NHL Rumors: Bufflalo Sabres, One-Year Deals, and the Top 50 UFAs

Sabres still talking to Tyson Jost after not qualifying him

Brayton J. Wilson: The Buffalo Sabres didn’t qualify forward Tyson Jost.

Lance Lysowski: The Sabres will continue to talk to Yost’s reps in hopes of working a deal out.

Chad DeDominics: Yost was owed a $2.25 million qualify offer. They could agree to a contract for less money.

Will there be more one year deals this year?

Greg Wyshynski: One agent said yesterday that with the flat cap for next season and the jump in 2024-25 to possibly at least $88 million could mean that more UFAs this year will sign one-year deals

Greg Wyshynski: The agent on one-year contracts: “I think we’ll see more than people imagine. You’re going to have players saying, ‘Shit, I can’t get that 3 or 4 year deal I want. So I’ve got to sign a one-year deal and go back up to bat next year when there’s $4 million more to spend.’”

Matt Larkin: “Interesting catch 22 is — they all go back in the pool in a year with all the 2024 UFAs…what if the market gets saturated and drops prices for guys and the plan backfires? hmmm”

Top 50 NHL free agents

Dom Luszczyszyn of The Athletic: Listing the top 50 NHL free agents.

1. Matt Duchene – Predators
2. Dmitry Orlov – Bruins
3. Tyler Bertuzzi – Bruins
4. Ryan O’Reilly – Maple Leafs
5. Frederik Andersen – Hurricanes
6. Max Pacioretty – Hurricanes
7. J.T. Compher – Avalanche
8. Tristan Jarry – Penguins
9. Michael Bunting – Maple Leafs
10. Vladimir Tarasenko – Rangers
11. Alex Killorn – Lightning
12. Patrick Kane – Rangers
13. Erik Gustafsson – Maple Leafs
14. Ryan Graves – Devils
15. Matt Dumba – Wild
16. Evan Rodrigues – Avalanche
17. Blake Wheeler – Jets
18. Jason Zucker – Penguins
19. Semyon Varlamov – Islanders
20. Tomas Tatar – Devils
21. Kailer Yamamoto – Red Wings
22. Scott Mayfield – Islanders
23. Adin Hill – Golden Knights signed two years at $4.9 million per
24. Shayne Gostisbehere – Hurricanes
25. Joonas Korpisalo – Kings
26. Antti Raanta – Hurricanes
27. Max Domi – Stars
28. Radko Gudas – Panthers
29. Connor Brown – Capitals
30. Jonathan Toews – Blackhawks
31. Alex Kerfoot – Maple Leafs
32. Laurent Brossoit – Golden Knights
33. Gustav Nyquist – Wild
34. Carson Soucy – Kraken
35. John Klingberg – Wild
36. Luke Schenn – Maple Leafs
37. Ethan Bear – Canucks
38. Justin Holl – Maple Leafs
39. James van Riemsdyk – Flyers
40. Pierre Engvall – Islanders
41. Connor Clifton – Bruins
42. Conor Sheary – Capitals
43. Nick Bjugstad – Oilers
44. Noel Acciari – Maple Leafs
45. Lars Eller – Avalanche
46. Pius Suter – Red Wings
47. Ian Cole – Lightning
48. Danton Heinen – Penguins
49. Jonathan Drouin – Canadiens
50. Mike Reilly – Bruins