November Edition
As the 181st overall pick in 2014, Buffalo Sabres winger Victor Olofsson faced long odds to play in the NHL.
For some perspective, consider the Sabres drafted 16 prospects in the seventh round from 2005 until 2016. Only two – Olofsson and defenseman Brady Austin, who played five games in 2016-17 – have cracked the big leagues.
So when Olofsson, 25, signed his second NHL contract Thursday – his 20-goal rookie season earned ... Read the full article
The Buffalo Sabres have avoided arbitration with Victor Olofsson, re-signing the winger to a two-year contract with an average annual value of $3.05 million, the team announced today.
His hearing was scheduled for Wednesday.
The Sabres now have $3,495,833 of projected salary cap space, according to capfriendly.com.
Olofsson, 25, had a $767,500 cap hit as a rookie last season. He will be a restricted free agent again when the contract expires.... Read the full article
The Buffalo Sabres avoided arbitration with winger Sam Reinhart and goalie Linus Ullmark by signing the restricted free agents to a pair of one-year contracts Sunday.
Reinhart, whose hearing was scheduled for Tuesday, inked a $5.2 million deal. Meanwhile, Ullmark, whose hearing was set for today, signed a $2.6 million contract.
The Sabres now have $6,545,833 in salary cap space remaining, according to capfriendly.com. They still have one arbitration hearing scheduled: winger Victor Olofsson’s ... Read the full article
The Buffalo Sabres have avoided arbitration with Sam Reinhart, re-signing the winger to a one-year, $5.2 million contract, the team announced today.
His hearing was scheduled for Tuesday.
Reinhart, 24, earned $3.7 million in 2019-20 in the final season of a two-year, $7.3 million contract. He will be a restricted free agent again next year.
The Sabres now have $8,445,833 in salary cap space remaining, according to capfriendly.com. Goalie Linus Ullmark (Monday) and winger ... Read the full article
The Buffalo Sabres and goalie Linus Ullmark are $2.3 million apart heading into Monday’s arbitration hearing, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.
The Sabres offered Ullmark $1.8 million, while he countered with $4.1 million, Friedman tweeted this morning.
Ullmark, 27, earned $1.325 million last season.
The Swede enjoyed his best NHL season in 2019-20, recording a 17-14-3 record with a 2.69 goals-against average and a .915 save percentage in 34 games.
From Nov. 16 until Jan. ... Read the full article
Few players understand what Buffalo Sabres captain Jack Eichel has endured over his first five NHL seasons better than Taylor Hall.
Hall needed 529 games, eight seasons and two organizations before making his first playoff appearance.
Eichel, having played 354 games without sniffing the postseason, has experienced a similarly frustrating start to his career.
The American, 23, was supposed to lead the Sabres’ resurgence after they drafted him second overall in 2015. Hall, 28, ... Read the full article
If Jason Botterill hadn’t been fired as general manager, then perhaps center Johan Larsson would’ve returned to the Buffalo Sabres.
Larsson, 28, just enjoyed arguably his best NHL season, becoming one of coach Ralph Krueger’s trusted forwards. The checking line the Swede pivoted between Zemgus Girgensons and Kyle Okposo quickly solidified itself as the Sabres’ steadiest combination. Krueger kept the trio intact nearly all season.
It appeared Larsson, who signed a two-year contract with ... Read the full article
When free agency opened Friday, rookie general manager Kevyn Adams called Darren Ferris, Taylor Hall’s agent, and told him the Buffalo Sabres would be interested in talking to his client.
Few expected Hall, the most coveted winger available, would chose a team mired in a nine-year playoff drought. The 2017-18 Hart Trophy winner recently expressed how winning had become his top priority.
Still, Hall wanted to talk to the Sabres. Their coach, Ralph Krueger, knows ... Read the full article
For nearly three days, the Buffalo Sabres remained quiet in free agency, adding only depth players.
Reports materialized last week the Sabres would pursue slick winger Taylor Hall, one of the most coveted players on the market. Still, few expected a team mired in an embarrassing nine-year playoff drought could lure the former Hart Trophy winner.
It appeared if general manager Kevyn Adams wanted to dramatically improve the Sabres, he would have to do so ... Read the full article
Three of the Buffalo Sabres’ four remaining restricted free agents – goalie Linus Ullmark and wingers Victor Olofsson and Sam Reinhart – filed for salary arbitration before today’s deadline.
Only defenseman Brandon Montour passed on it.
Update: Montour has signed a one-year, $3.85 million contract.
Filing, of course, doesn’t mean a player will go to arbitration. Negotiations can continue. The sides usually reach a deal before the arbitration hearing.
Last year, four Sabres filed ... Read the full article
