The Top 25 Under 25 is a collaboration by members of the Die By The Blade community. It was a combination of six staff writers and over 500 readers that ranked players under the age of 25 by September 1st, 2019. Each participant used their own metric of current ability and production to rank each player.
Andrew Oglevie is entering his second season as a member of the Sabres organization after signing a two-year entry-level contract with the team in April 2018, but in some ways, it’s really his first chance to show off what he can do.
Oglevie joined the AHL’s Rochester Americans last season following three years at the University of Notre Dame, but his season was cut short by a pair of concussions, including one he sustained early in the season, in mid-October. He missed a few weeks of action, but by the end of November, Oglevie was out of commission again.
This time, it was a lengthy recovery. After a game on November 30, he didn’t skate in another game until February 15. Overall, Oglevie managed to scrape together 28 games over the course of the season, and put up a respectable 10 points – particularly respectable given how much time he missed due to his injuries. He also was a healthy scratch for several games at the end of the season.
What’s particularly impressive is on how on-point he was upon his return in mid-February. Nine of Oglevie’s 10 points on the season came in the last month and a half of the season. He recorded at least one shot in most of the games after his return, including a whopping five shots on goal in a game against Bridgeport on March 8. Coincidentally (actually, not), he also recorded two points that game.
At this point, it’s a little difficult to evaluate Oglevie as a Sabres prospect, given the limited look we’ve been allowed at him thus far. But if that small sample size of his time in Rochester is any indication, he could certainly showcase some special talent this season with the Amerks.
Historically, Oglevie joined the USHL’s Cedar Rapids RoughRiders at the ripe age of 16. After three seasons there – including a 53-point campaign in 2014-15 – he joined the University of Notre Dame. Over the course of three years, Oglevie put up 89 points in 107 collegiate contests before making the jump to sign pro just days after Notre Dame lost the championships.
Oglevie doesn’t yet have any regular-season NHL experience under his belt, but he has appeared for the Sabres in preseason action and potted a goal against the Leafs last summer:
Oglevie also hit the ice in Buffalo earlier this summer for Sabres development camp. According to interviews done during camp, Oglevie says he’s 100% healthy and wants to put last season behind him.
Andrew Oglevie blows by Casey Fitzgerald and roofs the backhand pic.twitter.com/y5TYJSpuQK
— Kebert Xela (@JamesBerek) June 26, 2019
For a more in-depth chat with Oglevie from during development camp, check this out:
ICYMI last week I did 5 “under the radar” one-on-ones with players at #Sabres D Camp. Here’s Andrew Oglevie, we chatted his unique way to overcome concussion issues and expectations for this coming season…. pic.twitter.com/qKk3WhGETL
— Greg Vorse TV (@GregVorse) July 8, 2019
With having only a small sample size of what Oglevie can do, it’s hard to evaluate him as a player or as a Sabres prospect, but it seems like for the most part, both Die by the Blade staff and fans alike can agree that he is one of the team’s top 25 under 25.
Putting last season behind him, the hope will be that Oglevie can get this season started on the right foot and stay healthy until April (or later). Getting to see him build chemistry with his teammates and play out over the course of a full season will give us a better idea of what he’s capable of, and see what growth he can accomplish both on & off the ice as a full-time AHL player.