If the 2001 NHL Draft was done over again, it's safe to say Pominville would not last until the 55th pick, which was where the Buffalo Sabres selected him that year.
The Repentigny, Quebec, native has had a long and productive career. Despite two 100-plus point seasons to finish a four-year run with Shawinigan of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, Pominville didn't carry the "can't-miss" prospect label entering that draft. It took three-plus seasons in the American Hockey League before Pominville earned regular playing time in the NHL.
If the 2001 NHL Draft was done over again, it's safe to say Pominville would not last until the 55th pick, which was where the Buffalo Sabres selected him that year.
The Repentigny, Quebec, native has had a long and productive career. Despite two 100-plus point seasons to finish a four-year run with Shawinigan of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, Pominville didn't carry the "can't-miss" prospect label entering that draft. It took three-plus seasons in the American Hockey League before Pominville earned regular playing time in the NHL.
Pominville showed his on-ice vision and offensive creativity soon after joining the Sabres early in the 2005-06 season. He scored his first NHL goal on Nov. 27, 2005 against the Washington Capitals to help Buffalo to a 3-2 win. Pominville finished the season with 18 goals and 30 points in 57 games.
In the 2006 Stanley Cup playoffs, Pominville played in each of Buffalo's 18 games and led all rookies with 10 points as Buffalo got within a win of the Stanley Cup Final. Pominville's short-handed, series-clinching overtime goal against the Ottawa Senators in Game 5 of the second round provided one of the great moments in Sabres history.
A 34-goal, 68-point season in 2006-07 began a seven-season run in which the forward never finished lower than fourth in scoring on the Sabres. During his 27-goal, 80-point 2007-08 campaign, Pominville assumed Buffalo's rotating captaincy for the first time and was named a finalist for the Lady Byng Trophy.
Pominville played in all 82 games each season from 2006-07-2009-10. His streak of 335 consecutive games ended Oct. 13, 2010 following a concussion.
On Oct. 6, 2011, Buffalo named Pominville its 16th captain. He responded with the second 30-goal season of his career and his first appearance in an NHL All-Star Game. But with the Sabres in rebuilding mode, Buffalo sent Pominville to the Wild at the NHL Trade Deadline.
In Minnesota, Pominville scored four goals and nine points in 10 games to help the Wild qualify for the playoffs for the first time in five seasons. Having had great on-ice chemistry with Zach Parise, Pominville signed a five-year extension with the Wild before the 2013-14 season, and he and Parise would become one of the top scoring tandems in franchise history.
