from John Vogl of the Buffalo News,

Tim Murray made it clear he doesn’t want the Sabres to be the worst team in the NHL next season. The general manager is also well-aware Buffalo is far, far away from being a Stanley Cup contender.

So when the NHL approved changes to the 2015 Draft Lottery, he wasn’t thrilled.

“Greedily, I’m upset because I think we have more of a chance of next season being one of the lower teams, which I don’t like, but it’s just reality,” Murray said Friday. “I just think it affects the teams you see at the bottom now, so you know who you’re affecting. I’m not sure that’s fair. I think if you did it three years out, you know you’re affecting somebody, you’re affecting a bad team, but you’re not sure who that team is.”

If the Sabres follow up this year’s 30th-place finish with another one, their chances of winning the lottery and getting the No. 1 overall pick will fall from the current 25 percent to 19 percent or 20 percent. That’s a big thing with franchise talent Connor McDavid available in the top slot.

The good news for Buffalo is a bigger change won’t take place until 2016, when the top three selections will be subject to the lottery. Under that system, the last-place team could pick as low as No. 4. For 2015, the 30th-place club will pick no lower than second overall.

continued