On Tuesday, the Buffalo Sabres announced the signing of 2022 third round pick (#74 overall) Viktor Neuchev.

The Russian native spent the 2022-23 season in the KHL, where he posted 4G|8A|12Pts in 57 regular season games and four playoff games with Yekaterinburg Automobilist (Gesundheit…sorry to mix Russian and German on you). The year prior, Neuchev posted over a point per game pace in Russia’s developmental league (40G|27A|67Pts in 61 games played).

It will be interesting to see how GM Kevyn Adams and his regime can develop their recent Russian prospects. Aleksander Kisakov (2021, Round 2, 53^rd overall) spent this season in Rochester with an underwhelming 6G|2A|8Pts in 48 games played. And Prokhor Poltapov (2021, Round 2, 33^rd overall) remains in the KHL with CSKA Moscow through next season.

The Sabres’ have not had a Russian forward dress (drafted or otherwise) since the underwhelming 2012, 12^th overall draft pick, Mikhail Grigorenko last suited up for them in 2014-15.