The Buffalo Sabres today signed winger Beck Malenstyn, who led the team in hits in each of the last two seasons, to a six-year, $17.5 million contract.
Malenstyn, 28, could’ve become an unrestricted free agent Wednesday.
The contract has a $2.917 million salary cap hit. He will receive a $2.5 million signing bonus in each of the first two seasons, according to Puckpedia.com.
The 6-foot-3, 209-pound Malenstyn registered 282 hits in 81 games last season, the most by a Sabres player since the NHL began tracking the stat in 2005-06. That total ranked fifth in the league.
He also recorded 75 blocked shots, the team’s second-highest total. He became the first Sabres player to register at least 250 hits and 70 blocked shots in a season since the NHL began tracking the stats in 2005-06.
Malenstyn scored a career-high seven goals, 14 points and 31 penalty minutes last season.
He has compiled 19 goals, 48 points and 103 penalty minutes in 262 career NHL games.
The Sabres acquired him from the Washington Capitals in 2024 in exchange for a second-round pick.