The Buffalo Sabres announced Tuesday the signing of 2019 sixth round pick (160th overall) Lukas Rousek to his two-year entry-level contract. The signing was first made official by both his agent, Dan Milstein, as well as his team in the Czech Republic, HC Sparta Praha.
According to the team, Rousek's contract will begins with the 2021-22 season.
Rousek has been a full-time player with HC Sparta Praha in the Czech Extraliga for the past two seasons, where he's combined to score 28 goals and register 39 assists for 67 points in 101 games. The 22-year-old finished his 2020-21 campaign in the Czech Republic with 14 goals and 24 assists for 38 points in 49 games, which was good for fourth on the team in scoring.
In 161 career games over the span of four seasons with HC Sparta Praha, Rousek has scored a total of 32 goals, while adding 46 assists for 78 points.
While Rousek is not the biggest of players at just 5-foot-11 and 183 pounds, he plays a high-tempo game and has a knack for taking pucks to the net and create scoring chances right around the goal crease. He skates well and possesses good speed, while he's strong on and off the puck to establish good positioning.
"What the Sabres are getting with Rousek is a competitive winger who isn’t afraid to get to the net-front area," said Kris Baker of SabresProspects.com. "The majority of his goals are scored from in-tight and off breakaways – this isn’t a player that finds space up high and scores from range. Rousek plays hungry all over the ice with a bit of dog-on-a-bone mentality when chasing loose pucks. He has good straight-line speed leaving the zone that allows him to accept stretch passes and often times get behind defenders, but he displays good short-area bursts as well."
According to HC Sparta Praha's website (utilizing Google Translate), Rousek says that while he's looking forward to having the chance to play in the National Hockey League, he will leave the door open for returning to Sparta. He says that if things do not go well for him in North America, he will have the option to return home to the Czech Republic.
However, when asked about joining one of the worst teams in the NHL this season, Rousek says he sees this opportunity as a positive for him to succeed. He does say it will be dependent on him to be successful and have that chance to make an impact at a higher level in North America.
"With Rousek, the next stages of his development will be centered around adding more muscle to give him the strength to win more battles on the boards," Baker said. "Once the physical tools match the mental approach, the Sabres could have a very compelling winger to plug up-and-down the lineup. At this time, it’s hard to say where Rousek will play next season. He, of course, wants to be in the NHL, but I’d leave the door open to all possibilities."
Rousek's development may see him start the 2021-22 season with the Rochester Americans unless he's given the chance to return to the Czech Republic and play with HC Sparta Praha while remaining under contract with the Sabres. Those details have not yet been clarified.
"Rochester makes sense, because the Sabres simply need more forwards in the system," Baker said. "Returning to Prague is possible, as is a loan to the Swedish Hockey Leauge or Finnish Liiga, if both parties are comfortable with one more developmental year abroad at a slightly higher level than the Czech Extraliga. They have time to sort that out, but it was important to get his rights secured now."