ROCHESTER – In the midst of a torrid two-month stretch in which Buffalo Sabres prospect Noah Ostlund has developed into the Americans’ top center, one particular night stands out to coach Mike Leone.
“The biggest one for me is we go to Syracuse, which is arguably the hardest place to play in the league,” Leone told the Times Herald. “It’s a real heavy, hard game. They’re really physical.”
That game, a 4-3 overtime victory Feb. 1, is seared in Leone’s memory. To him, a road contest against the Syracuse Crunch is comparable to an NHL team playing the Florida Panthers.
“The game’s all about will,” he said. “You got to play the game the right way.”
The 5-foot-11, 171-pound Ostlund thrived that night in Upstate Medical Arena, scoring a power-play goal and creating linemate Isak Rosen’s game-clinching goal.
For an undersized rookie to perform so well in such a difficult environment illustrates growth.
“There’s little moments of the season where he keeps getting better,” Leone said.
Ostlund, the 16th overall pick in 2022, has recently enjoyed plenty of those moments. The Swede has been on a tear, scoring nine goals and 21 points in his last 21 games entering Friday’s road contest against the Laval Rocket, including six goals and 10 points in his last eight outings.
“I think I’ve been playing better, I’ve been having the puck more,” Ostlund said Feb. 26 following his one-goal, two-point performance in a 5-2 win over the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in Blue Cross Arena “That, yeah, of course, helps. Then, yes, the confidence comes from points.”
In developing the offensive side of his game – he mustered just one point, a goal, in his first 12 appearances – and morphing into one of the Amerks’ go-to forwards, he has established himself as perhaps the Sabres’ top prospect.
“He’s a special player,” Leone said.
Noah Östlund with an absolute LASER pic.twitter.com/qQp5uiflJf
— Rochester Americans (@AmerksHockey) February 1, 2025
Ostlund, who turns 21 on Tuesday, joined the Amerks late last season after spending more than two years competing against men in pro hockey in Sweden. He played last season with the Swedish Hockey League’s Vaxjo HC, registering 12 goals and 23 points in 38 games.
He arrived in North America a mature prospect known for his high hockey IQ. Following a standout preseason this year, he quickly adapted defensively to a different brand of hockey in the AHL.
It took time, however, for him to start producing offense. He scored one goal in his first six games before suffering a hand injury Oct. 26 that sidelined him until Dec. 20.
Following his return, he endured six pointless games before finally registering an assist.
As Ostlund struggled to score, Leone felt confident the goals and points would materialize.
“I knew Noah was a guy who could always drive offense,” he said. “He’s just too talented of a player and has too much ability.”
Ostlund’s defensive game was rock solid – Leone has said the youngster is perhaps the most responsible player in his own zone has he ever coached – and his habits were strong on and off the ice.
He was generating chances. He just couldn’t finish them.
Since heating up in January, he hasn’t stopped scoring. Overall, he has recorded 10 goals, 22 points and a plus-14 rating in 33 games this season.
“(Given) Noah’s daily process and his commitment to doing all the little things right every single day, it was just a matter of time,” Leone said of Ostlund scoring. “Like, he’s in the gym, the first one to get his workout in. He practices like every rep matters. He just cares so much about hockey. I like to call them every-dayers. He’s an every-dayer.
“He has the ability to make players around him better in all situations. The (Cleveland Monsters) game (Feb. 19), he’s out there six-on-five, gets a block, he ends up scoring the empty-net goal. He’s a winning hockey player.”
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The Amerks announced on Wednesday that winger Viktor Neuchev, 21, has undergone season-ending shoulder surgery. They expect the Russian to make a full recovery.
Neuchev has scored seven goals and 22 points in 39 games this season. The Sabres drafted him in the third round in 2022, 74th overall.