Three potential future Buffalo Sabres joined the North American pro ranks today, as the AHL’s Rochester Americans announced the signings of Swedish goaltender Jonas Johansson, Sacred Heart forward Justin Danforth, and Nebraska-Omaha defenseman Ian Brady to Amateur Tryouts for the remainder of the 2016-17 season.
Johansson, 21, is a Sabres 2014 third-round pick who had been playing in his native Sweden until the season ended, but now appears to be committing to playing in North America. Standing 6’4″ and a remarkable athlete, Johansson has the intangibles to be a successful pro goalie. However, his skill development is still a ways off. Johnansson has mostly been playing in Sweden’s second-tier league, making only an occasional appearance in the Swedish Hockey League with Brynas IF over the past few years. 2016-17 has been Johansson’s best season by far, but he will need a few years of minor league seasoning before he’s NHL-ready.
Danforth is a relatively unknown commodity, but has been a solid contributor for Sacred Heart for the past two years, with especially impressive numbers over the past two campaigns. The 24-year-old center makes up for his lack of size, at just 5’9″, 181 lbs., with a strong two-way game and aggressive style and if he does ever make it to the NHL, it will be due to his work ethic. However, that future is far from certain. Danforth will have to spend a significant amount of time in Rochester before he can think about the next level.
Brady has been the epitome of consistency at Omaha over the past four years and hopes to bring that same dependability to the pro game. At 22, Brady has well-developed puck-moving skill and a strong, smart defensive game. Buffalo is in dire need of promising defensive depth, so look for Brady to turn his tryout into a contract by next season.