Buffalo Sabres: 10 facts about Kevin Porter

Despite previously playing for the Buffalo Sabres not everyone will be familiar with Kevin Porter, who has been called up from Rochester.

Alex Nylander will understandably get the lion’s share of the attention, after being called up from Rochester. However, he isn’t the only player to be recalled by the Buffalo Sabres.

As reported by WGR 550‘s Brayton Wilson, Kevin Porter has also been given the opportunity to play in the Sabres’ final three games of the season. It is just reward for the Amerks’ captain, after a season of providing invaluable leadership for the organization at the AHL level.

Porter is a versatile, if slightly undersized, player. If the name rings a bell, it’s because he previously spent two seasons playing for the Swords, between 2012-14.

However, not everyone will be familiar with the forward. As such, here are 10 facts about Porter:

1) After spending two seasons with the U.S. National Development Team at the U-17 and U-18 levels, Porter was selected by the then Phoenix Coyotes in the fourth round of the 2004 draft. He would go on to play four years at the University of Michigan.

2) During his four seasons at Michigan, the 32-year-old played in 162 CCHA games. Over that time, he had 85 goals, 98 assists and 183 overall points.

3) Porter’s senior year in 2007-08 was undoubtedly his best, as he helped Michigan get to the NCAA Frozen Four while serving as team captain. He racked up the awards, including All-CCHA First Team, All-CCHA Player of the Year and AHCA West First-Team All-American.

4) However, the Northville, Michigan native’s best achievement was undoubtedly winning the 2008 Hobey Baker Award as the NCAA’s top collegiate player. He finished second in the nation with 63 points (33 goals and 30 assists) in 43 games.

5) As already noted, Porter played for the Sabres during the 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons, when he made 43 total appearances. He had 10 overall points (four goals and six assists), registered a -6 plus/minus rating and averaged 14:13 of ice time per contest.

6) The 2013 AHL All-Star‘s most productive NHL season came during the 2010-11 campaign, with the Colorado Avalanche. He set single-season highs for games, goals, assists, overall points, shooting percentage, hits and blocks.

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7) Porter was awarded a championship ring, after helping the Pittsburgh Penguins win the Stanley Cup in 2015-16. Even though he didn’t play during the playoffs, he appeared in 41 games during the regular season, averaging 11:19 per contest and notching three assists. (He also played in two games the following season, when the Penguins won their second straight Stanley Cup.)

8) Talking of the postseason, the Amerks’ captain has appeared in four playoff games during his NHL career. They all came during the 2009-10 campaign with the Avalanche, in just his second NHL season.

9) This is Porter’s third season in Rochester, after previously playing for them in 2012-13 and 2013-14. He has appeared in 64 games for the Amerks and is third on the team with 40 points (16 goals and 24 assists).

10) Porter had a career year at the AHL level last season, while with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. He set single season highs with 69 games, 35 assists and 46 overall points.

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Are you familiar at all with Porter? If so, what’s your take on him? What kind of impact are you predicting from the forward, during the final three games of the season for the Buffalo Sabres? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.