The Buffalo Sabres closed the 2011 draft by taking a flyer on productive forward, Brad Navin. A 6'2, 183-pound center from the Waupauca High School Comets, graduating class of 200, Navin brutalized the Wisconsin scholastic ranks this past season, posting 29 goals and 52 points in an injury-shortened 14 games. Per Bluechip Bulletin, he was the only player this year to register zero no-point games and the only only to post two or more in every outing.
And for the second straight year the Sabres take a high-scoring, high school player in the seventh round that was ranked in the 160's by Central Scouting. Navin was ranked #163. St. Thomas' Christian Isackson was rated 166th a year ago.
Wisconsin high school is a far reach from being a superior level of competition, but Navin's skating, shooting, and all-around offensive package made him an easy scholarship target for a few division I programs including the one he settled on - his home state Wisconsin Badgers. He will be the first Sabres prospect to develop in Madison since Doug MacDonald, a fourth-round pick in 1989.
Unlike Isackson and many WCHA commits though, the 19-year old Navin is not expected to play a developmental year in the USHL, but will instead make the difficult leap directly into the collegiate ranks. Navin, who also starred as a quarterback on the football field, has already begun molding his power forward college game, enrolling for summer classes and training with his new teammates.
Navin represents long range offensive potential that teams often look for late. Way to close the draft on a high note.
