ROCHESTER – Winger Trevor Kuntar doesn’t lack confidence. The Williamsville native isn’t cocky, mind you. He’s grateful for the career-changing opportunity he has earned and the belief Americans coach Mike Leone and others in the Buffalo Sabres organization have shown in him.

Kuntar, who on Wednesday signed a two-way NHL contract, quickly morphed into the Amerks’ biggest surprise this season, scoring a team-high nine goals while providing critical depth, energy and grit before the Sabres summoned him to Vancouver.

To most observers, Kuntar, 24, exceeded expectations with the Amerks after signing an AHL contract in late July. To himself, he’s simply seizing a chance he never received during his two seasons with the Providence Bruins, Boston’s top affiliate.

“I know what I’m capable of, I know the work that I put in, and … I just feel like I was working for that opportunity,” Kuntar told the Times Herald following Tuesday’s practice in Blue Cross Arena. “And this coaching staff, they gave me that opportunity, and I’m just so thankful for that. I’m trying to prove everyone right that has given me these opportunities and do good by them, by the people that believed in me. …

“I’m cherishing every second of it, because it’s just been a lot of fun. But, yeah, I did expect this, and I expect it for the rest of my career.”

Shortly after he spoke, Kuntar boarded a bus with his teammates to Belleville, Ontario, where the Amerks defeated the Senators 6-1 on Wednesday without his services.

After his deal became official, he took a two-hour car ride from Belleville to Pearson International Airport in Toronto and boarded a flight to begin his first stint in the NHL.

Less than five months ago, after the Bruins did not give him a qualifying offer as a restricted free agent, Kuntar, who made his NHL debut in Thursday’s game against the Vancouver Canucks, had no team.

“He probably was sitting at home after the season thinking, ‘What the heck am I going to be doing?’” Amerks assistant coach Vinny Prospal said Tuesday. “And look where he’s at right now. He’s had a tremendous start for us.”

The 6-foot, 205-pound Kuntar often skated alongside center Riley Fiddler-Schultz and Jagger Joshua during the first two months.

With some of the Amerks’ best forwards – Josh Dunne, Noah Ostlund and Isak Rosen – earning extended time in Buffalo, Prospal said Kuntar’s line “has been carrying the team.” The trio has combined to score 19 goals this season.

“(Kuntar) grabbed the opportunity by the horns, and he’s sticking to it,” Prospal said.

Kuntar, a third-round pick by Boston in 2020, 89th overall, produced offense throughout his career before last season. After scoring 10 goals and 20 points in 70 games as a rookie with Providence in 2023-24, he dropped to just three goals and 12 points in 54 outings as he struggled to earn ice time and often sat out as a healthy scratch.

While Leone did not know Kuntar personally, he knew of him as a player and believed he could score in the AHL. He simply needed a chance to showcase his talent and tenacity.

“He’s a relentless player, plays winning hockey, he’s physical, he wins battles, he gets to the net front, he’s fearless, and those are the guys you win with,” Leone said last month.

Kuntar does just about everything that translates to goal scoring. Still, Leone never thought he would be producing at close to a 30-goal pace.

“Did I know he’d have nine right now? I did not,” he said Tuesday. “Is he going to get on pace for 35? Is he going to get 30? I don’t know. But I thought he could get 15, 20.”

But if Kuntar isn’t scoring, his high-octane effort makes him an asset. Leone said he possesses a “relentless hunting mindset.”

“If there was a puck in the corner and everybody was watching and he was going one-on-one with anybody, he’d probably come out with the puck, and that’s NHL guys,” he said last month. “Like, I mean that.”

Prospal said Kuntar’s heavy style gives the Amerks “an element we were lacking at certain times last year.”

“He brings the physicality, he brings kind of like the (screw) you attitude that you want to have on your depth,” he said.

Before he joined Buffalo, Kuntar developed into one of Rochester’s drivers, earning a spot on the power play and his most ice time since his three-year career at Boston College.

He doesn’t take Leone’s support or anything he has earned for granted.

“It’s really something special, and I feel very fortunate and very lucky,” Kuntar said. “I can’t say how grateful I am because without people like that in your corner, it’s a lot harder to have success. So I’m just very appreciative, and I just want to keep doing right by them.”

Notes: Sabres coach Lindy Ruff told reporters in Vancouver that center Josh Norris, who missed his second straight game Thursday (soreness/illness), is feeling better. … The Sabres have placed goalie Colten Ellis, who’s in concussion protocol after getting hit early in Monday’s 4-3 overtime win against the Edmonton Oilers, on injured reserve. … In addition to Kuntar, Fiddler-Schultz and Sabres defenseman Zach Metsa also recently turned AHL contracts into two-way NHL deals.