert Perreault
Round 2 / 15th Overall: Butch Deadmarsh
Round 3 / 29th Overall: Steve Cuddie
Round 4 / 43rd Overall: Randy Wyrozub
Round 5 / 57th Overall: Mike Morton
Round 6 / 71st Overall: Mike Keeler
Round 7 / 84th Overall: Tim Regan
Round 8 / 97th Overall: Doug Rombough
Round 9 / 107th Overall: Luc Nadeau
Gilbert Perreault
Gilbert Perreault was chosen first overall by the Sabres with the Canucks taking Dale Tallon with the second overall pick. Perreault spent 17 years in the National Hockey League from 1970-71 to 1986-87, all with Buffalo. Over that time, he scored 512 goals and assisted on 814 for 1,326 points over 1,191 regular season games. In the Stanley Cup playoffs, he added 103 points in 90 games.
Gil was the Calder Trophy recipient in 1970-71 as NHL rookie of the year. His only other major personal accolade while playing was the Lady Byng Trophy in 1972-73. Perreault was team captain from 1981-82 to 1985-86, replacing Danny Gare and being replaced by Lindy Ruff.
Perreault was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1990. That same year, his number 11 was retired by the Sabres. It was the first jersey number retired by Buffalo and one of seven to be honoured, to date. His rookie card is a coveted inclusion in the 1970-71 O-Pee-Chee set.
Butch Deadmarsh
The 15th overall pick at the 1970 NHL Amateur Draft, Butch Deadmarsh was used sparingly by the Sabres from 1970-71 to 1972-73, appearing in a total of 56 regular season games. In all, he played in 137 regular season and four Stanley Cup playoff games in the NHL with the Sabres, Atlanta Flames and Kansas City Scouts.
In the WHA, Butch had a bit longer career, appearing in 255 regular season and eight playoff games between 1974-75 and 1977-78. While he only totaled 17 points in the NHL, his World Hockey Association totals were much better with 63 goals and 66 assists for 129 points. Over his WHA career, Deadmarsh played for the Vancouver Blazers, Calgary Cowboys, Minnesota Fighting Saints, Edmonton Oilers and Cincinnati Stingers.
It took a while before Butch found himself on cardboard. The Butch Deadmarsh rookie card appears as number 73 in the 1974-75 O-Pee-Chee set. He is wearing his Atlanta Flames jersey in the picture but is shown as a member of the Kansas City Scouts. It would be his only NHL hockey card with two more to come in the WHA.
Steve Cuddie
The third round pick, Steve Cuddie, never played for the Sabres and never appeared in a NHL game. Cuddie did have a decent career in the WHA, playing in 221 regular season and 26 playoff games in the rebel league between 1972-73 and 1974-75. He spent his time in the WHA with the Winnipeg Jets and Toronto Toros. Steve didn’t get on the front of a hockey card in either league.
Randy Wyrozub
Randy Wyrozub is the only other of the nine players to get a hockey card in his first season with the Sabres. The Randy Wyrozub rookie card appears as number 141 in the 1970-71 O-Pee-Chee NHL set.
Buffalo was the only NHL team that Wyrozub would play for, appearing in exactly 100 games between 1970-71 and 1973-74. In the WHA, Randy played in 55 games with the Indianapolis Racers in 1975-76. He was another important member of the 1972-73 Cincinnati Swords Calder Cup championship team.
Mike Morton
The fifth round pick Mike Morton came in with some promise. In 1969-70, he placed fifth in the QMJHL with 147 points while playing for the Shawinigan Bruins. However, Morton would never play a game in the NHL and would never get on a hockey card.
His scoring ability showed through in 1972-73 while playing in the EHL for the Syracuse Blazers. He was one of six players on the team to surpass the 100 point plateau, finishing the season with 105. That team included league leader Ray Adduono and his 170 points. The Blazers won the EHL championship that year.
The following year, Mike led the Blazers in scoring with 44 goals and 51 assists for 95 points, good for eighth overall. The team had moved on to the NAHL with the dissolution of the EHL. Syracuse became the short lived league’s first champion, beating the Long Island Cougars in the finals.
Mike Keeler
Sixth rounder Mike Keeler never saw a game in the National Hockey League. He did play a single regular season and single playoff games in the WHA with the New England Whalers in 1973-74. Keeler played minor pro hockey from 1970-71 to 1978-79 in a handful of leagues, including the EHL, AHL, WHL, NAHL, PHL and NEHL.
Tim Regan
The only goalie drafted by the Sabres in 1970, Tim Regan never reached the National Hockey League. After being drafted, he continued with his education, going to school and playing for Boston University. He finished up with BU in 1971-72, following up with three seasons of minor pro hockey in the EHL, AHL and SHL until 1974-75.
Doug Rombough
He was a late pick but that didn’t stop Doug Rombough. Doug played in the National Hockey League from 1972-73 to 1975-76 with the Sabres, New York Islanders and Minnesota North Stars. He played for Buffalo during the 1972-73 and 1973-74 season, appearing in a total of 51 games.
Doug was a member of the 1972-73 Cincinnati Swords Calder Cup winning team. The Doug Rombough rookie card appears as number 279 in the 1974-75 O-Pee-Chee NHL set and he is shown with the New York Islanders.
Luc Nadeau
Luc Nadeau was taken in the ninth round 107th overall. He was a member of the Drummondville Rangers of the QMJHL in 1969-70, putting up great numbers with 33 goals and 49 assists for 82 points in 56 games. However, he would never play any sort of organized hockey after that.