With the Buffalo Sabres only selection in the first 67 picks of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, they selected defenseman Mark Pysyk from the Edmonton Oil Kings of the Western Hockey League with the #23 overall pick.

Pysyk, 18, just completed his third season with the Oil Kings, scoring seven goals, 17 assists for 24 points in only 48 games after missing time for a broken foot.

At 6-2, 175-pounds, the Sherwood Park, Alberta native was rated #17 by the International Scouting Services and was considered the seventh best North American Skater by NHL Central Scouting.

His play has been compared to that of Chicago Blackhawks Brian Campbell as someone who has good skating ability and can make that first pass out of the zone. It will be a while before he’s wearing a Sabres uniform and that’s a good thing for the Portland Pirates as he’ll spend a couple season playing at the Cumberland County Civic Center – or whatever building the Pirates are playing at in Maine – developing, but once he arrives at the HSBC Arena, he could be a perfect complement to another big defenseman for the Sabres in Tyler Myers.

Pysyk never fell out of the ranking in the closing weeks and the NHL combine recently held in Toronto went to solidifying Pysyk’s position where he was tops in anaerobic fitness testing.

NOTES: There were no player from with Maine ties selected in the first round, but tomorrow is slated to be a big day as several players could be selected by NHL teams. Lewiston Maineiacs’ Michael Chaput, Jess Tanguay and Sam Carrier are all expected to be drafted at some point during the day as well as Maine native’s Jacob Rutt and Garnet Hathaway.

Also, don’t be shocked to see Kennebunk native Brian Billett drafted tomorrow as the young goalie became a mainstay with the New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs last season, becoming one of the top goalies in the EJHL. Billett, expected to join Boston College in the fall, led the EJHL with a 1.92 GAA and a .943 save percentage.