Sabres pick defenseman Patrick Geary with 172nd overall pick in 2024 NHL Draft

Las Vegas, Nev. (WGR Sports Radio 550) - With the 172nd selection in the sixth round of the 2024 NHL Draft, the Buffalo Sabres select defenseman Patrick Geary out of Michigan State University.

The left-shot defenseman happens to be a Hamburg native, who just completed his Freshman season with the Spartans. In 32 games played in East Lansing, Mich., the 20-year-old scored five goals and added eight assists for 13 points.

Geary was a teammate of Buffalo's 2023 second-round pick Maxim Strbak, as well as the second overall pick of the Chicago Blackhawks in this year's draft, Artyom Levshunov.

For four years, Geary spent his youth playing in the Buffalo Jr. Sabres program before making the jump to the United States Hockey League (USHL) to play with the Waterloo Black Hawks. In his two seasons in Waterloo, Geary produced 30 points (7+23) in 115 games played.

Elite Prospects considers Geary a physical two-way defenseman, who's difficult to play against with his 6-foot-1, 185-pound frame.

Here is more from Elite Prospects on the Sabres' sixth-round pick:

"The Hamburg, New York-born defenseman closes on opponents early, sets up a tight gap, surfs inside-out, takes away the center lane with his stick, and then closes on the puck carrier with force. Geary scans dutifully off the puck, makes the right read more often than not, and when you need someone to step up and get a stop on the cycle, he’s your guy"

The Sabres will wrap up the 2024 NHL Draft with two final picks in the seventh round at 204th and 219th overall.