Beck Malenstyn is staying in Buffalo. Elliotte Friedman reported Sunday night that the deal is expected to be finalized Monday, around six years at $3 million per season.
That's $18 million in total commitment for a bottom-six forward who just finished his first full season with the Sabres. GM Jarmo Kekalainen clearly liked what he saw.
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Malenstyn appeared in 81 games this season for a Buffalo team that finished 50-23-9, fourth overall with 109 points. He posted 7 goals and 14 points, added 1 shorthanded goal, and dressed for 13 of the Sabres' playoff games as well.
The numbers are not flashy. But that's not what Buffalo is paying for.
At $3,000,000, this signing says exactly what the Sabres think they are now. A legitimate contender that needs to keep its locker room intact. Depth pieces don't stay on cap-friendly deals when a team is winning 50 games a season.
Malenstyn went 2-5-3 in his final 10 regular season games, contributing a single playoff goal over 13 games as Buffalo advanced to the second round before falling to Montreal in seven games.
Six years is a long commitment for a depth forward at any price
That's the part worth examining. Six years takes Malenstyn to age 34. At $3,000,000 annually, it's not a roster-crushing number, but it is a real commitment for a player who has never cracked 20 points in a season.
Kekalainen is building culture and continuity in Buffalo, not just talent. The Sabres just lost a second-round series they were favored to win. The core of Tage Thompson, Rasmus Dahlin, and Owen Power is locked up. Keeping the bottom six stable around them is part of the plan.
Whether a six-year term on a role player is the right call is a fair question. But in Buffalo right now, locking in depth that the locker room trusts makes organizational sense.
Is a 6-year deal for Beck Malenstyn smart depth management by Buffalo?
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