The Buffalo Sabres have signed forward Viktor Neuchev to a three-year, entry-level contract, the team announced Tuesday.
The Sabres selected Neuchev during the third round of the 2022 NHL Draft. The 19-year-old native of Chelyabinsk, Russia scored 12 points (4+8) in 57 games this season with Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg of the KHL.
"The KHL is a strong league," Sabres director of player development Adam Mair said. "There is a lot of skill, a lot of speed there. He handled himself excellently throughout the year. … We've been really excited with his play and also just the way he's carried himself. You can tell that he's driven and focused, and that's great to see from a young player."
Neuchev tied for third in Russia's junior league with 40 goals in 61 games in 2021-22.
"As much as he's a scorer, which he clearly is, he was also driving play by himself," Sabres director of amateur scouting Jerry Forton said after the draft last summer.
"Very competitive kid, a great stick. He's got great edges, he's got to take another step with his open-ice speed, but we really like the combination of playmaking ability, the ability to drive play by himself and having the high-end scoring element to his game."
Neuchev becomes the fourth member of Buffalo's 2022 draft class to sign his entry-level contract, joining first-round selections Matthew Savoie, Noah Ostlund, and Jiri Kulich.
