Hurricanes acquire Stiven Sardarian from Sabres

The defending Stanley Cup champions are adding a young forward to their organization.

On Monday, the Carolina Hurricanes acquired winger Stiven Sardarian from the Buffalo Sabres.

The exact return for the Sabres is undetermined, as they’ve agreed to send Sardarian to the Hurricanes for future considerations.

Last season, Sardarian scored 12 goals and added 32 assists for 44 points in 37 games for Michigan Tech of the NCAA.

Sardarian, 23, was selected by Buffalo in the third round (88th overall) of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. In his draft year, he notched nine goals and 21 assists for 30 points in 50 games playing for CSKA Red Army Jr. of the MHL, Russia’s top junior hockey league.

The Russian national played his first post-draft season for the Youngstown Phantoms of the USHL (United States Hockey League), where he had eight goals and 17 assists for 25 points in 46 games.

In the 2022-23 season, he began his college hockey career by joining the University of New Hampshire. That year, he registered just two goals and five assists for seven points in 29 games played. In the 2023-24 season with New Hampshire, he doubled his production by putting up seven goals and seven assists for 14 points in 32 games. He then transferred to Michigan Tech for the 2024-25 season, where he broke out with 11 goals and 24 assists for 35 points in 35 games.

At 6’2″ and 187 pounds, Sardarian is a skilled, offensively inclined forward who has added size and improved his production since getting drafted, making him a more intriguing NHL prospect. He has yet to sign his entry-level NHL contract, so Carolina still must agree to terms with Sardarian to retain him.

The Hurricanes’ preseason will begin on September 20 against the Florida Panthers, and their regular season will begin at home on September 29 against the Panthers.