The Buffalo Sabres have made their second signing of the day, handing out a two-year contract extension to forward Lukas Rousek per his agent, Dan Milstein. Financial terms have not yet been reported.
Buffalo selected the 24-year-old in the sixth round of the 2019 NHL Draft, but he’s quickly worked his way up the organizational depth chart after a breakout 2022-23 campaign with the AHL’s Rochester Americans.
Making his NHL debut this season, the Czech winger scored a goal and an assist in two appearances and added 56 points in 70 regular-season games with Rochester. It comes after he recorded just four points in 19 games there last year, his first season in North America.
His offensive breakout didn’t come completely out of the blue, though. His point totals were climbing up during the end of his time in Czechia, recording 38 points in 49 games in 2020-21 with HC Sparta Praha, his final season before coming stateside. He’ll almost certainly find himself out the outside looking in on opening night next season, but that’s more a testament to the depth of young forwards the Sabres have cultivated in recent years. If injuries hit the team, he’ll surely be one of their first call-up options and should build on his NHL games played total next season.
So now that the Sabres resigned Girgensons that move puts Olofsson in the press box or on the trade block and it puts Rousek in the minors if I’m correct. I’ll take the later two over Girgensons every time.
VO will be moved at some point so I expect VO & Jost to not be on the roster come the start of the season. Okposo (definitely) & Grigs are possibly playing their last years in Buffalo.