BUFFALO – Zach Metsa beat incredibly long odds to reach the Sabres and fulfill his unlikely dream. After all, he’s an undrafted 5-foot-9 defenseman who spent his first two pro seasons playing on an AHL contract.
Two and a half years ago, less than a week after winning a national championship with Quinnipiac University, he signed that deal and joined the Rochester Americans on a tryout before it kicked in.
Today, Metsa, having been recalled Thursday, is an NHL rookie. He turns 27 on Sunday.
“I’m incredibly proud,” Metsa said of his unique journey here following Friday’s practice in KeyBank Center. “I think the biggest thing for me was just sticking to what I needed to do every day to get better.”
On Friday, Metsa practiced as the Sabres’ extra defender, meaning he will likely be scratched for Saturday afternoon’s home game against the Florida Panthers.
But considering he was the first defenseman the Sabres summoned this season and the rugged nature of the position, injuries could certainly create an opportunity for him.
Very quietly, Metsa has established himself as one of the AHL’s top offensive defensemen and developed into an NHL prospect.
“I’d like to think I’m a two-way player,” he said. “Try to be reliable in the D-zone and keep things simple. Just move the puck, give it to the skilled forwards, give it to the forwards to go make plays and support them where I can.”
Last season, Metsa’s 39 assists led the Amerks and ranked fourth among AHL blueliners. His 46 points ranked fourth on the team.
That breakout campaign earned him a two-year, two-way NHL contract he signed July 1.
“I think it comes down to confidence in yourself, and part of it is just proving to yourself that you can do it at the next level,” said Metsa, who earlier this month was named Rochester’s captain. “For me, at that time, it was proving that I can do it in the American League, and now it’s proving to myself I can do it here. I’m plenty confident in myself, and just want to prove it to the staff here and everyone.”
Metsa said he was shopping for a television at Best Buy when Amerks coach Mike Leone called to tell him the Sabres needed him.
“I was shocked,” Metsa said. “I didn’t really expect it. I don’t even know if I really said much back to him, I was just shocked. Special moment.”
After learning of his recall, Metsa said he called his girlfriend and mother to share the special news. He also purchased a 55-inch Insignia for the apartment he shares with Amerks defenseman Noah Laaouan.
Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said Metsa has “earned his way” to the NHL.
“He’s played well down there,” he said. “He’s a guy that has battled to get where he’s at. You got to admire a player like that. We kind of go by the rule if you’re going well down there and we need somebody, you’re going to get called up.”
Metsa has grinded for his opportunities and found success by staying in the moment. The Wisconsin native played for four teams in the junior United States Hockey League – after his second season, he spent a year in the British Columbia Hockey League – before starting at Quinnipiac shortly before his 20th birthday.
“I wasn’t necessarily someone anyone was looking at in college,” he said. “I was just working to get ice time. That’s all I wanted to do.”
After spending five years at Quinnipiac – he registered 37 points in each of his last two seasons and captained the Bobcats in 2022-23 – Metsa landed on the Sabres’ radar.
When he joined Rochester, he simply focused on what he had with the Amerks and earning more.
“At the time, I wasn’t necessarily thinking of an NHL deal,” he said. “It’s just, ‘I want to play, I want to get in the lineup. What do I need to do today to get in the lineup?’ And then you get in the lineup, and it’s like, ‘OK, now I want to be a difference-maker. I want to have the puck. I want to be on the power play. I want to be someone they look to when it matters and just kind of grow from there.’”
Metsa accomplished all of that. Now, he’s in the big leagues.
“That’s a hell of a journey for him,” Sabres defenseman Jacob Bryson said.
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The Sabres assigned defenseman Ryan Johnson, who skated short minutes in three games this season, to Rochester when they recalled Johnson.
“(We) wanted to get him down playing some bigger minutes,” Ruff said. “I thought he struggled a little bit, some of his puck decisions. Playing a limit amount, I think sometimes (he had) a little bit nervous play. His puck play wasn’t as good as I thought it could be.”
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The Panthers, the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions, have lost three straight games and have a slew of injuries.
Most notably, captain Aleksander Barkov, who could be lost for the season with a knee injury, and winger Matthew Tkachuk, who will be sidelined until at least December with a torn adductor muscle, are missing.