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Sabres Sign Defense Prospect Maxim Strbak to Three-Year Entry-Level Deal

He joins AHL Rochester on an amateur try-out that lets him play now without starting his NHL contract.

Overview

  • Buffalo announced Wednesday it signed the 2023 second-round pick to a three-year entry-level contract that begins in 2026–27.
  • Strbak will finish the 2025–26 season with the AHL’s Rochester Americans on an amateur try-out, gaining pro minutes without burning a contract year.
  • At Michigan State, he played 102 NCAA games with 46 points and recorded a plus-20 in 37 games this season as a steady penalty-killer.
  • The 20-year-old represented Slovakia at every World Junior Championship from 2021 to 2025 and served as an alternate captain in 2025, producing 13 points over his last two tournaments.
  • Rochester has 10 games left and sits in playoff contention, which could give him an extended first pro look before he competes for NHL time next season.