LEWISTON, N.Y. – Less than two years ago, Corey Tropp’s future looked iffy. Following an ugly slash in January 2009, Michigan State suspended the winger the rest of his sophomore year. When he tried to finish the season in the United States Hockey League, the junior league imposed its own ban.

Tropp, a player with one incident on his rap sheet, couldn’t play anywhere. In a few seconds, he had become a villain.

The 20-year-old American accepted his punishment, however. When the suspension ended, Tropp’s teammates voted him an assistant captain. He responded with a monster junior season, scoring a team-high 20 goals and 42 points in 37 games for the Spartans in 2009-10.

On Tuesday, Tropp signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Buffalo Sabres.

“It’s something three years ago, after I got drafted, one of my goals was a contract with Buffalo,” Tropp, the 89th overall pick in 2007, said Tuesday following a session of the Sabres’ summer development camp at Niagara University. “Everything’s worked out as I planned so far.”

Tropp believes the slashing incident is fully behind him.

“I haven’t thought about it,” he said. “I don’t think anyone else has thought about it. My track record, I’m not a player who plays like that. It’s one incident. … I haven’t thought about it since probably about a week after it happened.”

People talk about Tropp’s skill set these days.

“I’m a hard-to-play-against, up-and-down winger,” he said. “I like to bring some offense – a good amount of offense – also.”

Tropp, 6 feet and 186 pounds, compiled 29 goals, 70 points and 111 penalty minutes in 100 NCAA games. He’s likely ticketed for AHL Portland in the upcoming season.

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