SABRES: Zagrapan signs deal to play in Russia

Sabres

June 2, 2009

By John Wawrow The Lockport Union-Sun %26 Journal Tue Jun 02, 2009, 09:48 PM EDT

Center Marek Zagrapan will play in Russia next season whether the Buffalo Sabres like it or not.

The Sabres’ 2005 first-round draft pick has signed a three-year deal to play for Severstal Cherepovets of Russia’s Kontinental Hockey League, Zagrapan’s agent, Petr Svoboda, said Tuesday.

The deal was reached even though the Sabres still have an opportunity to retain Zagrapan’s rights by making him a qualifying contract offer by June 15.

Whatever the Sabres do won’t matter as far as Zagrapan is concerned.

“If they make him a qualifying offer, he’s still going to stay in Russia,” Svoboda said. He added that the contract with Severstal includes a clause allowing Zagrapan to get out of the deal after next season.

Sabres general manager Darcy Regier was not available for comment.

Svoboda said Zagrapan elected to play in Russia because he was not happy with his progress after spending the past three seasons in the minors, and has yet to play in the NHL.

The Slovakian-born Zagrapan was selected 13th overall after enjoying a solid rookie season with Chicoutimi, of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, where he had 82 points (32 goals, 50 assists) in 59 games.

He’s failed to develop his play-making skills in the American Hockey League, having managed 127 points (56 goals, 71 assists) in 227 career games. Zagrapan finished with a career-best 49 points (21 goals, 28 assists) to finish sixth among Portland Pirates’ scorers last season.

In a separate development involving Buffalo and the KHL, Sabres’ prospect goalie Jhonas Enroth was selected 66th overall by Atlant Moscow in the KHL junior entry draft held Monday. By selecting Enroth, Atlant Moscow gained control of the player’s rights should he elect to play in the KHL.

Enroth, who posted a 26-23-6 record in his rookie season in Portland last year, is still under contract with the Sabres, who selected him in the second round of the 2006 NHL draft.

Text Only

Sabres

Sabres sign Sulzer to one-year deal
The Buffalo Sabres rewarded Alexander Sulzer on Monday, signing him to a one-year, $725,000 contract.

May 21, 2012
Staying put
Quickly putting aside the disappointment of missing the playoffs, the Buffalo Sabres are already turning their focus to how to improve next season.

April 11, 2012 1 Photo
What went wrong?
The Associated Press

April 9, 2012 1 Photo
Sabres playoff hopes vanish
Matt Read and Marc-Andre Bourdon each scored goals to lead the Philadelphia Flyers to a 2-1 win Thursday night over Buffalo that eliminated the Sabres from a postseason spot.

April 5, 2012 1 Photo
Never too late for Sabres
Derek Roy scored a power-play goal at 3:29 of overtime to cap a frantic comeback that kept the Buffalo Sabres’ playoff hopes firmly alive with a 6-5 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday night.

April 3, 2012 1 Photo
Crosby sparks Pens past Sabres
Sore nose and all, Sidney Crosby had a goal and three assists to help Pittsburgh beat Buffalo 5-3 on Friday night, snapping the Penguins’ mini-slump and slowing the Sabres’ late-season surge.

March 30, 2012 1 Photo
Sabres lose D Christian Ehrhoff to knee injury
Injuries played a contributing role in the Buffalo Sabres’ midseason swoon. And the Sabres are going to have to deal with them again if they intend to complete a late-season playoff push.

March 28, 2012 1 Photo
Dynamic turnaround
The thinking went like this: Drew Stafford, fresh off a breakout offensive campaign, was a cinch for another big season. After all, the Sabres winger tallied 31 times in only 62 games last year.

March 28, 2012 1 Photo
Sabres beat Caps, move into 8th
With a magnificent performance on the road in a pivotal late-season game, the surging Buffalo Sabres took another huge step in their charge to the playoffs.

March 28, 2012
Slow start, big finish
The Buffalo Sabres’ slow start and big finish in a 3-1 win over the Minnesota Wild on Saturday night reflects how their season has gone.

March 25, 2012 1 Photo
More Sabres Headlines

Sabres

Search Results

SABRES: Zagrapan signs deal to play in Russia

Site Map

Contact Us