Overview
- Multiple reporters said Monday that the Sabres agreed to a six-year contract for Malenstyn worth about $18 million total, with an average annual value just under $3 million.
- The new AAV more than doubles his previous cap hit and is expected to leave Buffalo with roughly $10.8 million in projected cap space as free agency opens July 1.
- Malenstyn is being signed for his physical play and penalty-kill work after a 2025-26 season with seven goals, seven assists and a team-leading 282 hits.
- Buffalo acquired Malenstyn from Washington in 2024 for a second-round pick and his long-term deal shifts the club's roster focus to restricted free agents Peyton Krebs and Olen Zellweger.
- Analysts note the upside of his straight-line speed and physical profile but warn a six-year term creates risk that he will need to adapt his style as he ages.