By Erica Whyte / Rochester Americans
Will Borgen isn’t afraid of getting his hands dirty.
At 6-foot-3, the stay-at-home rookie defenseman spent his first pro season displaying his strongest asset: his physicality.
In 71 games as an Amerk, the Moorhead, MN., native notched 14 points (3+11) and 56 penalty minutes, the fourth-most on the team. He also made his NHL debut, suiting up for 4 games as a member of the Buffalo Sabres.
“I thought my season went really well,” said Borgen, who signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Sabres within days of finishing his third year at top-ranked St. Cloud State University last spring. “We had a lot of success this year, so it was a lot of fun coming to the rink every day and in the locker room.”
Despite his personal accomplishments this season, the gritty blueliner insists that the key to the Amerks regular season success was the way this year’s leadership core guided its prospects.
“I think it had a lot to do with the older guys on the team, welcoming us younger guys on the team,” he explained. “When you’re having success, I think you get confidence on the ice, so I think that helps it a lot.”
“We had a lot of fun this entire year,” he continued. “It was a good group of guys. A lot of different personalities but we all meshed well.”
And for his summer plans, Borgen is heading back to the lakes in Minnesota and focusing on taking the fundamentals that he learned in his first pro year and building on them.
“I could still get a little bit stronger and a little bit bigger. I think that would help a lot. Workout, go on the ice, trying to improve my skills.”