Kevyn Adams didn't take long to get the Buffalo Sabres' trio of first-round picks under contract.
Centers Matt Savoie, Noah Ostlund and Jiri Kulich signed three-year, entry-level deals following development camp practices Friday in LECOM Harborcenter. Ostlund and Kulich have impressed the Sabres' staff with their play on the ice this week, but Savoie has not skated while completing his recovery from a shoulder injury.
Next steps for each player are unclear. Savoie, who was drafted ninth overall, will participate in Canada's evaluation camp for the IIHF World Junior Championship, which begins July 23. It is likely that he will spend another season with the Western Hockey League's Winnipeg Ice, with whom he totaled 35 goals and 90 points in 65 regular-season games.
Oslund, who was drafted 16th overalll, has only 11 games of professional experience in the Swedish Hockey League and spent most of last season with Djurgarden's Under-20 club. A two-way, playmaking center, Ostlund is the most likely of the three to remain at the position long-term.
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Kulich has wowed fans and teammates at development camp with his high-end skill and shot. It's unclear where the 18-year-old will play next season. He appeared in 49 pro games in Czech Republic in 2021-22, but Cape Breton of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League selected him in the CHL import draft.
