The Top 25 Under 25 is a collaboration by members of the Die By The Blade community. six writers and 718 readers ranked players under the age of 25 as of September 1, 2018 in the Buffalo Sabres organization. Each participant used their own metric of current ability and production against future projection to rank each player. Now, we’ll count down each of the 25 players ranked.
Sabres defensive prospect Will Borgen is ready to make his professional debut. The 21-year-old signed with the Sabres and reported to the AHL’s Rochester Americans on an amateur tryout earlier this year, following three seasons at St. Cloud State. He elected to skip his senior season and is expected to join Rochester again in the fall, and is regarded as one of Buffalo’s top defensive prospects.
The right-shooting defender was drafted 92nd overall by the Sabres in 2015. He’s now signed through 2020-21 season, with his entry-level contract kicking in for the start of the 2018-19 season.
Historically, Borgen has earned accolades at the collegiate level, including best defensive defenseman this past season. He won a bronze medal at the World Juniors in 2016 and also appeared on Team USA – though used sparingly – at the 2018 Winter Olympics. He was the only collegiate defenseman on the American team, despite the absence of NHL players.
To date, Borgen has exceeded expectations, and Sabres fans are eager to see what he can offer in his first full pro season and beyond. He has been touted as a strong skater and a mobile, puck-moving defenseman with speed and hockey instincts.
Borgen has been a consistent player over the past few years and should be one of the Sabres’ top blueline prospects for several seasons looking ahead.