I thought Guhle was Rochester’s best defenseman that night using his skating and passing skills. All that led him to have eight shots on goal.
The Amerks didn’t spend a lot of time in their own zone that game taking 48 shots themselves, but when Guhle was pressured, he never cracked. The movement was usually pretty fluid and the first pass was on the tape.
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Guhle wasn’t the only defenseman that caught my eye on Wednesday. His partner Casey Nelson also looked good. When Nelson first signed with Buffalo in 2016, I liked how smart he was. He got seven games in and the negative was his strength. He’s worked to get stronger and he seems to have his confidence back.
Nelson will get 57 games in with the Amerks and he’s often forgotten when talking about prospects. I still believe that he can be part of the solution on a third pair.
If we’re looking at what the Sabres have in the pipeline, Will Borgen is one that many scouts like. I saw his game for St. Cloud State in Denver and he was a horse. He plays in all important situations against the other team’s best players. He was taken in the 4th round in the same draft as Guhle. Borgen is returning to school for his junior season.
This year’s 3rd round pick Casey Fitzgerald was very impressive for Team USA at the World Junior Tournament. He has played two seasons for Boston College.