By Noah White
The transition to professional hockey can be like learning to drive.
Sure, the four-wheeler might have made you feel like Dale Earnhardt, but the real thing is a little different.
For the 25 players who have taken the ice at the Buffalo Sabres development camp this week, it鈥檚 been a violent and instructional awakening to the steep requirements of the NHL. But away from Buffalo鈥檚 nine notable draftees, many other participants have been around this block before, and they鈥檙e a little smoother behind the wheel now.
鈥(I鈥檓) definitely more comfortable, more relaxed,鈥 said defender Patrick Geary, who is in his second camp. 鈥淚t helps you on the ice. It helps you be yourself.鈥
Among the notable returners are Geary and Gavin McCarthy. While often separated by more than 700 miles, the pair share many similarities. The most obvious is that this Sabres camp is a homecoming.
McCarthy and Geary are both rising junior defensemen 鈥 McCarthy at Boston University, Geary at Michigan State 鈥 from the Buffalo area. (McCarthy hails from Clarence, Geary from Buffalo.)
Between 2017-21, they jostled for playing time throughout the Sabres鈥 junior circuit, each defining their hockey techniques along the way. Naturally, in the 2023 and 鈥24 NHL drafts, they were selected by the Sabres, and thus their paths continued to tangle.
Geary has often been described as lacking control by developmental coaches, including Rochester Americans coach Michael Leone, who is leading Sabres development camp this week. McCarthy, who typically likes to take a more offensive edge, is still shifting into a backseat position to BU star defender Cole Hutson this year.
The pair doesn鈥檛 shy away from the need for some perspective adjusting.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot I鈥檓 working on,鈥 McCarthy said. 鈥淚鈥檝e made strides with my confidence. 鈥 Two seasons of college really helps with that.鈥
McCarthy specifically notes the unexpected run the Terriers made to the national championship this season as helping him develop the mindset of an elder statesman returning to Sabres camp.
Geary’s wild-horse tendencies hindered him in the past. His sophomore season at Michigan State served as a chance to slow down. Though his stats dropped across most categories in Year 2 of college, when he waddled into the Harborcenter makeshift media room Tuesday, there was an air of confidence to him.
鈥淎ll you can do is just learn, grow every day,鈥 Geary said. 鈥淚 had to just mature on and off the ice. 鈥 (I can) give advice to the other guys now.鈥
McCarthy and Geary hedged, making it clear there鈥檚 only so much they鈥檙e willing to share with their competitors at the youthful camp, which notably has two players who still aren鈥檛 of age to vote. But watching their hour-long practices, it鈥檚 easy to see the communication. They鈥檙e skating between players, chatting with the new guys.
The local boys have a captain-like air to them.
There are still pieces of their physical games they鈥檙e touching up, same as any other 20-year-old settling into an internship.
McCarthy doesn鈥檛 hesitate to talk about the flaws in his skating. At the collegiate level, it’s harder to survive without fluid movement.
鈥淓veryone鈥檚 just much bigger at this level,鈥 Boston University coach Kim Brandvold said. 鈥淪o it puts more pressure on him to be strong and smooth. 鈥 He鈥檚 gotten stronger, but there鈥檚 always more.鈥
Within the first couple of minutes of camp Monday, Leone had the group skating lines down the ice, which lasted for nearly 20 minutes. As they passed, Leone would bark critiques at each player.
McCarthy鈥檚 eyes glow when asked about those exchanges: Every rep is a chance for him to continue improving.
Geary has a similar belief, focusing his efforts on his pace, which he thinks held him back at times during the Michigan State season.
鈥淚鈥檓 focusing on my foot speed, closing plays better,鈥 he said with a smile. He raved about the chance to hear the perspective of new coaches. 鈥(I鈥檓) just taking steps in every aspect of my game.鈥
But back in their native Western New York, both still understand the pressure.
Development camp can feel like the first day of school, in which players shuttle between activities, meeting coaches while getting to know their fellow Sabres youth. However, tucked within is a knowledge that they won鈥檛 all make it.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not necessarily an evaluation camp,鈥 McCarthy said. 鈥淏ut they鈥檙e looking for guys that are working hard out there.鈥
Geary made a similar, tight evaluation of the situation:
鈥(We鈥檙e learning) just how hard it is to play in the NHL.鈥
For McCarthy and Geary, this is a chance to prove they鈥檙e comfortable.
While others try to shift into the NHL lifestyle, they鈥檝e been here. Now they鈥檙e showing they can be in control behind the wheel.