Buffalo Sabres bank on Noah Ostlund’s potential by signing 22-year-old to 8-year, $52.8M contract

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — The Buffalo Sabres are banking on forward Noah Ostlund’s potential by signing the 22-year-old to an eight-year, $52.8 million contract, the team announced Monday.

The sizable terms of the contract reflects the confidence the Sabres have in a player who made significant strides last year in his rookie season. He finished with 11 goals and 27 points in 60 regular-season games, and then added a goal and assist in three playoff outings.

The Sabres are projecting Ostlund to fill a top-two line role this season as either a center or winger. The Sweden native was selected 16th in the 2022 draft and is entering the final year of his rookie contract.

He is now regarded as a key piece of Buffalo’s 27-and-younger core that includes forwards Josh Doan, Zach Benson and Josh Norris and defensemen Rasmus Dahlin, Mattias Samuelsson and Owen Power — all of whom are under contract through at least 2030.

The Sabres are coming off a season in which they snapped a 14-season playoff drought and advanced to the second round for the first time since 2007 before losing to Montreal.

The deal was made before the NHL’s new collective bargaining agreement takes effect on Wednesday, when players are restricted to maximum seven-year deals when re-signing with their own team.

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John Wawrow, The Associated Press