The Carolina Hurricanes have picked up forward Stiven Sardarian’s signing rights from the Buffalo Sabres in a trade for future considerations, according to a team announcement.
The move clears up a strange contractual wrinkle around Sardarian, who was expected to become an unrestricted free agent on August 15. The 23-year-old never signed an entry-level deal with Buffalo after being drafted out of the collegiate ranks, but that free-agency path depended on him informing the NHL Central Registry that he was no longer an undergraduate student.
He never did, leaving him in limbo. His rights stayed with the Sabres even though he was out of NCAA eligibility and still hadn’t settled on a destination for the 2026-27 season.
Sardarian entered the Sabres’ system in 2021 when Buffalo selected him 88th overall. He was playing in Russia at the time, then came to North America for his post-draft season with the USHL’s Youngstown Phantoms.
His NCAA path began at the University of New Hampshire, where opportunities were limited. He wrapped up his time there after his sophomore year with nine goals and 21 points in 61 games, along with a minus-5 rating.
A transfer to Michigan Tech changed the trajectory. Over his junior and senior seasons, Sardarian turned into a major piece for the program, putting up 23 goals and 79 points in 72 games with a plus-15 rating. That surge earned him CCHA Player of the Year honors last season.
Because Carolina went through the trouble of acquiring him, even at a minimal price, the expectation is that the Hurricanes will sign Sardarian to some kind of pro contract in the coming days, whether that ends up being an entry-level deal or an AHL contract.
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