Sabres prospect viktor Neuchev Poised for Season Debut after Grueling Recovery
A challenging recovery and a pivotal contract year await Buffalo Sabres prospect Viktor Neuchev as he prepares to return to game action wiht teh Rochester Americans.
the 2024-25 season presented a mixed bag for rochester Americans forward viktor neuchev, but the young player is now focused on a fresh start. After demonstrating promising growth in his second year playing in North America,Neuchev faced a significant setback with a shoulder injury that ultimately required surgery.
Prior to December 28th,Neuchev was showcasing increased consistency,a common hurdle for developing players,particularly those transitioning from the larger ice surfaces prevalent in European hockey. He registered 19 points in 31 games, exceeding the pace of his rookie season where he accumulated 28 points (11 goals, 17 assists) in 57 games while playing for the amerks.
“I think I was having a better season last year than my first year here,” Neuchev stated.”I was playing with more confidence. I felt better about my game.”
However, a contest against the Utica Comets on December 28th marked a turning point. Neuchev sustained an injury that sidelined him for a month. He briefly returned to play on January 24th, appearing in eight games before another injury forced him out of the lineup. This second injury ultimately ended his season.
On February 19th, Neuchev exited a game against Cleveland early, and less than three weeks later, amerks General manager jason Karmanos announced the forward had successfully undergone season-ending shoulder surgery.
“It was tough,” Neuchev admitted. “That was my first-ever surgery. I’m a professional hockey player. I wasn’t scared about the surgery, but it was disappointing. You never want to have a season end like that. I couldn’t play with my teammates to help the team win. It sucked. I thought every day about not playing and it was hard. You’re sometimes in your head too much.”
Despite the adversity, Neuchev found solace in family support. “I was able to go home and be around them. I don’t get to see them much during hockey season.”
The injury also allowed Neuchev to dedicate his offseason to physical rehabilitation and strength training. He reportedly gained approximately 15 pounds of muscle, initially focusing on leg and cardio work before expanding his regimen. “I put on about 15 pounds of muscle. I kept my focus on healing and rehabbing the shoulder first, so I stuck with legs and cardio to begin, then worked on everything. I feel bigger now. It’s weird,” he laughed.
Those habits, instilled by former Amerks head coach Seth appert, helped Neuchev return to the ice last month for the Sabres’ Prospects Challenge and training camp. He even had the chance to participate in an NHL preseason game for Buffalo before turning 22 on October 25th.
“I felt slow out there, but it was still amazing just to play hockey again. This is the longest I’ve gone without playing a hockey game.I just want to play and feel excited to play.”
The upcoming season represents a critical juncture in Neuchev’s career. It is a contract year for the talented winger, as his entry-level deal with Buffalo is set to expire at the end of the 2025-26 campaign.
“I’m just focused on playing. We have a really good team here. We are strong and fast.I don’t have any goals for myself othre than helping the team win as much as I can.”
The focus for Neuchev is not on the long-term implications of his contract, but on the immediate opportunity ahead. Nearly eight months will have passed since his last competitive game when the Amerks open their season at home against Toronto on October 10th. As with any season and any player’s career, challenges are inevitable, but for now, Neuchev expresses a profound sense of gratitude.
He gets to do what he loves again.
