BUFFALO SABRES NEWS

Felix Sandstrom - Signs two-way pact Sandstrom agreed to terms on a one-year, two-way contract with the Sabres on Monday.

Impact Sandstrom has struggled at the NHL level, going 4-18-4 with a 3.66 GAA and .880 save percentage in 30 games while with the Flyers. With Philadelphia moving in a different direction after signing Ivan Fedotov to compete with Samuel Ersson, the 27-year-old Sandstrom joins a Sabres organization that is significantly less certain when it comes to the goaltending position. Sandstrom will almost certainly start the year in the minors but could get called up if he can provide himself with AHL Rochester.

JULY 1 • ROTOWIRE

Jack Rathbone - Secures one-year deal Rathbone signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Sabres on Monday.

Impact Rathbone had nine goals and 24 points across 69 AHL regular-season contests between Abbotsford and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. The 25-year-old also has two goals and five points in 28 career NHL appearances.

JULY 1 • ROTOWIRE

Brett Murray - Re-ups with club for another year Murray signed a one-year, two-way contract with Buffalo on Monday.

Impact For the third straight year, Murray has agreed to a one-year, two-way contract with the Sabres at the start of free agency. Those contracts haven't turned into NHL opportunities, as the 25-year-old winger has logged just two games with Buffalo over the last two seasons. As such, fantasy players should expect Murray to continue serving as a depth piece with AHL Rochester.

JULY 1 • ROTOWIRE

Mason Jobst - Agrees to one-year contract Jobst signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Sabres on Monday.

Impact Jobst had 22 goals and 50 points in 64 regular-season contests with AHL Rochester in 2023-24. The 30-year-old has never played at the NHL level.

JULY 1 • ROTOWIRE

Josh Dunne - Inks two-way agreement Dunne signed a two-year, two-way contract with the Sabres on Monday.

Impact Dunne had two goals and seven points in 25 regular-season contests in 2023-24. The 25-year-old is unlikely to play for the Sabres in the upcoming campaign.

JULY 1 • ROTOWIRE

HockeyBuzz.com - Sean Maloughney - Free Agency Begins - Brownx2, Arvidsson, UPDATE Kase, and Jeff Skinner NHL Hockey Trade Rumors

JULY 1 • HOCKEYBUZZ.COM

Dennis Gilbert - Agrees to one-year contract Gilbert signed a one-year, $825,000 contract with the Sabres on Monday.

Impact Gilbert had a goal, seven points, 59 hits and 49 blocks in 34 appearances with the Flames in 2023-24. The 27-year-old has a real shot of making the Sabres' roster out of training camp, but even if Gilbert makes the team, he probably won't play much for Buffalo.

JULY 1 • ROTOWIRE

Jacob Bryson - Inks one-year pact Bryson signed a one-year, $900,000 contract with Buffalo on Monday.

Impact Bryson played in a mere 36 games for Buffalo last season, notching one goal, seven assists and 15 shots while averaging 14:41 of ice time. The 26-year-old blueliner is far from a lock for the lineup on a nightly basis and could spend significant chunks of the seasons serving as a healthy scratch.

JULY 1 • ROTOWIRE

Nicolas Aube-Kubel - Agrees to one-year deal Aube-Kubel signed a one-year, $1.5 million contract with Buffalo on Monday.

Impact Aube-Kubel supplied six goals, 16 points, 58 shots on net and 159 hits over 60 regular-season outings for Washington in 2023-24. The 28-year-old forward will add some energy to the bottom-six group of the Sabres.

JULY 1 • ROTOWIRE

Jason Zucker - Signs one-year deal Zucker signed a one-year, $5 million contract with the Sabres on Monday, per Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet.

Impact Zucker had 14 goals, 32 points, 81 PIM and 98 hits in 69 regular-season contests between Arizona and Nashville in 2023-24. He'll likely serve in a middle-six capacity next season. Given that this is just a one-year deal, it wouldn't be surprising if Zucker is involved in a midseason trade should the Sabres fall out of the playoff hunt.

JULY 1 • ROTOWIRE

Sam Lafferty - Signs two-year deal Lafferty signed a two-year, $4 million contract with the Sabres on Monday, per Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet.

Impact Lafferty had 13 goals, 24 points and 192 hits in 79 contests with the Canucks in 2023-24. He might get a bit more ice time with Buffalo than he did in Vancouver -- he averaged 11:53 last season -- but the 29-year-old shouldn't be counted on to consistently serve in anything more than a third-line role.

JULY 1 • ROTOWIRE

Riley Stillman - Not qualified by Sabres Stillman (lower body) did not receive a qualifying offer from Buffalo and will become an unrestricted free agent Monday.

Impact Stillman did not make an NHL appearance during the 2023-24 campaign was held to six points in 47 AHL contests. He underwent season-ending lower-body surgery in April and his status for the start of the 2024-25 season is currently unknown.

JUNE 30 • ROTOWIRE

Buffalo Sabres buy out the final three years of forward Jeff Skinner's 8-year, $72 million contract

The Buffalo Sabres officially moved on from Jeff Skinner, the top-paid forward on the team’s roster, by buying out the final three years of the veteran’s contact

JUNE 30 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Jacob Bryson - Set to become free agent Bryson will not receive a qualifying offer from the Sabres and will become an unrestricted free agent Monday, per PuckPedia.

Impact Bryson had eight points in 36 games last season. He also added three assists with AHL Rochester. The 26-year-old blueliner has just 36 points in 206 career NHL contests. Bryson could land a cheap deal as a depth defenseman this offseason but may need to settle for a two-way contract.

JUNE 30 • ROTOWIRE

NHL notebook: Sabres to buy out F Jeff Skinner's contract The Buffalo Sabres will buy out the final three seasons of the contract of forward Jeff Skinner, making him a free agent on Monday.Skinner s...

JUNE 30 • NEWSOBSERVER.COM

Buffalo Sabres 'Initiated the Process' of Buying Out Jeff Skinner, GM Says The Buffalo Sabres plan to buy out the remaining three seasons of Jeff Skinner’s contract, which would make the 32-year-old a UFA one year r...

JUNE 29 • NEWSOBSERVER.COM

Jeff Skinner - Getting bought out The Sabres are buying out the remainder of Skinner's contract, GM Kevyn Adams told Matthew Fairburn of The Athletic on Saturday.

Impact Once the process is complete, Skinner will be eligible to become an unrestricted free agent Monday. He struggled last season with 46 points, including 24 goals, across 74 appearances. That's a sharp decline from 2022-23 when he finished with 35 markers and 82 points in 79 outings. Despite his recent drop in production, the 32-year-old is still capable of rebounding and being an impact forward in a top-six role. It wouldn't be surprising if he signs a one-year contract with a contender to re-establish his value before potentially getting a bigger payday in the summer of 2025.

JUNE 29 • ROTOWIRE

Malenstyn traded to Sabres by Capitals for 2nd-round pick in 2024 Draft | NHL.com Forward had career-high 21 points in 81 games with Washington this season

JUNE 29 • NHL.COM

Beck Malenstyn - Shuffles off to Buffalo Malenstyn was traded to Buffalo from Washington for the Sabres' second-round pick, 43rd overall on Saturday.

Impact Malenstyn played his first full season in the NHL in 2023-24, scoring six times while adding 15 assists and 241 hits in 81 regular-season games. The 26-year-old should see bottom-six time with the Sabres in 2024-25.

JUNE 29 • ROTOWIRE

Kale Clague - Back with Buffalo Clague signed a one-year, two-way contract with Buffalo on Friday, Bill Hoppe of the Olean Times Herald reports.

Impact Clague played only three games at the NHL level in 2023-24, picking up one assist. The 26-year-old spent most of the year with AHL Rochester, scoring three times while adding 20 assists in 42 contests.

JUNE 28 • ROTOWIRE

Three Potential Destinations for Jeff Skinner If Buffalo Sabres Buy Him Out The Buffalo Sabres are considering buying out the contract of winger Jeff Skinner. If he does become a UFA, Adam Proteau lists three teams h...

JUNE 27 • NEWSOBSERVER.COM

Should the Sabres Have More Draft Pick Moves In Store After Trading Down In First Round? Should the Buffalo Sabres and New Jersey Devils use a first-rounder to trade for NHL-ready talent? Tony Ferrari and Jacob Stoller discuss.

JUNE 27 • THESTATE.COM

Sharks move up, acquire 11th overall pick from Sabres The San Jose Sharks acquired the 11th overall pick of the 2024 NHL Draft from the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday.The Sabres, in turn, received t...

JUNE 27 • NEWSOBSERVER.COM

Veteran Kyle Okposo wins Stanley Cup with Panthers 18 years after being drafted

Kyle Okposo used to rollerblade around his driveway as a kid, pretending he was a pro hockey player competing in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup final

JUNE 25 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Risk vs. reward as NHL teams assess Russian prospects at camp to dispel concerns entering draft

The NHL draft is later this week and there are a handful of Russian prospects who could be picked

JUNE 24 • ASSOCIATED PRESS