Returning home for Patrick Geary

It is only 23 a minute drive from Hamburg, NY to the KeyBank Center in Buffalo. For Patrick Geary, the distance may be longer after his time at Michigan State. However, the Hamburg native is back playing in Buffalo for the Sabres after being drafted last week.

Buffalo selected the defenseman in the sixth round on Saturday night. Geary had spent time with the Buffalo Sabres junior team and went to high school at St. Francis in the area. He had spent his freshmen year with the Spartans. During his time on the ice, the 6'1 defenseman scored five goals and recorded 13 points in 32 games.

Before his time at Michigan State, he had spent time in the USHL. He is now back where he started as the Sabres development camp gets underway. Geary spoke to reporters about his excitement about being back in the city of Buffalo and playing with the Sabres. "Just coming to these games, sold out barn. What's a better place to be? Play hockey in Buffalo; there's nowhere else I'd rather be," he said.

Geary joins a list of former Buffalo natives to be drafted by the Sabres since general manager Kevyn Adams came onto the scene. Both Gavin Mccarthy and Matteo Costantini have been drafted by their hometown team.

He also is the second member of Michigan State to be drafted by Buffalo in recent years. Max Strback was drafted by Buffalo a year ago after playing with the university's hockey team. The head coach of the Spartans, Adam Nightingale, is a brother of Sabres scout, Jason Nightingale.

Patrick seems to be a part of the new direction for Adams and Lindy Ruff. So far, the organization looks to be ending their playoff drought by getting younger through both the draft and start of free agency.