from John Vogl of the Buffalo News,

Jason Botterill wasn't worried about hitting the jackpot. Suddenly, as the Buffalo Sabres reached the final four of the NHL Draft Lottery, the prize was right before his eyes.

"That was the first time I was like, 'Oh, my goodness. This is nerve-racking, for sure,'" the Buffalo Sabres' general manager said Saturday night.

The nerves were worth it. They led to a celebration.

The third time was the charm for the Sabres, who won the NHL Draft Lottery on Saturday night and hold the No. 1 pick for June's draft. Like 2014 and 2015, the last-place Sabres had the best odds for the top spot. Unlike the other two years, they will select first....

"This is a good day," Botterill said. "We're going to bring in a player who has a history of – if you look at any of the top players – they have a history of being successful players. That's we need more and more in our organization is people who have experience of winning and are excited about trying to win at the National Hockey League level."

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