By Warren Kozireski —
One day after making a big splash at the 2015 NHL Entry Draft with a pair of big trades and selecting Hobey Baker winner Jack Eichel with the second overall pick, the Buffalo Sabres were relatively quiet on day two using four of their five selections on defensemen.
“With every draft there are guys that you look at and guys are coming off the board and your guy is still there and you’re asking everyone at the table ‘why is he still there.’,” Sabres Director of Amateur Scouting Greg Royce said. “I would think every team has players like that.
“At one point we looked at the guys we had drafted and thought we are going we are going west a little bit and were picking a few defensemen, but it’s always been our theory to pick the best player available on your board and through either free agency or trades we can fill holes and positional needs.”
Brandan Guhle from Prince Albert in the Western Hockey League was their second round selection 51st overall.
“I was expecting to go between 40-70,” Guhle said. “I wish I could go over it (having his named called) again. It went by so fast and a great feeling.
“I just got drafted so there is a long way to go, but we’ll see how it plays out. It’s a good organization with a good, young core. I’m excited.”
After not having a pick in round three, Buffalo took defenseman William Borgen from Moorhead HS (Minn.) 92nd overall. At 6’1”, 189 lb. is committed to play college hockey with St. Cloud State University.
“Borgen is a big defenseman, skates very well, great hockey sense, moves the puck and is going to St. Cloud with four years to develop there,” Royce said. “We think another year maybe two years in the American League and he’ll be ready to play with the big club.”
30 picks later in the fifth round defenseman Devante Stephens from Kelowna (WHL) was taken. At 6’-1”, 171lb., the Surrey, B.C. native was described by Joyce as “a steal there. He didn’t play a lot early in the year so some teams weren’t on to him and he played on a deep team, but when he did get the icetime he showed as a very good skater with good puck poise. He makes plays but isn’t real flashy or wow you, but he makes the right plays.
“As he gets bigger, and his father was a football player at the University of Maryland, I really, firmly believe he will be a top-six defenseman in the NHL.”
In round six at 152 overall Lethbridge Broncos center Giorgio Estephan was selected as the only forward.
“He had broken foot or ankle early in the year and didn’t train in the summer. The knock on him is that he has to work on his skating, but he knows how to score goals and our Western League scout was passionate about drafting him.”
And 6’2” 190 lb. defenseman Ivan Chukarov was the choice with their seventh round and final pick. The Minnesota (NAHL) is American born with a Russian family background and is committed to play college hockey at the University of Massachusetts this fall.
“Our players are excited, but I’m not going to pressure on our players or coaches and say we’re a playoff team now,” General Manager Tim Murray said after the draft. “I think there is still a lot of uncertainty and everything is new, so let’s see how it all comes together in training camp.
“The trades we made us better and I feel good about it. I think we’ve taken big strides. It’s Christmas morning for coaches every time you add a proven good to very good NHL player, so I think they should be excited.”
