The Buffalo Sabres, parent club of the AHL’s Rochester Americans, have signed forward Jason Akeson and defenseman Matt Donovan to one-year contracts.
Akeson, 24, tallied 23 goals and 30 assists for 53 points in 57 games with the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms in 2014-15, finishing second on the team in scoring. Akeson was the Phantoms’ leading scorer each of the previous three seasons, and has totaled 81 goals and 144 assists for 225 points in 265 career AHL contests.
Akeson’s AHL head coach from 2012-15 was current Sabres assistant Terry Murray.
A native of Orleans, Ont., Akeson skated in 13 games with the Philadelphia Flyers last season, and has registered one goal and one assist in 15 career NHL contests in the regular season, as well as two goals and one assist in seven Stanley Cup Playoff matches.
Donovan, 25, completed his first full season on an NHL roster in 2014-15, appearing in 12 games with the New York Islanders. The Edmond, Okla., native was selected by the Islanders in the fourth round (96th overall) of the 2008 NHL Draft and has appeared in 67 NHL games in parts of three seasons, totaling two goals and 17 assists for 19 points.
Donovan has appeared in 180 AHL games in his career, all with Bridgeport. The 2013 AHL All-Star has recorded 32 goals and 87 assists for 119 points along with a plus-37 rating.
