The Buffalo Sabres won’t release defenseman Nikita Zadorov for the upcoming World Junior Hockey Championship.
The news comes on the same day the club announced defenseman Mike Weber underwent surgery on his knee and will be out of the Sabres’ lineup until after Christmas.
This is the final year of eligibility for Zadorov, 19, to play at the under-20 tournament.
The native of Moscow, Russia, has appeared in 18 games for the Sabres this season recording an assist and 29 penalty minutes while averaging nearly 18 minutes a night in ice time.