Jacob Josefson, Seth Griffith, Kevin Porter, and Kyle Criscuolo sign contracts with Buffalo.
BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Buffalo Sabres announced the team has signed forward Jacob Josefson to a one-year contract worth $700,000.
The Sabres also signed forward Seth Griffith to a one-year contract worth $650,000, and signed forwards Kevin Porter and Kyle Criscuolo each to two-year, two-way contracts.
Josefson (26, 6-foot-0, 190 lbs.) recorded 10 points (1+9) and 16 penalty minutes for the New Jersey Devils during the 2016-17 season. A seven-year NHL veteran, Josefson has totaled 60 points (18+42) and 78 penalty minutes in 276 career games, all with the Devils.
Drafted by New Jersey in the first round (20th overall) of the 2009 NHL Draft, Josefson has added 40 points (15+25) in 60 career AHL games for the Albany Devils. Before turning pro, the Stockholm, Sweden native represented his country at two IIHF World Junior Championships, winning a silver medal in 2009 and bronze in 2010.
Griffith (24, 5-foot-9, 191 lbs.) spent time the Toronto Maple Leafs and Florida Panthers last season, combining to record five assists and a plus-6 rating in 24 games. He also played 38 games for the Toronto Marlies in 2016-17, where he posted 44 points (10+34) and led the team in points per game (1.16).
Drafted by the Boston Bruins in the fifth round (131st overall) of the 2012 NHL Draft, Griffith has totaled 16 points (6+10) in 58 career NHL games. The Wallaceburg, Ontario native led the AHL in assists (53) and ranked second in the league in points (77) during the 2015-16 season. In 203 career AHL games, Griffith has 202 points (66+136) and has added 28 points (9+19) in 31 career AHL playoff games.
Porter (31, 5-foot-11, 191 lbs.) led the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins with 35 assists in the 2016-17 AHL regular season and tied for third on the team with 46 points. His six points (0+6) in five AHL playoff games also tied for the Penguins’ team lead. The Detroit native has tallied 250 total points (95+155) in 357 games through seven AHL seasons.
In 249 career NHL games, Porter has totaled 58 points (29+29), including 10 points (4+6) in 43 games with the Sabres from 2012-13 to 2013-14. In those seasons, he added 80 points (34+46) in 98 games with the Rochester Americans.
Criscuolo (25, 5-foot-9, 175 lbs.) joins the Sabres after winning a Calder Cup with the Grand Rapids Griffins (AHL) during his first full professional season in 2016-17. The Philadelphia native recorded 41 points (17+24) in 76 regular-season games as a rookie with the Griffins, adding nine points (5+4) in 19 playoff contests.
Before joining the Griffins, Criscuolo totaled 113 points (53+60) in 124 games during four NCAA seasons for Harvard University (ECAC), earning both ECAC Second All-Star Team and ECAC Hockey Student Athlete of the Year honors after his junior season.