Sabres Lock Up Ostlund To Eight-Year Deal

The Buffalo Sabres are betting on their youth heading into the 2026-2027 National Hockey League season. Buffalo sealed an eight-year, $ 52.8 million deal with winger Noah Ostlund on Monday.

Tuesday was the final day for clubs to ink players to an eight-year contract agreement. In the future, seven years is now the maximum contract length.

The 22-year-old forward is heading into his second full NHL season. The Sabres will be looking to the talented Swedish native to build on his 2025-26 campaign. Ostlund delivered 11 regular-season goals and added one postseason tally in just three playoff appearances.

In a season where the team is looking to show that last year’s surprising turnaround wasn’t just a one-off, expectations for the Sabres will rise significantly over what they have been for the past fifteen years.

Buffalo will look to remain competitive within the tightly contested Atlantic Division despite key departures from a roster which recorded the team’s first playoff series victory since 2007. Last spring’s postseason success brought about the return of enthusiasm from a fan base that waited far too many years for a team to be excited about again.

This coming season is not the time for the Sabres to take a significant step back. With a lack of significant player additions, the club will need highly regarded prospects to continue to progress.

With top winger Alex Tuch and scoring defenseman Bo Byram exiting, the Sabres will need young forwards like Ostlund, Konsta Helenius and Zach Benson to provide offensive punch.

With the commitment the organization has made to Benson with his seven-year deal in June and now securing Ostlund’s services for the maximum eight-year term, the Sabres will be going all in from within for 26-27.