The Buffalo Sabres have extended qualifying offers to goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, forwards Peyton Krebs and Beck Malenstyn, and defenseman Henri Jokiharju, the team announced Sunday.
The deadline for NHL teams to extend qualifying offers to their own restricted free agents was Sunday at 5 p.m. Players who do not receive qualifying offers before the deadline become unrestricted free agents.
By extending qualifying offers and maintaining their restricted free agent status, the Sabres retain the right to match offer sheets submitted by opposing teams for any of the four players after free agency opens at noon on July 1. Players can accept the Sabres' qualifying offer or continue to negotiate the terms of a new deal.
Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams said during a press conference on June 20 that negotiations regarding new contracts for Luukkonen, Krebs, and Jokiharju were ongoing.
“No concern (on contracts),” Adams said. “These are three important players.”
Buffalo acquired Malenstyn, 26, from the Washington Capitals in exchange for a second-round pick in the NHL Draft on Saturday. The 6-foot-3, 200-pound winger ranked fifth among NHL forwards in shorthanded ice time and was on the ice for the third-most defensive-zone faceoffs at 5-on-5 among all NHL players. He led the Capitals with 241 hits.
“When he hits, he hits hard,” Adams said. "And we’ve been looking at ways to … just be harder to play against. And he’s certainly someone that brings that every night. That was a big need that we came into this offseason looking for and we were excited to get him.”
The Sabres did not extend qualifying offers to defensemen Jacob Bryson, Calle Sjalin, or Riley Stillman, making them eligible for unrestricted free agency.
