Buffalo Sabres Prospects: Four Defenseman Added In Draft

When it comes to the offensive side of the draft, Jack Eichel was the easy choice. He will likely decide to leave Boston University and step right into the NHL. After the 2nd pick, it was pretty clear what the Sabres needed to do in the draft and Tim Murray executed.

After trading away Nikita Zadorov to the Colorado Avalanche, the Sabres saw their defensive prospect pool that can make an immediate impact shrink….literally. Replacing Zadorov is going to be tough. He uses his hulking size and ability to turn a play into a Big Z trainwreck to his advantage, just ask new teammate Matt Duchene and Boston’s Max Talbot.

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It was time for Murray to look for some defensemen to fill out the back end of a talented, young prospect pool. Remember, the Sabres have a stockpile of right-handed defensemen throughout the organization.

The Sabres entered the second day of the 2015 NHL Draft with pick #51 in the 2nd round and the first pick in rounds 4, 5, 6, and 7. When it was all said and done, the Sabres would walk out with 4 defensemen and a center. Needless to say, Tim Murray was able to fill out his defensive prospect pool quickly. Here are the 4 defensemen (with analysis) chosen in 2015 by the Buffalo Sabres.

Round 2, Pick 51

Brendan Guhle: 6’2″, 180 lbs from the Prince Albert Raiders (WHL)

“He’s [Guhle] lean, he’s got to put on some mass and get stronger. He’s an unbelievable athlete, he tested off the charts. He can really skate.” – Sabres GM Tim Murray via Sabres.com

Guhle is a left handed shooter with excellent skating abilities, puck movement skill and a superior athlete. At the NHL Draft Combine in Buffalo, Guhle (Goo-lee) had 7 top-10 finishes which included the longest standing long jump and the highest peak power output on the Wingate bike test. He’s also not phased by physical play. He won’t throw crushing hits, but Guhle can dish out solid bodychecks.

His poise with the physicality of the game reminds me a lot of fellow Sabre defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen. Guhle is not afraid to drop the gloves which is always something you like to see with a defenseman, especially a leader like he is on the back end and logging plenty of minutes with Prince Albert. He will need to gain weight and muscle to become a valuable pro, but that will come with time.

The best part of Brendan Guhle’s game is his superior skating ability. He has a long, powerful stride in the open ice and quick feet when he needs them below the dots and along the boards. He is able to move the puck well and spark some offense but has a respectable defensive game that will only improve with time and experience.

It will be beneficial for Guhle to head back to the WHL for the next year or two before hitting the pro ranks. Getting him time in Rochester can really benefit his game when it comes to adapting to both the offensive and defensive zones, but his skating, puck movement, and two-way abilities give him the potential to be a top-4 defenseman in the future.

Round 4, Pick 92

William Borgen: 6’2″, 190 lbs from Moorhead High Scool in Minnesota (USHS)

“Borgen is a big defenseman, skates very well, good hockey sense, moves the puck.” – Greg Royce, Director of Amateur Scouting via Sabres.com

This right-handed St. Cloud State commit was nominated for Mr. Hockey award (given to the top player in Minnesota) during his senior season with Moorhead HS. This is another defensive prospect for the Sabres who possesses solid skating and puck moving abilities. Borgen makes a good first pass that can really spark a breakout or a transition opportunity.

He will have 4 years of NCAA hockey to develop his skills and when he gets out, the Rochester Americans would likely be his destination for a year or two. When he is ready for the big club, Borgen can prove to be a very effective top-6 defenseman.

Round 5, Pick 122

Devante Stephens: 6’1″, 174 lbs from the Kelowna Rockets (WHL)

“I do believe he was a steal there” – Greg Royce, Director of Amateur Scouting via Sabres.com

Stephens is a left-handed defenseman that has had an interesting journey leading up to his draft selection. He went undrafted in the Bantam Draft in the WHL due to a broken leg suffered the year before. As a rookie for the Rockets, Stephens showed glimpses of a good skater, but wouldn’t showcase his full skating ability. During the WJC where he saw his minutes increase, his skating looked like it greatly improved.

He was finally able to add skating to his arsenal of defensive and puck moving tools. His puck movement is not flashy, but his D to D passing in the defensive zone and ability to skate have now given him options; he can be a lot more patient with the puck. He has long legs and his stride looks as if it is compact with power that can be improved with time.

When it comes to Stephens, he was only a rookie this year in the WHL so he is much more of a project. Expect to see Devante back in juniors until he can make his way to Rochester and build his way up the depth chart. He does have the qualities to become an effective two-way, top-6 defenseman, but it might take more time with him than others. He won’t wow you with his game, but neither does Mark Pysyk and teams need players like that.

Round 7, pick 182

Ivan Chukarov: 6’2″, 198lbs from the Minnesota Wilderness of the NAHL.

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Chukarov is a 20-year-old, left-handed defenseman who is headed to the University of Massachusettes (Amherst) next season. He was named All-NAHL while coming in 4th for all defensemen with 43 points. When it comes to Chukarov, it is evident that he is an offensive defenseman. This does not mean he is poor on the defensive side of the puck. He is a big guy with a long reach that will improve his physical strength and overall defensive game while playing among the best collegiate players in Hockey East.

Chukarov has a nice shot from the point and was prominent on the powerplay with his time in Minnesota. He is willing to jump into the play on the rush and sneaks in down from the point for quick one timers. I would like to see Chukarov progress through college and come to Rochester to begin his pro career. He will need to polish all parts of his game, but his offensive talents are something to be excited about with this late pick.

Final Thoughts

It is clear GM Tim Murray is looking for smo0th skating, puck-moving, two-way defenseman that have the size to make it in the NHL. With each player, adding mass and muscle will always be a process, just like any other prospect. They will have the opportunity to do just that before turning pro.

I like that two of the players are headed off to the NCAA to play against men compared to the CHL. It gives me some reassurance that when they leave, they will be men themselves. It is going to get increasingly harder to make the Sabres nightly 20-man roster, but with the proper patience for development, all four of these players can have an impact for the Sabres in the NHL somewhere down the road.

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