NHL drafts four Badgers

The University of Wisconsin hockey team’s incoming freshman class was highly regarded by the National Hockey League as four players were picked in the draft Saturday.

Defenseman Tyler Inamoto, 18, was selected by the Florida Panthers in the fifth round. The 6-foot-1, 192-pound native of Lake Barrington, Ill., appeared in seven games with Team USA at the IIHF U-18 World Junior Championship.

The Buffalo Sabres took high-flying Swedish forward Linus Weissbach in the seventh round. Weissbach skated last season for the USHL’s Tri-City Storm and put up 19 goals and 47 points in 49 games to pace the team.

The Philadelphia Flyers chose defenseman Wyatt Kalynuk in the seventh round. Kalynuk, the lone defenseman picked by Philadelphia, had six goals and 31 points in 60 USHL games for Bloomington last season.

Defenseman Josh Ess was selected by the Chicago Blackhawks in the seventh round. Ess, 18, picked up one assist in two games with the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders of the United States Hockey League. The Burnsville, Minn., native recorded 23 goals and 51 assists in 72 career games (2014-’17) at Lakeville South High.