Sabres re-sign depth forward to $18 million deal

The Buffalo Sabres secured one of their pending free agents before the opening of free agency by agreeing to a six-year, $18 million contract with forward Beck Malenstyn, according to Elliotte Friedman. The deal carries an average annual value of $3 million, doubling the $1.375 million cap hit from the two-year contract he signed after joining Buffalo in 2024.

Malenstyn, 28, completed his second season with the Sabres in 2025-26, finishing with seven goals and seven assists in 81 regular-season games. He also played a pivotal role during the playoffs, contributing one goal and two assists in 13 games while adding 42 hits and 10 blocked shots.

His physical play was a major reason for the long-term commitment. Malenstyn led Buffalo with 282 hits, ranking fifth across the NHL in that category. He also became a crucial contributor on the Sabres’ penalty kill, recording the team’s lowest expected goals against (xGA) among skaters with at least 100 penalty-kill minutes at 17.83, according to Natural Stat Trick.

Originally selected by the Washington Capitals with the 145th overall pick in the 2016 NHL Draft, Malenstyn was traded to Buffalo during the 2024 offseason in exchange for a second-round pick that was later used to select Cole Hutson, the brother of Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson.

Across 262 NHL regular-season games, Malenstyn has garnered 19 goals and 29 assists for 48 points. With his new contract expected to count $3 million annually, the Sabres are projected to have just under $10.8 million in salary-cap space as the organization turns its attention to restricted free agents Peyton Krebs and Olen Zellweger before free agency begins on July 1.

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