After signing Owen Power on Friday, the Sabres were hoping to get two other key college prospects signed soon. GM Kevyn Adams told Lance Lysowski of The Buffalo News on Friday that he had reached out to Michigan goalie Erik Portillo and Minnesota defenseman Ryan Johnson to discuss the possibility of both of them turning pro. However, as Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports (Twitter link), Portillo has since decided to return to the Wolverines next season. A 2019 third-round pick by Buffalo, Portillo had a 2.14 GAA along with a .926 SV% in 42 games in his sophomore year.
Meanwhile, Johnson, a first-rounder that same year, had 19 points in 39 games with the Golden Gophers. If the Sabres wanted to do so, they could offer to burn the first year of his entry-level deal as they did with Power to help entice Johnson to sign.