Sabres sign Kozak to 3-year, entry-level deal

The Buffalo Sabres have signed forward Tyson Kozak to a three-year, entry-level contract, the team announced Friday.
Buffalo selected Kozak during the seventh round of the 2021 NHL Draft, after which he enjoyed a productive season with the Western Hockey League's Portland Winterhawks. Kozak ranked fourth on the team with 69 points in 66 games and third with 32 goals.
"It was an excellent year for him," Sabres director of player development Adam Mair said. "The type of player that brings a really, really good blend of grit and two-way play."

Kozak, 19, earned a positive review from Rochester Americans assistant coach Michael Peca during Buffalo's summer development camp in July.
"Watching him out there, you'd think he went in the top three rounds, to be honest with you," Peca said. "The kid's impressive. He's quiet, he's unassuming, but he's a real hockey player. He does everything right on the ice."
Kozak becomes the sixth member of Buffalo's 2021 draft class to sign his entry-level contract, joining defenseman Owen Power (Round 1) and forwards Isak Rosen (Round 1), Aleksandr Kisakov (Round 2), Josh Bloom (Round 3), and Olivier Nadeau (Round 4).