The Buffalo Sabres have signed forward Brandon Biro to an entry-level contract. The deal is for two years for the college senior. The deal comes at a time when teams have increased free time to review their finances and look for additions to farm systems while all North American hockey is suspended. Biro’s deal was announced earlier Wednesday morning.
We have agreed to terms with forward Brandon Biro on a two-year, entry-level contract.
Details: https://t.co/9Wci0vNKaa pic.twitter.com/YI8aNcRay3
— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) March 18, 2020
Brandon Biro Signs with Sabres
The 22-year-old Biro has been playing with Penn State University for the past four seasons. He acted as team captain for the Nittany Lions as they recorded a 20-10-4 season and also won the Big Ten before the NCAA cancelled all of its current championship seasons. Biro had 10 goals and 25 points in 25 games. He scored 41 goals and 116 points in 138 career games.
Biro does not have the pedigree of a drafted player but might still reach the NHL. He was a productive player on a good team in a solid hockey conference. Biro is a bit undersized at just 5′-11″, 161 pounds but there is plenty of time for him to fill out under a professional strength coach in the Sabres’ system.
What to Expect from Biro
The United States college system could be one of the next great sources of untapped talent. The U.S. produces a large percentage of NHL players but there could be room for teams to mine less-heralded players. Biro has a long way to go before he should be considered an NHL player but he could play his way into a bottom-line role after a few seasons.
This deal also signals a willingness on Buffalo’s part to experiment. There is very little downside to signing a productive college player to a short-team deal and see what happens. The Sabres are in desperate need of more talent wherever they can get it. Biro’s signing is a lottery ticket but one that might pay off in a few seasons.
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