AFTER SEASON-ENDING SURGERY, NEUCHEV FEELING GOOD AND READY TO PLAY

Sabres’ prospect expected to play first regular season game since February

Oct 2, 2025

By Andrew Mossbrooks | @ Mossbrooks48

 

The 2024-25 season was a glass half-full for Rochester Americans forward Viktor Neuchev.

 

In his second year playing in North America, Neuchev was starting to show signs of consistency, a challenge so many young players face early in their careers, especially those coming from the larger sheets of ice in Europe.

 

Before the calendar flipped to 2025, Neuchev had posted 19 points in 31games, putting him well ahead of his pace set the year prior when the Chelyabinsk, Russia, product reached 28 points (11+17) in 57 games during his rookie season.

 

“I think I was having a better season last year than my first year here,” said Neuchev. “I was playing with more confidence. I felt better about my game.”

 

Then Dec. 28 happened. Neuchev left early in a contest against Utica with an injury that kept him out of action for a month. He would return Jan. 24, play eight games, then be sidelined again. This time, the injury cost him his season.

 

Neuchev, 21, would exit early against Cleveland on Feb. 19. Less than three weeks later, Amerks general manager Jason Karmanos announced the forward had undergone successful season-ending shoulder surgery.

 

“It was tough,” said Neuchev. “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.”

 

Even in the most difficult of times, there are positives to pull from. In Neuchev’s case, that came through family.

 

“I was able to go home and be around them. I don’t get to see them much during hockey season.”

 

Another plus was that the injury did not cost the Sabres’ 2022 third-round selection his offseason, where Neuchev focused most of his efforts in the gym.

 

“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,” laughed Neuchev.

 

Those winning habits, as former Amerks head coach Seth Appert talked about instilling in Neuchev, are what got the young winger back on the ice last month with the Sabres for the team’s Prospects Challenge and training camp. Before turning 22 later this month (Oct. 25), Neuchev even got to skate in an NHL preseason game for the blue and gold.

 

“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.”

 

Surgery presented adversity early in what is expected to be a long-playing career for Neuchev. His next battle with adversity comes at the start of the impending season. It’s a contract year for the talented winger. Neuchev’s entry-level deal with Buffalo expires 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 other than helping the team win as much as I can.”

 

The focus isn’t on the end of this season, but rather, the start for Neuchev. Nearly eight months will have passed between his last game and the Amerks’ home opener against Toronto coming up on Oct. 10. Like any season and any individual’s playing career, there will be ups and downs, but for now, there is just gratitude beaming from Neuchev.

 

He gets to do what he loves again.