It took just 24 games for Williamsville native Trevor Kuntar to turn his AHL contract with the Rochester Americans into a two-way deal with the Buffalo Sabres.
The Sabres on Wednesday rewarded Kuntar’s hot start, signing him to a one-year, two-way contract worth $775,000 in the NHL.
The winger will join the Sabres in Vancouver, where they play the Canucks tonight. He has never played an NHL game.
Following a difficult season with the Providence Bruins, Kuntar, 24, has quickly become one of Amerks coach Mike Leone’s most trusted forwards, playing a critical role with some of the team’s top scoring threats recalled to Buffalo.
Entering Rochester’s road game Wednesday against the Belleville Senators, his nine goals were tied for the team lead with winger Isak Rosen.
On Nov. 7, Kuntar scored twice, giving him four goals in his first 12 games. He scored just three times in 54 outings last year.
“It was just a matter of going somewhere where I could show what I could do,” Kuntar told the Times Herald last month. “I’m lucky enough that Leo gave me that opportunity to show that I can do that, because I knew I put in the work for that, so it’s been nice to see that pay off, especially after last year, it was a hard year for me mentally.”
The 6-foot, 205-pound Kuntar has compiled 13 points – he had just 12 last season – and 43 penalty minutes for the Amerks.
Kuntar, a versatile, high-energy forward who possesses skill, has recently been skating alongside center Riley Fiddler-Schultz and Jagger Joshua.
“(Kuntar has) got a big gas tank, so I use him a lot,” Leone told the Times Herald last month. “He’s playing probably more minutes than he’s played since he’s played in college, and (he’s a) really effective player. He’s stepped up big time. We need guys to step up.”
The Boston Bruins drafted Kuntar in the third round in 2020, 89th overall. Following three years at Boston College, he played two seasons for the Bruins’ AHL affiliate in Providence.
Last season, he played sparingly, skating short minutes and sitting out 18 games as a healthy scratch. After the trying campaign, the Bruins did not give him a qualifying offer as a restricted free agent, cutting him loose.
The Amerks signed Kuntar in late July. Less than five months later, he earned a new contract and his first trip to the NHL.
His father, Les, a former goalie, played six games for the Montreal Canadiens in 1993-94 and 21 contests for the Amerks in 1996-97.