Former Eau Claire Memorial star and current Wisconsin Badger Jake McCabe was drafted by the Buffalo Sabres in the 2nd round of the NHL draft on Saturday.

McCabe, a defenseman who is heading into his sophomore season at Wisconsin, was the 44th overall pick in the draft. In 26 games last year for the Badgers, McCabe had 3 goals and 12 points, including 6 points in the final 8 contests to finish up his freshman season. Speaking to the NHL media following the pick, McCabe said he plans on going back to Wisconsin to continue his career with the Badgers.

He was one of three Badgers selected on the day, joining forwards Nicolas Kerdiles who went in the 2nd round as well and Brendan Woods who was selected in the 5th round.

McCabe had this to say about being drafted today..

"It is pretty special, I was not aware of how fast this process went in the 2nd round, I was here for the second round last year, supporting a fellow teammate, Tyler Biggs, the names start flowing, one after another, your adrenaline starts rushing, your kind of just hoping you hear your name eventually, and luck enough I didn't have to wait around too long. It's a thrill."

" I had an interview with them at the combine, I hadn't talked to them anymore than any other team. You go into this process with a positive attitude and just hope for the best and wait around, enjoy time with your family and friends, I had a big crew here it was great, I wouldn't be here with out them, they supported me my whole life and it's nice to experience it with them."

You can also hear from McCabe at the draft by following the "RELATED LINKS" tab below this story.