Buffalo Sabres: 5 young defensemen taking over NHL
By Sion Fawkes
Casey Fitzgerald
No one has impressed the Sabres more than Fitzgerald. The smallish defenseman is the team’s least experienced, having made just 21 appearances. In those 21 games, Fitzgerald has mainly paired with Mattias Samuelsson, and they have become a physical duo, with Fitzgerald amassing 46 hits.
Despite his inexperience, Fitzgerald has also committed just 11 turnovers, showing he too is good with the puck. Fitzgerald has yet to contribute on the scoring front, logging just four assists. But really, who cares?
The guy is an ideal enforcer. In 21 games, he’s been involved in four fights. And his most recent one involving Keegan Kolesar of the Vegas Golden Knights shows Fitzgerald’s not afraid of anyone. He’s built an identity for himself better than most of the team’s defensemen, and opponents are taking notice.