In past offseasons, it sometimes took former Buffalo Sabres time to find work. Some went overseas or returned to the minors. Some never played in the NHL again.
But earlier this month, seven players from the 2023-24 squad quickly signed NHL contracts as free agents. Some updates are below.
– Winger Jeff Skinner signed a one-year, $3 million contract with the Edmonton Oilers.
The Sabres, of course, bought out the final three seasons of Skinner’s massive eight-year, $72 million deal after he produced just 24 goals and 46 points, a 12-goal, 36-point drop from the previous season.
Skinner, 32, scored 153 goals for the Sabres over six seasons.
– Forward Zemgus Girgensons signed a three-year, $2.55 million contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
General manager Kevyn Adams said Girgensons, who was Buffalo’s longest-tenured player, turned down the Sabres’ contract offer.
Girgensons, 30, played 688 games for the Sabres over 12 years.
– Winger Victor Olofsson signed a one-year, $1.075 contract with the Vegas Golden Knights.
Olofsson, 29, struggled last season, mustering just seven goals in 51 games while becoming a regular healthy scratch.
In Vegas, he will be reunited with Jack Eichel, his center throughout much of his 20-goal rookie season in 2019-20.
– Goalie Eric Comrie signed a two-year, $1.65 million contract with the Winnipeg Jets, his first NHL team.
The Sabres signed, Comrie, 29, to start as Devon Levi and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen developed, but he played just 29 games over two years and briefly returned to the minors last season.
– Center Tyson Jost signed a one-year, $775,000 contract with the Carolina Hurricanes.
Jost, 26, lost his regular spot last season and played 25 games for the Rochester Americans.
– Winger Eric Robinson signed a one-year $950,000 contract with Carolina.
Robinson, 29, played 40 games with the Sabres last season after they acquired him in a trade from the Columbus Blue Jackets.
– Defenseman Erik Johnson signed a one-year, $1 million contract with the Philadelphia Flyers.
The Sabres traded Johnson, 36, to Philadelphia prior to the March 8 deadline.
– Center Brandon Biro signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Seattle Kraken worth $775,000 in the NHL.
Biro, 26, played six games for the Sabres over his four years in the organization, including five last season.