The Sabres have signed forward Trevor Kuntar to a one-year, two-way contract

[Porous Five Hole]

He’s on a plane to Vancouver now. Call up from Rochester.  
 

Kuntar, a Buffalo native, is tied for first amongst all Amerks' skaters with nine goals, which is one shy of a career-high, and is tied for fifth in points (13) through 24 games to start the 2025-26 Amerks season.

Edited Wednesday at 10:48 PM by Porous Five Hole

[inkman]

He’s been playing well. He’s more Kozak than Rosen.  Kinda surprised with Helenius there. 

[Sidc3000]

That’s the spark the Sabres need! He will be the Josh Allen of the Sabres. Putting the team in his back and carrying them to the playoffs. 

🙄

[Pimlach]

2 minutes ago, inkman said:

He’s been playing well. He’s more Kozak than Rosen.  Kinda surprised with Helenius there. 

Maybe Ruff is looking for a more physical player?  I see he is listed at 205lbs.  Is he scrappy?  

[PromoTheRobot]

He's been very good in Rochester. Happy for him. Plus he's a Sabres legacy. His dad played goal for the blue & gold.

Just now, Pimlach said:

Maybe Ruff is looking for a more physical player?  I see he is listed at 205lbs.  Is he scrappy?  

Scrappy with a scorer's touch.

[Porous Five Hole]

25 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

He's been very good in Rochester. Happy for him. Plus he's a Sabres legacy. His dad played goal for the blue & gold.

Do you have to appear in a regular season game to say you’ve played for the team? Asking because Les’s hockey db only shows Montreal for NHL experience.  
 

I remember him in Rochester.  He was Steve Shield’s backup the year after the Amerks won their last Calder Cup. 

[Scottysabres]

27 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

He's been very good in Rochester. Happy for him. Plus he's a Sabres legacy. His dad played goal for the blue & gold.

Scrappy with a scorer's touch.

So he’s a goalie with 9 goals in the AHL?

8 yrs 8 mil, quick before he gets away.

[Taro T]

41 minutes ago, Porous Five Hole said:

He’s on a plane to Vancouver now. Call up from Rochester.  
 

Kuntar, a Buffalo native, is tied for first amongst all Amerks' skaters with nine goals, which is one shy of a career-high, and is tied for fifth in points (13) through 24 games to start the 2025-26 Amerks season.

Good for him.  Does this mean Norris is on IR in addition to Zucker being on IR?

[Scottysabres]

1 minute ago, Taro T said:

Good for him.  Does this mean Norris is on IR in addition to Zucker being on IR?

What happened to Norris? Dislocated hip from a morning s hit?

[Porous Five Hole]

3 minutes ago, Taro T said:

Good for him.  Does this mean Norris is on IR in addition to Zucker being on IR?

I would guess Ellis would go to IR given he was diagnosed with a concussion and hope Norris is just day to day.  

[Jorcus]

2 minutes ago, Taro T said:

Good for him.  Does this mean Norris is on IR in addition to Zucker being on IR?

I would think a 4th liner has to be out to bring this guy in but who knows. Maybe Ellis is going to IR.

[PromoTheRobot]

28 minutes ago, Porous Five Hole said:

Do you have to appear in a regular season game to say you’ve played for the team? Asking because Les’s hockey db only shows Montreal for NHL experience.  
 

I remember him in Rochester.  He was Steve Shield’s backup the year after the Amerks won their last Calder Cup. 

I thought Les played games in Buffalo.

[K-9]

Kid has been good with the Amerks. Glad he’s getting a look.

[Dex]

According to Google's AI overview, Les Kuntar played the first NHL game of his brief NHL career (6 games) with the Montreal Canadiens on December 23, 1993 against the Buffalo Sabres.  The overview goes on to explain that he played for the Rochester Americans in 1996-97, was born in Elma, NY, has lived in the Buffalo area since his retirement, and has actually played some games in goal for the Sabres Alumni Team.

Edited Thursday at 12:16 AM by Dex

[inkman]

Things a great story.  Adams wouldn’t have to do this type of stuff if he drafted players of this ilk.  Every pick in rounds 4-7 should be gritty, aggressive, 200 ft players.  

[Spoonman]

2 hours ago, Pimlach said:

Maybe Ruff is looking for a more physical player?  I see he is listed at 205lbs.  Is he scrappy?  

[PromoTheRobot]

1 hour ago, inkman said:

Things a great story.  Adams wouldn’t have to do this type of stuff if he drafted players of this ilk.  Every pick in rounds 4-7 should be gritty, aggressive, 200 ft players.  

So Adams would not have to sign a player like this if he drafted him in the first place?

[PerreaultForever]

3 hours ago, inkman said:

He’s been playing well. He’s more Kozak than Rosen.  Kinda surprised with Helenius there. 

When he was a Boston prospect a lot of fans optimistically had him pegged as the next Marchand. I was kind of surprised the Bruins gave up on him since they really like the hard working grit guys and he's definitely in that mold. I'm not sure he has NHL skill but you never know. He certainly has the right attitude. 

[bob_sauve28]

 

 

 

[Huckleberry]

5 hours ago, PromoTheRobot said:

He's been very good in Rochester. Happy for him. Plus he's a Sabres legacy. His dad played goal for the blue & gold.

Scrappy with a scorer's touch.

We need more scrappy 

 

[Doohickie]

5 hours ago, PromoTheRobot said:

Scrappy with a scorer's touch.

Tom Wilson-ish?

[PerreaultForever]

3 hours ago, Doohickie said:

Tom Wilson-ish?

No. More like a puck hound with a bit of an edge. Unafraid. Maybe more Benson maybe. I'm really not sure why the Sabres would call him out to Vancouver if Zucker and Norris are out. Rosen made sense but Kuntar is a different guy. 

[CallawaySabres]

10 hours ago, Dex said:

According to Google's AI overview, Les Kuntar played the first NHL game of his brief NHL career (6 games) with the Montreal Canadiens on December 23, 1993 against the Buffalo Sabres.  The overview goes on to explain that he played for the Rochester Americans in 1996-97, was born in Elma, NY, has lived in the Buffalo area since his retirement, and has actually played some games in goal for the Sabres Alumni Team.

Les was a year ahead of me at my Highschool, great guy.

[Scottysabres]

1 hour ago, CallawaySabres said:

Les was a year ahead of me at my Highschool, great guy.

Loved his thanksgiving in Cinci

[Doohickie]

4 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

I'm really not sure why the Sabres would call him out to Vancouver if Zucker and Norris are out. Rosen made sense but Kuntar is a different guy. 

I can think of reasons.  Maybe the want to change the makeup of the lines toward tenacious play.  Or maybe they plan on using him on the fourth line and with Kozak, Krebs and/or Malenstyn moving up to a different line.