Matt Bartkowski has played for four NHL teams. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu, Rochester Americans

Recalls to Sabres, injuries make Amerks sign NHL veteran for defense

The Rochester Americans on Saturday added to a defense corps depleted by recalls to the Buffalo Sabres and injuries, signing veteran Matt Bartkowski to a professional tryout.

Bartkowski, 34, played in Saturday afternoon’s 5-1 road win over the Laval Rocket.

Injuries to defensemen Mattias Samuelsson and Henri Jokiharju forced the Sabres to recall Lawrence Pilut and Kale Clague from the Amerks. They’ve also lost defensemen Chase Priskie and Peter Tischke to injuries.

Bartkowski has played 265 NHL games since 2010-11 with the Boston Bruins, Vancouver Canucks, Calgary Flames and Minnesota Wild, recording eight goals and 48 points.

The 6-foot-1, 192-pound Bartkowski last played in the NHL in 2020-21, playing one game with the Wild. The Pittsburgh native spent all of last season in the AHL with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, registering four goals and 16 points in 72 outings.

The Amerks also signed defenseman Brandon Davidson, 31, to a tryout earlier this week. Davidson spent all of last year in Rochester and played six games for the Sabres in 2020-21.

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