In the midst of one of his best National Hockey League seasons, the Buffalo Sabres have extended veteran forward Jason Zucker to a two-year, $9.50 million contract extension, as first reported by TSN’s Darren Dreger.
It’s been reported that the Sabres have been working hard to get the 33-year-old re-signed, and that came to fruition on Friday morning. Although he was considered a trade candidate ahead of the 3 p.m. ET deadline, it looks like he’ll be sticking around in Western New York for the next couple of campaigns.
Zucker has emerged into one of Buffalo’s most important forwards in 2024-25, managing 18 goals and 44 points in 54 games along with a plus-four rating.
Currently fifth on the Sabres in scoring, Zucker looks poised to reach the 50-point mark for just the second time in his career. The Newport Beach, California native made it clear back in January that he was interested in remaining with the team, and he’s sticking to his word.
Zucker should be a fixture in Buffalo’s top-six over the next couple years, and will be an important veteran as the club continues to rebuild. The Sabres are currently dead last in the Eastern Conference at 24-31-6 and look a couple of years away from serious playoff contention at least.
Originally drafted by the Minnesota Wild back in 2010, Zucker spent last season split between the Arizona Coyotes and Nashville Predators. His best campaign came as a member of the Wild back in 2017-18, when he amassed 33 goals and 64 points over a full 82-game slate.
Zucker managed a goal and three points in six Stanley Cup Playoff games in 2024 as the Predators were defeated in Round 1 by the Vancouver Canucks. He’ll be hoping to play more postseason contests as a member of the Sabres, although the franchise currently owns the longest playoff drought in North American professional sports.
After signing the veteran, Buffalo projects to have a little over $29 million in cap room for next season, according to PuckPedia. That should give the front office the room to add another quality player or two to the roster over the summer.
This is a win for both sides, as Zucker currently makes $5 million against the cap. The Sabres get him locked up for less than he’s currently making, and Zucker gets some stability in Western New York for the next two campaigns.
Although he’s currently out of the lineup with an injury, he should remain one of Buffalo’s more important players both down the stretch and into the future.
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