Sabres draft party pretty cool ...

It's amazing how many people will come out to HSBC Arena ... even when there's not a game.

Last night, for example, there were thousands of hockey fans at the arena for the Sabres NHL Draft Party. The team offered pix with Sabretooth (that's me at left - click to see the rest of my pix from the night), autographs, discounts at the Sabres Store, kids with sticks and helmets could play floor hockey on the floor of HSBC Arena, plus tours of the Sabres locker room.

I made sure to get a photo of Max Afinogenov's locker as rumors had swirled that he would end up part of a trade during the draft - maybe for a bag of pucks or something. Despite a - let's say - lackluster season last year, he's still my fave.

According to the Sabres, by the way, there were 3,000 people there. I'd buy it. It was a very cool thing to do.