ROCHESTER – Having grinded in the minors for years and occasionally earned trips to the NHL, goalie Matt Villalta symbolizes the new-look Americans.
The Buffalo Sabres’ AHL affiliate still has some strong young talent, most notably defenseman Radim Mrtka, the ninth overall pick in 2025.
But the Amerks have become a veteran club this season. Their most dynamic youngsters in 2025-25 – forwards Konsta Helenius and Noah Ostlund – have graduated to Buffalo.
Many of the top prospects in Buffalo’s pipeline play college hockey. So after years of assembling young teams for Rochester, the Sabres signed established players in their late 20s or 30s like Villalta and forwards Aidan McDonough, Conor Sheary and Matthew Peca in the offseason.
Villalta, 27, has an opportunity be the Amerks’ No. 1 goalie and their backbone.
For the first time in a few years, having traded Devon Levi, the Sabres don’t have a goalie prospect carrying the load in Rochester.
The Sabres recently sent goalie Scott Ratzlaff, 21, to the Orlando Solar Bears, an ECHL team. Another draft pick, Topias Leinonen, 22, is recovering from a lower-body injury he suffered during the offseason.
Neither goalie looked impressive in limited duty with the Amerks last season.
So the 6-foot-4, 190-pound Villalta, who has played three NHL games, will likely earn most of the starts this season and give the Sabres valuable depth. Goalie Talyn Boyko, an invite to Buffalo’s rookie camp, recently signed an AHL contract and has served as the backup.
Villalta looked sharp in the Amerks’ first two games, compiling a 1-0-1 record with a 1.44 goals-against average and a .951 save percentage.
He was arguably the best player on the ice in last Friday’s season opener, making 35 saves in a 3-1 win over the Toronto Marlies.
“He’s an unbelievable person,” Amerks coach Mike Leone said. “You have to be around him to really understand him. Hockey is a big part of his life, but just … his calm demeanor, he’s seen everything.
“He’s the first guy at the rink. He’s really calmed and poised, and nothing gets to him, really. And he’s a wonderful kid to be around.”
Villalta said he tries to play “a simpler game.” He likes to stay predictable and rely on positioning.
“But also think I have the athletic side of the game, where I can make the first one or two saves with the structure and then three and four, I can get out of that structure and make those saves,” he said.
Villalta, a third-round pick by the Los Angeles Kings in 2017, 72nd overall, has grinded for eight years, playing 238 games in the AHL.
While NHL opportunities have been limited, he believes he can get there again someday. Right now, the Sabres have three goalies: Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Alex Lyon and Colten Ellis.
Villalta said he possesses “the mindset of getting 1 percent better every day, no matter where you are.”
“That’s the ultimate goal,” he said of the NHL. “I’m still fighting for an NHL job, and I’m very confident. And I have the self-belief about myself that I can play in the NHL.
“I think it’s just stacking good days on good days and being consistent with the work you put in and the preparation, and also your mindset, the mental strength and toughness and resiliency just to keep grinding.”
Coming east has been a new experience for Villalta, who grew up in Godfrey, Ontario. He had spent nearly his entire pro career in the AHL’s Western Conference tending goal for the Ontario Reign, the Kings’ affiliate, and the Tucson Roadrunners, the Utah Mammoth’s affiliate.
He played two games for the Arizona Coyotes and one for Utah after the franchise moved.
Villalta said the “direction they’re heading” help draw him to the Sabres organization.
“There’s an unbelievable amount of young talent,” said Villalta, who signed a one-year, two-way contract. “I think the veteran group, it’s unbelievable as well.”
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The Sabres, who did not practice Friday, host the Mammoth on Saturday at KeyBank Center.