The Buffalo Sabres signed defenseman Maxim Strbak to a three-year, entry-level contract on Wednesday. The contract begins with the 2026-27 season.
Strbak, 20, was selected in the second round (45th overall) in the 2023 NHL Draft and played 102 games in three seasons at Michigan State.
Strbak guided the Spartans to three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances and two Big Ten Championships. He recorded 46 points (8+38) with a plus-33 rating during his collegiate career.
“He’s a hard-to-play-against, shutdown defender, can skate really well,” Sabres development coach Tim Kennedy told Sabres.com last month. “He’s very physical and that’s what we love about him.”
The Kosice, Slovakia native had the second most points by a Michigan State defenseman this season with 18 in 37 games. Strbak was tied for 10th in the Big Ten with a plus-20 rating and had 38 blocked shots.
He represented Slovakia at four IIHF World Junior Championships and had 16 points (2+14) in 19 games. He finished tied for the most assists by a defenseman during the 2024 tournament (6).
