BUFFALO – The Sabres added two forwards shortly after free agency opened today, signing Jason Zucker to a one-year, $5 million contract and Sam Lafferty to a two-year, $4 million deal.
Zucker, 32, compiled 14 goals, 42 points, 81 penalty minutes and a minus-9 rating in 69 games with the Arizona Coyotes and Nashville Predators last season.
The 5-foot-11, 192-pound Zucker, a winger, has scored 196 goals and 370 points in 697 career NHL games. The American scored 27 goals for the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2022-23 and a career-high 33 for the Minnesota Wild in 2017-18.
Lafferty, 29, just enjoyed a career season, compiling 13 goals, 24 points, 32 penalty minutes and a plus-4 rating in 79 games with the Vancouver Canucks.
The 6-foot-1, 195-pound Lafferty has scored 36 goals and 83 points in career NHL games. Lafferty, who can skate at center and wing, has also played for the Penguins, Chicago Blackhawks and Toronto Maple Leafs.
Update: In addition to the signings of Zucker and Lafferty, the Sabres have also inked defensemen Jacob Bryson and Dennis Gilbert and forward Nicolas Aube-Kubel.
– Bryson, who wasn’t extended a $1.9 million qualifying offer as a restricted free agent, signed a one-year, $900,000 contract. Bryson, 26, has spent the past four years with the Sabres.
He just finished a two-year, $3.7 million contract.
– Gilbert, a Buffalo native, signed a one-year, $825,000 contract.
Gilbert, 27, registered one goal, seven points, 16 penalty minutes and a minus-7 rating in 34 games for the Calgary Flames last season.
The 6-foot-2, 216-pound Gilbert has recorded three goals and 14 points in 82 career NHL games. He has also played for the Blackhawks and Colorado Avalanche.
– Aube-Kubel signed a one-year, $1.5 million contract.
Aube-Kubel, 28, registered six goals, 16 points, 23 penalty minutes and a plus-4 rating in 60 games with the Washington Capitals last season. He also played 11 games for the Hershey Bears.
The 6-foot, 207-pound Aube-Kubel has compiled 31 goals and 78 points in 282 career NHL games. He won the Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche in 2022. He has also played for the Philadelphia Flyers and Maple Leafs.
Update: The Sabres have re-signed winger Brett Murray to a one-year contract and awarded center Mason Jobst, who tied for the Rochester Amerks’ lead in scoring, a one-year NHL contract.
They’ve also signed forward Josh Dunne to a two-year deal and goalie Felix Sandstrom and defenseman Jack Rathbone to one-year contracts.
Does any of these inconsequential signings make the Sabres better? NOT! Fans will be chanting “ fire Kevyn” before Thanksgiving!