The Buffalo Sabres are not having the best season, but they could be close to giving their fans some good news. The latest NHL rumors have the Sabres signing veteran left winger Jason Zucker to a long-term extension soon.
Zucker is playing his first season in Buffalo, but it is looking like he could be there for many seasons to come, per Pro Hockey Rumors.
“Veteran winger Jason Zucker has been a nice addition for the Sabres this season and he is on pace for one of his best offensive years,” Brian La Rose wrote. “As a pending unrestricted free agent, Buffalo will soon have a decision to make in terms of flipping him by the March 7th trade deadline or trying to sign him to a contract extension.
“Lance Lysowski of The Buffalo News reported earlier this week that their preference is the latter as the two sides recently held preliminary discussions about a new deal.”
Zucker has played in 52 of the Sabres’ 54 games so far this season. He is tied for fourth place on the Sabres in points with right winger JJ Peterka at 41. Zucker has recorded 18 goals and 23 assists.
Zucker appears interested in hanging around in Buffalo.
“Last month, Zucker acknowledged that he’d be interested in extending his stay with Buffalo,” La Wrote wrote. “Speculatively, he’d want a multi-year agreement this time around and according to Lysowski, that appears to be something that’s on the table. With a $7.5MM jump in the Upper Limit of the salary cap coming next season, Zucker now should be able to land a small raise on his current price tag as well.”
Zucker could be sent away with the trade deadline approaching, however, but the Sabres could still attempt to resign him after the season.
“However, it appears that if Zucker prefers to move on and land with a contender, they will grant that request and then attempt to bring him back in the summer,” La Rose wrote. “In the meantime, they have three more weeks to see if contract discussions can yield a new deal.”
The Sabres sit at the bottom of the Atlantic Division.
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