Buffalo Sabres
· 2026-07-02
The Buffalo Sabres extended qualifying offers to restricted free agents Peyton Krebs and defenseman Olen Zellweger on Monday.
The Sabres acquired Zellweger, 22, on Friday in a trade with the Anaheim Ducks, viewing him as a replacement for Bowen Byram.
The team also signed winger Beck Malenstyn to a six-year, $17.5 million contract, with a $2.917 million salary cap hit.
Krebs, 25, has established himself as one of the Sabres’ most versatile forwards, eligible for arbitration.
The Sabres are coming off a strong season, with a 50-23 record and 2nd place standing in the Eastern Conference as of July 2, 2026.
Assistant general manager Jerry Forton mentioned that winger Prokhor Poltapov, the highest drafted of the group, could join the Sabres next year.
Poltapov, 23, has spent the last four seasons in the KHL, scoring 43 goals and 103 points in 266 games.
The Sabres drafted him in the second round in 2021, 33rd overall, and his contract with CSKA Moscow runs through 2026-27.
And the team is looking to build on their success, with Malenstyn's signing a key move to strengthen their lineup.
But the Sabres also chose not to extend qualifying offers to four players, including defenseman Zac Jones and winger Olivier Nadeau.
So the team's roster is taking shape, with a mix of new and returning players.
The Sabres' standing, 2nd in the Eastern Conference with a 50-23 record, is a testament to their hard work and dedication.
But they are looking to improve, with the signing of Malenstyn and the potential addition of Poltapov.