from John Vogl of the Buffalo News,

For more than a year, Buffalo fans have been dreaming of Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel. The thought of watching one of them become a superstar in a Sabres jersey made folks shake with excitement. It made the on-ice suffering bearable because of the chance for a limitless future.

It’s no longer just a dream. Either McDavid or Eichel will be a member of the Sabres next season. One will skate out to center ice on opening night as the new face of the franchise.

The team’s last-gasp effort to avoid 30th place came to an end Friday night with a 4-2 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets. Buffalo will head into Saturday’s season finale against Pittsburgh assured of drafting first or second in June, a position that will be finalized with next Saturday’s draft lottery.

Though the players were disappointed to finish last for the second straight season, the organization achieved the goal it set back in April 2013. It will build through the draft by landing a generational prospect. McDavid set an Erie Otters record by scoring five goals Friday night, while Eichel became just the second freshman to win the Hobey Baker Award as college hockey’s top player.

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