The Buffalo Sabres moved quickly to keep Noah Östlund in the fold, agreeing Monday to an eight-year extension worth $6.6 million per season.
Östlund, a first-round pick in 2022, made his first real NHL imprint last season and showed why the organization is so high on him. In 60 games, he scored 11 goals and added 16 assists. He also chipped in a goal and an assist in three playoff games against the Bruins before a lower-body injury cut that run short.
The timing matters, too. Östlund had one year left on his entry-level deal, but Buffalo chose to act before the new collective bargaining agreement takes effect Tuesday. Under the new rules, eight-year contracts will no longer be allowed, with seven years the maximum.
The Sabres have been sold on Östlund’s blend of playmaking, defensive responsibility and edge. Injuries have been the main concern early in his pro career, but his game has translated faster than many expected.
That confidence goes back to his draft year, when assistant general manager Jerry Forton came away impressed by the forward’s competitiveness and hockey sense.
“He’s always been very good at scoring in tight and around the net, a little bit like a poor man’s Jake Guentzel in that regard,” Forton said. “His hockey sense, his edges, his compete and tight areas skills would have reminded us of a Jake Guentzel type, but a different player projecting him at the NHL level. We view Noah as a pure center and more of a distributor and pass-first guy.”
There is still one obvious area for growth. Strength was the biggest question when Östlund was drafted, and it remains a work in progress. He won just 31 percent of his face-offs during the regular season last year, and Buffalo still wants to see him get stronger there if he’s going to stay at center long term.
For now, though, the Sabres are betting on the upside. If Östlund keeps trending the way he has, that $6.6 million cap hit could end up looking like a bargain.
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Sabres Just Made A Long-Term Bet On A Young Forward
The Sabres have decided they are not waiting to see whether Alexander Ostlund becomes a bigger part of their present before locking him into their future. Buffalo signed the young forward to a long-term deal that reflects the organizations belief that his value goes beyond the role he has filled so far, with Ostlund spending much of his NHL time in a bottom-six spot while also bouncing between Buffalo and Rochester.
Ostlund, the 16th overall pick in 2022, is now part of a broader roster plan that keeps several core pieces under team control through at least 2029-30. The length of the commitment says plenty about how the Sabres view his trajectory, and so does the structure of the deal, which gives him protections later on as Buffalo tries to build a more stable lineup around its young group. [Read more 🡒]
Jiri Kulich Now Faces A Huge Sabres Question At Center
Jiri Kulich has been back on the ice, and for the Sabres that alone is an encouraging development after a long stretch without him in an NHL game. The young forward has been skating and training again, and the early word around him has been positive from both Radim Mrtka and head coach Lindy Ruff, which gives Buffalo a little more reason to keep an eye on him heading into camp.
The bigger issue now is where Kulich fits in a roster that still needs answers down the middle. Buffalos struggles at the faceoff dot last season made center a glaring area of concern, and Kulich is expected to get a real look for a top-line job when training camp opens. He will have to show he can handle that responsibility quickly, because the Sabres need more than just health here - they need a center who can help stabilize a key weakness. [Read more 🡒]
Sabres Just Made Their Belief In Noah Ostlund Impossible To Miss
Noah Ostlunds rise from a 2022 first-round pick to a player Buffalo wants locked into its future has been quick and unmistakable. After two seasons in Sweden, the forward came over to Rochester and then made enough of an impression in his rookie NHL season that the Sabres moved to secure him as part of their long-term plans.
The extension gives Buffalo another young piece to build around, and it also keeps Ostlund in the same conversation as the clubs other core names already under contract deep into the decade. For a team trying to stabilize its direction, the message here is clear: the Sabres are betting big that Ostlunds early promise is only the start. [Read more 🡒]