Queue the "ZOMG KASSIAN IS OUR SAVIOR" posts.

It's not that important (short term) anyway. He can't play in the AHL yet, and according to Bob McKenzie, he can't be called up to the Sabres unless it's under emergency callup conditions. As he put it so succinctly, "Losing doesn't count."

i'm just relieved because i wasn't expecting them to even sign him until after this season was done. he's put up some incredible numbers already in windor, and i was starting to worry that he would re-enter the draft if buffalo didn't get it done this year. far fetched, sure, but i've lost all faith in quinn/darcy so i wouldn't have been surprised..

A player not signed by his NHL team within two years of being drafted can re-enter the draft, as long as he is 20 years old or younger at the time of the subsequent draft. Players over 20 become unrestricted free agents.

NCAA players are an exception: NHL teams retain the rights to a college player until 30 days after the player has left college.

A team that does not sign a first-round draft pick is awarded a compensatory pick in a future draft upon losing the rights to that player.

A player who has been drafted a second time cannot re-enter.

So they sign him but he cant play in portland? My initial thought was that maybe they want Adam up and Kassian may replace Adam in Portland... but i get confused on how all this crap works...lol

Kassian is too young to play in the AHL because he plays in Canadian juniors. If a player plays in the CHL (major juniors), they must play 4 years in the CHL OR turn 20 before they can play in the NHL.

If you come from any other place (NCAA, overseas), you can play in the AHL at 18. (Might be sooner, I'd need to look it back up.)

This rule is there to protect the competitiveness of the CHL for the most part.

Emergency Call up?
Can someone point me to the rules on Emergency Call ups from the Junior leagues.
Thanks.

Buffalo Sabres GM Darcy Regier announced today the Sabres have agreed to terms with forward Zack Kassian on a three-year entry level contract. Kassian was Buffalo’s first-round selection (13th overall) in the 2009 Entry Draft.

Now in his fourth year of junior hockey, the 19-year-old Kassian (1/24/1991, 6’3”, 226 lbs.) currently leads the Ontario Hockey League’s Windsor Spitfires in scoring with 20 points (7+13) through 11 games. Kassian, who missed the start of the OHL season after an extended stay at Sabres training camp, is among the league leaders in scoring and has already posted a pair of four-point games this season.

The Windsor, Ont.-native has 135 points (52+83) in 168 career OHL games with Windsor and Peterborough. Kassian was traded to Windsor last season, and played a key role in the team’s Memorial Cup championship run. He finished with 16 points (7+9) in 19 playoff games, and added another five points (2+3) during the Memorial Cup tournament. The hard-hitting winger has also amassed 365 PIM’s during his four years in junior.