After months of rumor and speculation, the Buffalo Sabres announced today that they have finally signed Russian defenseman Victor Antipin to a one-year, entry-level contract.
Antipin arrived in Buffalo fresh off of his bronze medal winning performance for Russia in the World Championships, and after a deep playoff run with his former KHL team Metallurg Magnitogorsk.
He joins a Sabres team in desperate need of an upgrade on defense, and the 24-year old lefthanded shot should provide just that. Here’s what GM Jason Botterill had to say about his first major move:
“Victor is a well-rounded defenseman who has played in all situations at the pro level. His mobility and puck-moving skills make him a perfect match for what we’re hoping to build with our defense corps next season.”
Antipin joins Jake McCabe, Josh Gorges, Brendan Guhle, and Justin Falk as the lefties along the blue line, and his skill and experience should slot him in to a solid, top-six role next season.
The Sabres themselves put up some nice Antipin highlights which you can find by clicking here, and we also learned that in addition to being a two-time KHL champ, Antipin also won the KHL’s Gentleman Award in 2014-15. How do you do, indeed.
Give us your thoughts on the newest Sabres defenseman in the comments.