The decision to draft a non-existent player was made by Sabres general manager Punch Imlach, who was frustrated by the absurd length of the draft, and in the late rounds decided to have fun and draft someone unusual. Together with Sabres director of communications Paul Wieland, they created Taro Tsujimoto, a twenty-year-old Japanese forward who played for the fictional Tokyo Katanas of the Japan Ice Hockey League.
Sabres general manager Punch Imlach drafted a non-existent player as a humorous response to the lengthy draft process. He and Sabres director of communications Paul Wieland crafted Taro Tsujimoto, a 20-year-old Japanese forward who played for the fictional Tokyo Katanas in the Japan Ice Hockey League.