Kicking off at 5 p.m. on Friday, fans are invited to hang out at First Niagara Center for the 2012 NHL Draft Party.

Admission to the event is free and guests will also enjoy complimentary parking in the arena ramp. Family-friendly entertainment will continue throughout the night with player autograph sessions, family activities and a big sale at the Sabres Store.

Commemorating the team’s upcoming 42nd season in the NHL, the Sabres Store will be offering fans a discount of 42 percent off their entire purchase during the draft party. This is a great opportunity to pick up some Sabres swag in the off-season.

According to the Sabres,

Coverage of the first round of the draft will be shown on the high-definition video board beginning at 7 p.m. Broadcast personalities from the Sabres and WGR 550 will be on hand throughout the night to provide expert analysis and exclusive interviews live from the draft at the CONSOL Energy Center in Pittsburgh.

Having been to this event in year’s past, the Sabres offer a really great night to keep the whole family busy. Kids will be able to show off their skills at different floor hockey events right where the Sabres take to the ice during the season. Keep in mind that any children under the age of 12 will be required to wear a helmet if they want to participate in the floor hockey events.

For more information, check out the Sabres’ website or Facebook page.

Interested in checking out which prospects are making a buzz at this year’s NHL Entry Draft? Here is a video from the Scouting Combine in Toronto during some of the fitness tests.

Photo courtesy of Facebook.