It’s time for another Buffalo Sabres Prospect Watch as I take a look at Aaron Huglen. With the 104th pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, the Buffalo Sabres selected Huglen from the Fargo Force and it was a bargain, to say the least. Last season, the Sabres prospect posted 35 points in 39 games for the Force and is currently attending at the University of Minnesota.
The 20-year-old right-winger is known for great play in the offensive zone especially in tight spaces, whether it’s in traffic in front of the net or quick tape to tape passes on odd-man rushes, the Minnesota native is as skilled at passing as he is shooting. The puck just seems to navigate through skates when he throws passes.
Odd man rushes are automatic with the fourth-round pick and it isn’t a stretch to say he was one of the best puck distributors in the USHL in 2020. Huglen’s wheelhouse is from right around the top of the circle to the hash marks and he doesn’t miss those opportunities often. His release is lightning quick, similar to Jack Quinn’s, and is able to make a move in a tight space to release the puck before a defender can follow where the first move went. For a player who went on a 20-month hiatus due to a lower back injury and the pandemic, this kid plays at a high level. To be able to push through that adversity and help elevate Fargo to the Western Conference finals is an amazing feat in and of itself.
Here are Aaron’s highlights from the 2020-21 season.
He may not have gone to Michigan, but this Michigan-lacrosse goal is a thing of beauty. I don’t even mean the move itself, sure it’s an incredible goal, but to have the confidence to pull that move off in the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup is a mentality that, hopefully, transitions into some exciting hockey for future years with this young group in Buffalo and rubs off on the rest of the group. I can’t wait to see Huglen in Blue and Gold.
This post is part of an ongoing series where I breakdown the Sabres’ top prospects. So far I’ve covered Prokhor Poltapov and Jack Quinn. Be sure to follow me and 2 Goalies 1 Mic on Twitter so you know when the next Buffalo Sabres Prospect Watch drops!
One Response