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Impressions of, and questions concerning--D, Will Borgen |
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@boosbuzzsabres
Will Borgen--Defenseman
DOB: December 19, 1996 (age, 22)
Draft: 2015 fourth round (90th-overall)
How acquired: Drafted by Buffalo
Last contract signed: March 25, 2018; 3yr./$2.775 million ELC ($650,000 base salary)
Final year of contract: 2020-21
2018-19 Stats: 4 games | 0 goals | 0 assists | 0 points | -5 | 16:33 ATOI
Buffalo Career Stats: 4 games | 0 goals | 0 assists | 0 points | -5 | 16:33 ATOI
What we wrote preseason: N/A
What we wrote mid-season: N/A
Impressions on his play this year: Borgen's name is often mentioned as a possible replacement for Rasmus Ristolainen should the latter be traded. Having a 22 yr. old step right into an NHL lineup in a top-six role is reaching a bit, especially with a defense that struggled mightily last season. If this were a team like the Nashville Predators with an established defense within an established system, the probability for success on the part of both Borgen and the team would increase greatly.
However, was we and former head coach Phil Housley found out, the Sabres are not the Predators.
There's a lot to like about Borgen. At 6'3" 196 lbs. he's got great size and a frame that can be bulked up. Borgen plays a physical game but he can also add offense, skates well and is in constant motion on the ice. The fourth-rounder really made strides in college and was a force in Rochester this season logging big minutes for a rookie. In four NHL games Borgen showed his inexperience as he was caught out of place and had a little trouble catching up to the speed of the game.
What Borgen needs most the next year or two is experience and exposure to high-pressure situations and full-time top-pairing duties, which is something he probably won't find in Buffalo. What he also needs whenever he's ready to make the jump is to have an NHL situation where the coach and the players know what their doing, which was something that didn't happen last season. Rochester will offer the minutes and the stability for further growth and development next season and unless a combination of things happen, that's where Borgen will probably start the season. And that's a good thing.
Questions moving forward: Can he add a little more bulk to his frame and offense to his game? What does the future hold for Ristolainen? How long will Zach Bogosian's recovery be and will he be ready to suite up in October? What kind of camp will Borgen have? How far along is he on the development curve? How will Ralph Krueger's system affect both Buffalo and Rochester?
Contract info via CapFriendly, stats via sabres.com and hockey reference.com.
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