Buffalo Sabres 15 Best Contracts (2005-2022)

This was originally published in my 2020 book Hunting Bargains in a Salary Cap World, and has now been updated with new contracts. I will continue to update each team’s list every summer going forward. The rule is that only active contracts can move up or down. Expired deals cannot pass each other. Next summer it may even be expanded to top 20. The book is still available on Amazon, though some of the stats on active contracts are now out of date. You may yet find it interesting because there were detailed stat graphics that you won't find here. One thing you won't find here are entry level contracts because they all come from the same cookie cutter and require less skill at the negotiating table.
 
My latest book The Hockey Economist’s Betting Prospectus is now available. It's a comprehensive commentary on the last 3 years of hockey betting, broken down by team, by category, by strategy, by season. There is plenty of useful information for bettors of all skill levels. It covers pre-pandemic, peak-pandemic, post-pandemic. What worked, what failed. Lessons learned, market trends, team-by-team analysis. What impact did the pandemic have on hockey betting? The market differences between these 3 seasons are discussed at length, and there's a lot to talk about. To read more, visit the Amazon store.
 
Enjoy! Please note: The formatting on the graphics got scrambled being copied from Excel into Google Blogger. It's among the reasons my blog is looking for a new home.

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The Buffalo Sabres best contracts list helps explain how they assembled the rosters who made back-to-back conference finals in 2006 and 2007. The Sabres really hit their apex immediately following the introduction of the salary cap, then missed the playoffs 13 times in the next 15 years.
 
Sabres fans can hop into their time machines and remember the Danny Briere dynasty, as Darcy Regier managed to squeeze some really good players into radically under-priced deals during those 2 campaigns, but many of them sadly were short-term and led to an exodus that left the franchise in dire straights for years to come. Tim Murray and Jason Botterill each completed 3-year tours of duty, but failed to meet ownership’s expectations.
 
There is some light that otherwise dark tunnel, having collected an impressive group of young players, some of which you can read about below. There are some great young pieces in place if the Sabres can finally overcome whatever curse has befallen them. The biggest obstacle to overcome is finding a long-term solution in goal, which might be easier said that done.
 
1. Ryan O’Reilly
 

Signed By:	Tim Murray		Position:	F
Date:	2015-07-03		Age July 1st:	25
Term:	7 years		Playoff GP:	48
Total Money:	$52.5M		Playoff PTS:	46
Cap Hit:	$7.5M		Stanley Cups:	1

 

	Adj Cap Hit	GP	PTS	SOG	ATOI
Total	54.8	440	365	1068
Per 82 GP	7.8	82	68	199	20.6

“We felt as a management group at the end of the season we had to change the dynamic."

– Jason Botterill

Ryan O’Reilly was traded to the Buffalo Sabres in July 2015 after scoring 55 PTS for the Colorado Avalanche. The center had one year remaining on his previous deal and was set to become UFA at age 25 due to his 7 years tenure, but Tim Murray convinced Ryan to make a long-term commitment to Buffalo by giving him the same deal Patrice Bergeron accepted 2 years earlier.
 
It doesn’t matter what happened during the other 6 seasons, as Ryan O’Reilly earned every penny and more in 2019 when he was named playoff MVP after delivering a Stanley Cup to the long-suffering fans of the Buffalo Sabres St. Louis Blues. Oh yeah, and he won the Selke trophy too as the top defensive forward in the league. Sadly for Sabres fans, they were not able to reap the benefits of this astute signing by Tim Murray because his replacement decided he needed to “change the dynamic” and get more scoring from their wingers, for which Blues fans will be eternally grateful.
 
 
2. Jason Pominville
 

Signed By:	Darcy Regier		Position:	F
Date:	2006-07-27		Age July 1st:	23
Term:	3 years		Playoff GP:	16
Total Money:	$3.1M		Playoff PTS:	10
Cap Hit:	$1.03M		Stanley Cups:	0

 

	Adj Cap Hit	GP	PTS	SOG	ATOI
Total	5.1	246	214	683
Per 82 GP	1.7	82	71	228	19.0

"He's a very good scorer and he just really got his feet wet. But he did have 18 goals in not a lot of games. It's a good start. We think he'll build on it."

- Darcy Regier

Jason Pominville had not yet emerged as a high-end offensive talent when this pact was signed, having only played 58 career NHL games, tallying a respectable 30 PTS at age 22 (also chipping in 10 PTS in 18 playoff games in 2006). Jason’s new deal was at almost the same salary that Oleg Saprykin was paid 9 days earlier.
 
Pominville’s best was yet to come. The salary was fair given his limited experience, but he started outscoring his paygrade almost immediately. They got 214 PTS in 246 GP at a bargain price, including a career high 80 PTS in year two. The winger struck gold on his next deal, which managed to avoid a nomination for the Sabres worst contracts list.
 
 
3. Jack Eichel
 

Signed By:	Jason Botterill		Position:	F
Date:	2017-10-03		Age July 1st:	21
Term:	8 years		Playoff GP:	0
Total Money:	$80M		Playoff PTS:	0
Cap Hit:	$10M		Stanley Cups:	0

 

	Adj Cap Hit	GP	PTS	SOG	ATOI
Total	80.7	200	203	724
Per 82 GP	10.1	82	83	297	20.8

''The fact that Jack will now be a part of our organization here in Buffalo for the next nine years sets our organization up for success.''

– Jason Botterill

The Buffalo Sabres may have lost out on the Connor McDavid sweepstakes, but the consolation prize was also a franchise level talent. Eichel has improved each season he’s played in the NHL, earning himself an immense extension that felt expensive at the time it was signed (it was then tied for the 10th richest contract in salary cap history). Centers of this caliber had been making in the $6M - $7M range until Leon Draisaitl pushed the bar higher. Two months later Eichel would ink a slightly more expensive version of Leon’s deal.
 
Over the first 2 years, the young center was dominant, scoring at a rate of 36 goals and 90 PTS per 82 GP. While Jack and his linemates enjoyed personal success on the scoresheet, the team was been terrible. The young superstar may have regretted that 8-year commitment after seeing the terms that Auston Matthews extracted from the Leafs. He eventually missed significant time with a neck injury, demanded a trade, then got moved to Vegas where he would rediscover his scoring touch (though not initially).
 
 
4. Ryan Miller
 

Signed By:	Darcy Regier		Position:	G
Date:	2008-07-18		Age July 1st:	28
Term:	5 years		Playoff Wins:	7
Total Money:	$31.25M		Playoff SV%:	0.914
Cap Hit:	$6.25M		Stanley Cups:	0

 

	Avg Adj Cap Hit	GP	W	GAA	SV%
Total	8.4	295	148	2.53	0.919

“This is a goaltender that ultimately we can win a championship together with"

-Darcy Reiger

There is no question that Ryan Miller played his best hockey before turning 30, as he won the Vezina trophy a few weeks before the milestone birthday in year one of this contract. The part that confuses me about this deal is that Miller had the opportunity to become an unrestricted free agent at age 29, but passed in favor of a 5-year extension. Yes the salary was high, but if you’re an elite goaltender who is surrendering the chance to hit the open market in his prime earnings window, wouldn’t you need more term? He did get one year more than J.S Giguere after winning the Stanley Cup one year earlier, at a similar age.
 
This treaty may not have expired until age 33, but Miller was still able to bank another decent deal when this one expired, so it all worked out in the end. The Sabres got one year of the best goalie in the NHL, and four years of above average play for high level pay (where he was the 3rd highest paid goalie but outside the top 10 in goals saved above average).
 
 
5. Brian Campbell
 

Signed By:	Darcy Regier		Position:	D
Date:	2006-07-11		Age July 1st:	27
Term:	2 years		Playoff GP:	29
Total Money:	$3M		Playoff PTS:	14
Cap Hit:	$1.5M		Stanley Cups:	0

 

	Adj Cap Hit	GP	PTS	SOG	ATOI
Total	5.3	165	110	234
Per 82 GP	2.6	82	55	116	23.5

"I hope they've enjoyed watching me play. Don't boo me when I come back. C'mon, that's all. Don't boo me."

– Brian Campbell

This is an unbelievably low price for a 27-year-old defenseman who had just scored 12 goals and 44 PTS, a total that he would beat each year of this contract, scoring 110 PTS in 165 GP (55-point pace), for an average adjusted cap hit of $2.6M. An arbitrator surely would have awarded him more money than this, so he had to be willing to accept less in order to keep the current roster together, which advanced to the Conference finals in 2006 and 2007.
 
By 2008, Drury and Briere had already departed for greener pastures. Once the Sabres figured out they wouldn’t be able to sign Campbell to a long-term extension, Regier opted to trade the pending UFA to the San Jose Sharks for Steve Bernier and a 1st round pick (that became Tyler Ennis). That was just a rental, as Brian was lured away in July by Chicago and won a Stanley Cup.
 
 
6. Ryan Miller
 

Signed By:	Darcy Regier		Position:	G
Date:	2006-09-08		Age July 1st:	25
Term:	3 years		Playoff Wins:	9
Total Money:	$8M		Playoff SV%:	0.922
Cap Hit:	$2.67M		Stanley Cups:	0

 

	Avg Adj Cap Hit	GP	W	GAA	SV%
Total	4.4	198	110	2.64	0.912

“We felt it was pretty important to get him signed before training camp, and he felt it was important. When you have both parties working hard to get a deal done, you have a certain amount of confidence that a deal will get done.”

– Darcy Regier

Ryan Miller emerged from the 2005 lost season to become the primary starter for Buffalo, posting an impressive 16 goals saved above average and backstopping the team to the Conference finals. The Sabres paid him a fair market price for what his stat line warranted and the team was rewarded in year one with 40 wins, 16 losses, 11 goals saved above average en route to another Conference final.
 
In 2008 the exodus of core players began, and the Sabres have not won a playoff series since. The framework of this contract was a trend setter, as several goalies with similar age and statistics signed a similar bridge to this one in the years that followed.
 
 
7. Tage Thompson
 

Signed By:	Kevyn Adams		Position:	F
Date:	2020-10-05		Age July 1st:	22
Term:	3 years		Playoff GP:	0
Total Money:	$4.2M		Playoff PTS:	0
Cap Hit:	$1.4M		Stanley Cups:	0

 

	Adj Cap Hit	GP	PTS	SOG	ATOI
Total	4.2	116	82	349
Per 82 GP	1.4	82	58	247	16.6

"It's kind of a blessing in disguise. I've been off for quite a while now rehabbing the shoulder, which has given be time to work on my lower-half strength so I've been doing on a lot of legs and I've been putting on a lot of weight. I feel strong."

-Tage Thompson

Tage Thompson had only played 107 NHL games when this contract was signed, scoring 21 PTS. That career stat line was barely worth $900K, so Tage would likely have believed the offer of $1.4M was plenty generous and worth locking in for 3 years. The 6’6 winger only played 1 NHL game the season prior to signing this deal and spent a lot of time rehabbing from a shoulder injury (likely adding to his enthusiasm about locking in at this price).
 
He improved in year one, but was still barely earning his salary. It wasn’t until his 38-goal, 68-point breakthrough in 2021/22 that this was exposed as a massive bargain. He outperformed his salary by a little over $6M, and was nominally among the most underpaid players in the league (scoring at a $7.5M level for $1.4M).
 
 
8. Sam Reinhart
 

Signed By:	Jason Botterill		Position:	F
Date:	2018-09-19		Age July 1st:	22
Term:	2 years		Playoff GP:	0
Total Money:	$7.3M		Playoff PTS:	0
Cap Hit:	$3.65M		Stanley Cups:	0

 

	Adj Cap Hit	GP	PTS	SOG	ATOI
Total	7.5	151	115	324
Per 82 GP	3.7	82	62	176	19.7

"He is part of the rebuild. That's the bottom line. It's evident that he's worked very hard this summer."

- Jason Botterill

Sam Reinhart went unsigned into September after scoring 25 goals and 50 PTS in 2018. The young winger lacked arbitration rights, and should have received higher compensation for a 50-point season. But this size of the salary is highly correlated to term. The wage he received was in line with comparable bridge deals.
 
Fellow RFA Anthony Mantha had posted an almost identical stat line, and signed for 2 years $3.4M with Detroit two months earlier. The market was set, but by holding out until training camp, Reinhart was able to procure $350K more than Mantha. Sammy immediately improved, jumping up to 65 PTS in year one.
 
 
9. Rasmus Dahlin
 

Signed By:	Kevyn Adams		Position:	D
Date:	2021-09-22		Age July 1st:	21
Term:	3 years		Playoff GP:	0
Total Money:	$18.2M		Playoff PTS:	0
Cap Hit:	$6.07M		Stanley Cups:	0

 

	Adj Cap Hit	GP	PTS	SOG	ATOI
Total	18.2	80	53	169
Per 82 GP	6.1	82	54	173	24.0

"I need to take more responsibility in the locker room and on the ice, too. I want to be more of a leader. I want to be a guy that you can trust in every single second I'm at the rink. I'm not a young talent anymore. I've got to step up and show what I can do."

- Rasmus Dahlin

Rasmus Dahlin was the first overall pick in the NHL draft, and scored at nearly a 60-point pace in his second season. Fortunately for the Sabres, he had a down year in the final season of his ELC, dropping to a 34-point pace. This allowed Buffalo to lock him in at a much cheaper price than they would have anticipated one year earlier.
 
The youngster rebounded in year one of his new deal, bouncing back to 53 PTS. It would be interesting to know exactly what offers were on the table, and what number it would have taken for Dahlin to accept an 8-year term. If they could have done 8 years $7M aav, that would have been a great contract too, maybe even saved them a few dollars in the long-term. Rasmus might be expensive in the summer of 2024.
 
 
10. Derek Roy
 

Signed By:	Darcy Regier		Position:	F
Date:	2007-07-27		Age July 1st:	24
Term:	6 years		Playoff GP:	11
Total Money:	$24M		Playoff PTS:	4
Cap Hit:	$4M		Stanley Cups:	0

 

	Adj Cap Hit	GP	PTS	SOG	ATOI
Total	34.0	397	327	1004
Per 82 GP	5.7	82	68	207	20.0

"He will play an increased role for our club, and we look forward to having such a quality player in our organization for many years to come."

– Darcy Regier

At a time when the Sabres roster experienced an exodus of talent, one core member who made a long-term commitment to Buffalo was Derek Roy. This was signed a few days before Roy’s scheduled arbitration hearing, 3 weeks after the team matched an offer sheet for Thomas Vanek.
 
Over these 6 years, the center notched 327 PTS in 397 GP (68-point pace). Most of that production came over the first 3 seasons and he tailed off in years five and six at age 29 and 30. At that point though, he had already earned the money he made. The Sabres traded Roy before the final season to the Dallas Stars for Steve Ott and Adam Pardy.
 
 
11. Brian Campbell
 

Signed By:	Darcy Regier		Position:	D
Date:	2005-08-12		Age July 1st:	26
Term:	1 year		Playoff GP:	18
Total Money:	$460K		Playoff PTS:	6
Cap Hit:	$460K		Stanley Cups:	0

 

	Adj Cap Hit	GP	PTS	SOG	ATOI
Total	1.0	79	44	105
Per 82 GP	1.0	82	46	109	17.7

“I just don't want to be labeled as a power-play defenseman. I want to be a more all-around player. I showed in the playoffs that I'm not one-dimensional. I want to kill penalties. I want to be out there late in the game. I want to become a leader on the blue line.”

– Brian Campbell

Brian Campbell had not yet broken out as an offensive threat in his 167 NHL GP before the 2005 lockout, scoring at a 20-point pace for his career. That all changed when play resumed and the NHL introduced rules to open up scoring. Rather than even attempt to negotiate more money, Campbell accepted his qualifying offer at $460K, which was a common theme of August 2005.
 
The new NHL in 2005/06 was a coming out party for many players with the obstruction crackdown, and Campbell was no different. The Sabres received 44 PTS from the blueline for close to the league minimum, providing the team with an incredible bargain while helping them to the Conference finals. He followed this up by signing another bargain listed above.
 
 
12. Ryan Miller
 

Signed By:	Darcy Regier		Position:	G
Date:	2005-08-12		Age July 1st:	24
Term:	1 year		Playoff Wins:	11
Total Money:	$500K		Playoff SV%:	0.908
Cap Hit:	$500K		Stanley Cups:	0

 

	Avg Adj Cap Hit	GP	W	GAA	SV%
Total	1.1	48	30	2.60	0.914

“I enjoy being in Buffalo.”

– Ryan Miller

Ryan Miller had only played 18 NHL GP before the 2005 lockout and accepted his qualifying offer at close to the league minimum after the new CBA was signed. He may have only been a 5th round pick, but by the time he got to the NHL, everyone knew he was the real deal. The goaltender was dominant in the NCAA and awesome for 170 AHL GP where he played out most of his ELC.
 
Ryan was never more underpaid for a single season than 2005/06, when he played 48 games for the Sabres with 30 wins and 19 goals saved above average for close to the league minimum. Martin Biron was the other goaltender and did start a significant number of games, but once the playoffs started, it was Miller time.
 
 
13. Daniel Briere
 

Signed By:	Darcy Regier		Position:	F
Date:	2006-08-03		Age July 1st:	28
Term:	1 year		Playoff GP:	16
Total Money:	$5M		Playoff PTS:	15
Cap Hit:	$5M		Stanley Cups:	0

 

	Adj Cap Hit	GP	PTS	SOG	ATOI
Total	9.4	81	95	234
Per 82 GP	9.4	82	96	237	19.3

"It was a decision we felt very good about moving forward on. It's very important for us to have him on board for next season."

– Darcy Regier

Danny Briere had missed nearly half of the 2006/07 campaign due to injury, but scored well above a point-per-game pace when healthy. Unable to negotiate an extension, he and the team went to arbitration, where he was awarded the 2020 equivalent of $9.3M. This was a few days after Scott Gomez had been awarded the same amount.
 
If you are trying to answer the question, how did Danny Briere get all that money from the Flyers, the answer was that he scored 95 PTS in his final season with the Sabres. The center was well-paid for this miraculous season, as it was his performance score more than his bargain score that earned this spot in the rankings. Next stop, the Philadelphia Flyers worst contracts list…
 
 
14. Derek Roy
 

Signed By:	Darcy Regier		Position:	F
Date:	2006-07-14		Age July 1st:	23
Term:	1 year		Playoff GP:	16
Total Money:	$782K		Playoff PTS:	7
Cap Hit:	$782K		Stanley Cups:	0

 

	Adj Cap Hit	GP	PTS	SOG	ATOI
Total	1.5	75	63	130
Per 82 GP	1.5	82	69	142	18.5

"Derek is a solid young player who will only continue to improve"

– Darcy Regier

Derek Roy scored 46 PTS in 70 GP in the final year of his “pre-cap” ELC, which should have earned him a far greater sum than $782K. The team was also a Stanley Cup contender struggling to keep this talented roster together, so whether he had arbitration rights or not, there was limited space for the dough he should have been worth. So Derek simply accepted his qualifying offer.
 
Roy scored 63 PTS for under $1M, and earned himself a nice extension. While his teammates were jumping ship for more money, Roy was among those who decided to stay in Buffalo long-term.
 
 
15. Maxim Afinogenov
 

Signed By:	Darcy Regier		Position:	F
Date:	2005-08-15		Age July 1st:	25
Term:	1 year		Playoff GP:	18
Total Money:	$1.1M		Playoff PTS:	8
Cap Hit:	$1.1M		Stanley Cups:	0

 

	Adj Cap Hit	GP	PTS	SOG	ATOI
Total	2.3	77	73	241
Per 82 GP	2.3	82	78	257	16.3

“Max is one of the most exciting players in the NHL”

– Darcy Regier

Maxim Afinogenov was among the many Sabres players to accept their qualifying offers coming out of the 2005 lockout. In his 5 seasons of NHL experience, the speedy Russian had never scored more than 40 PTS in a season. Many believed that he had far greater upside, and he would prove those people right, scoring 73 PTS in 77 GP adding 8 more PTS in 18 playoff GP in 2006.
 
Darcy Regier called him one of the most exciting players in the NHL, which clearly influenced the next negotiation. Maximus would get a big pay raise to stay in Buffalo for 3 more years after this expired, which you can read about on the Sabres worst contracts list.