Buffalo Sabres’ top draft pick: Taro Tsujimoto

It’s hard to believe that hockey season is back in Buffalo and Western New York, but it is.

The Sabres wrapped up another NHL draft, landing several prospects who should make an impact on the team in the years to come. The Sabres also made a splash in the free agent market by filling some key holes in the prospect pool.

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These moves raise hopes among Sabres fans around the world, which is good for the Blue and Gold.

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As we prepare for the season, one thing we can do this offseason is take a moment to remember the greatest decision the Sabres have made at the NHL Draft in team history. It was selecting the one and only Taro Tsujimoto in the seventh round of the 1974 NHL Entry Draft.

Memories of Taro Tsujimoto’s selection by the Sabres

In a bold move that will likely never be repeated in NHL history, 50 years ago the Sabres drafted a fictional player with the 183rd pick in the 1974 NHL Entry Draft.

According to historical reports from WGRZ-TV, team general manager Punch Imlach and team communications director Paul Wieland were extremely exasperated with the format of the 1974 draft. The draft was conducted in secret and over the phone. The 25-round draft took three full days, and in protest of the mismanagement of the draft, the Sabres duo decided to have a little fun with the league.

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They then teamed up to create a fictional player from Osaka, Japan who played for the fictional Tokyo Katanas. After a while, the backstory formed and Taro Tsujimoto was born.

Tsujimoto’s inside joke lasted for a few months until team officials finally admitted to the ruse, which of course did not amuse NHL executives, particularly NHL President Clarence Campbell.

Since then, Taro Tsujimoto has lived on in the memories of Sabres fans around the world. It’s not uncommon to see a Taro Tsujimoto #I 74 jersey inside KeyBank Center on game days.