Buffalo Sabres sign Noah Östlund to eight-year, $52.8 million extension
The New York Times • • sports
Key Points:
- The Buffalo Sabres signed forward Noah Östlund to an eight-year contract extension worth $6.6 million annually, locking him in before new CBA rules reduce maximum contract length to seven years.
- Östlund, a 2022 first-round draft pick, played 60 NHL games last season, recording 11 goals and 16 assists, and showed promise despite some injury setbacks.
- Sabres assistant GM Jerry Forton praised Östlund’s competitiveness, playmaking, and hockey sense, comparing his style to Jake Guentzel but projecting him as a pass-first center.
- While Östlund’s face-off performance and strength remain areas for improvement, the Sabres are optimistic about his development and view his contract as potentially team-friendly long-term.
- Buffalo’s management, led by GM Jarmo Kekäläinen, has been proactive in securing young talent with long-term deals, maintaining a healthy salary cap situation with roughly $29 million in space heading into next season.
