It’s been a long wait, but Will Borgen finally seems to have cemented himself as a member of the Buffalo Sabres’ defensive top-six. After spending two full seasons with the Rochester Americans, the 24-year-old got his chance to show what he can do at the NHL level amid a rash of COVID-19 positives tests on the Buffalo blue line (and elsewhere).
Dating back to last season, fans clamored to see the 2014 fourth-round draft pick get an NHL opportunity after being leaned-on as a defensive specialist (and performing quite well in that role) in Rochester. During the 2019-20 campaign, Jason Botterill’s penchant for hoarding depth defensemen (and the Sabres incredible lack of any long-term injuries that year) prevented this opportunity from taking place.