BUFFALO – The Sabres re-signed defenseman Drew Schiestel, who fell so far off the depth chart last season the organization loaned him to the Dallas Stars’ AHL affiliate, to a one-year, two-way contract on Wednesday.
The 23-year-old, the 59th overall pick in 2007, hasn’t appeared in the NHL yet.
Schiestel earned an AHL All-Star berth with Portland in 2010-11 and appeared close to receiving a recall. But he tore his ACL, and then hurt his knee on opening last season, his first game back.
By the winter, Schiestel had become a healthy scratch and ranked eighth on Rochester’s depth chart. He played twice as a forward before the Sabres loaned him to the Texas Stars, where he played 16 times.
Schiestel had two goals, 17 points and a minus-3 rating in 59 total games last year. In 2010-11, he had five goals, 23 points and a plus-15 rating in 45 contests.