x

Already member? Login first!

Comments / New

Buffalo Sabres Top 25 Under 25, #24: Brandon Hickey

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.

In the 2018 version of the Buffalo Sabres top 25 players under 25 we have at #24 a newly acquired prospect in defenseman Brandon Hickey. He was acquired at the end of June in a trade that saw Hudson Fasching go to the Arizona Coyotes in exchange for Hickey and Mike Sislo.

The 22-year-old defender spent the last four years playing at Boston University and played with a few current Sabres. Danny O’Regan, Evan Rodrigues, and Jack Eichel were all teammates of Hickey for the Terriers.

He was originally drafted by the Calgary Flames in the third round (64 overall) of the 2014 NHL Draft. After a few years in the Flames organization, he was moved to the Coyotes in June of 2017.

Hickey is a big left-shot defenseman who will provide some good depth to the blue line. He’s a stay at home defenseman, similar to another prospect Will Borgen. That will mix well with the recent influx of offensive defensemen.

He’ll very likely start the season with the Rochester Americans of the AHL after signing a two-year entry-level contract with the Sabres in early July. The Amerks will have a few young defenders with Borgen, Hickey and Lawrence Pilut to replace the probable departure of Brendan Guhle and Casey Nelson.