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Who Should Be Christian Ehrhoff’s Defensive Partner This Season?

The Buffalo Sabres have a bona fide #1 defenseman on their team in Christian Ehrhoff. His virtues and just how underrated he actually is have been well documented over the past season.

What they don’t have right now is a proven #2 defenseman. Last season, Ehrhoff split his even strength time between three regular partners – Tyler Myers, Andrej Sekera, and Alex Sulzer. Entering the 2013-14 season, Sekera is no longer on the team, and Sulzer’s place is still in question thanks to the glut of promising young defensemen the organization has in the pipeline.

What we’re asking today is your opinion on who should be Ehrhoff’s regular partner this season.

Tyler Myers filled that role 36.2% of the time last year, and there’s still hope that with a better offseason, he might return somewhat to his Calder-trophy winning form. Alex Sulzer is still around, and has shown great chemistry on the ice with Ehrhoff in the past, despite Sulzer’s lack of upside as an individual player. I’d imagine these guys are your clubhouse leaders as we move ever-closer to the preseason.

However, there are a few young guns that some could argue deserve a shot on the top line, helping to spread out the defensive talent a bit among the three pairings. Mark Pysyk in particular put on a heck of an audition last season, and his poise under pressure and smooth passing skills made an argument that he’s ready for a bigger role. The Sabres traded Sekera away for Jamie McBain, and though he had a down year last season, the promise is still there for this young defenseman, and he fits a similar role as Sekera, though with slightly more emphasis on offense. Heck, I’d even listen to arguments for Mike Weber if you’re feeling saucy today.

So let us know in the comments, Sabres fans, who you’d like to see alongside Ehrhoff on the sabres top pairing next season.