‘A week ago, almost nobody anticipated that Rudolph would even be linked with the Sabres, who acquired the No. 4 pick in this year’s draft from Chicago as part of a trade June 23 for defenseman Bowen Byram. There was speculation that the pick could become trade capital as the first round of the draft on Friday approached. Rudolph wasn’t projected in mock drafts to go to the Sabres, landing somewhere in the range of the seventh to 10th pick in the draft.’