Buffalo Sabres Draft Picks: Second Round Busts
By Tim Redinger
Phillip Gogulla – 48th Overall Selection, Buffalo Sabres 2005
With the 48th overall pick in the second round of 2005 the Buffalo Sabres select from Germany, Phillip Gogulla.
From HockeysFuture.com:
"In the second round, the Sabres opted for the only German drafted in 2005 selecting Gogulla with the 48th pick. Gogulla was touted as good all-around winger who had good board skills and a good passing touch. His offensive skills were modest, but it was his two-way play and dedication to the game that the Sabres liked."
The Buffalo Sabres almost lost the rights to Gogulla after drafting him in 2005. They waited until the last day of eligibility to sign him to an entry level – and they almost didn’t get the deal approved on time to maintain their rights to the player. Phillip Gogulla was almost able to re-enter the NHL draft process for the 2007 Entry Draft.
Once the situation was figured out – and it was clear that Gogulla was property of the Buffalo Sabres, the team placed him on loan for the first two years of his deal to Kolner Haie, his DEL team.
After his third training camp- Gogulla stayed in North America – playing with the Buffalo Sabres affiliate, the Portland Pirates for the remaining year on his deal. After it was clear that he would not be making an NHL squad, he returned to the DEL and signed a deal with Haie once again.
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