Top 25 Under 25, number 21: Buddy Robinson
Buddy Robinson has very quickly made a name for himself in the Ottawa Senators organization.
A year and a half ago, the Ottawa Senators signed a little-known free agent out of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association by the name of Charles Robinson III--more frequently called Buddy.
He didn't enter last his first training camp with high expectations, but he did make a big impression. After signing his entry-level deal, Robinson left college and made his AHL debut in 2012-13, scoring four points (2G, 2A) in six games. His rookie campaign in the AHL was impressive, as well, with 31P (15G, 16A) in 69GP. Although Robinson had five points (4G, 1A) in his final three regular season games, he couldn't manage any offence in four playoff games.
Robinson's most well-known attribute, which has been well-chronicled, is his size: He's 6'5" and 236 pounds. Unlike a lot of other big bodies, he also moves around the ice pretty well. He possesses all the physical tools to earn a spot on an NHL roster, and is well-liked by Binghamton Senators head coach Luke Richardson. Although Ottawa's got a logjam at the bottom of its current NHL roster, a strong start to his AHL season this year could put Robinson high on the list of potential injury replacements.
He's not an offensive specialist, but Robinson's got the size and willingness to get pucks on net and recover rebounds. Although it might seem like a superficial comparison, Robinson still reminds me a good deal of Colin Greening--big, fast, and physically assertive. We'll see where that gets him in training camp.
