Per Friedman Beck Malenstyn signs a 6 year 2.9167 million idollar AAV Extension with the Sabres

[PerreaultForever]

3 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

I guess we can worry about that next year. I somehow doubt that keeping Crevier is going to cost us all that much and at some point the 450 RHD we have will end up in Buffalo. I don't think we know at all what Östlund or Kulich will be worth. Carrick is nice but he will be 35 so you can just let him go in UFA. I think there is a lot of money available next year. We are talking about 12 million in funds just from Skinner, Zucker, and cap increases at minimum. None of our top defenders need to be re-signed and presumably Zellweger will be given a deal more than 1 year so that will mean 4 of the Sabres 6 defenders will be signed and Crevier is an RFA. I think we can afford 3mil for Malestyn. 

We LITERALLY cannot add a forward to this team without moving out 1 or 2 anyways. We won't be keeping all these guys around. 

We will have to wait and see on the money side. If Krebs wants more than he's making now I'd like to see him moved and I would still be happier if we could package up a bunch of assets for one top level guy. I liked Kulich before his problems so we didn't see him much and as such I'd be fine to have him be part of that move. They also need to move Levi if he's not part of the actual plan. 

[PerreaultForever]

2 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

No he isn't

maybe google AI is way off base but it's not like I'm going to go look up every team and figure it out. These numbers seem accurate to what I would have thought.

average 4th line salary 1.2 - 1.6 AAV

average 3rd line salary 3 - 5 AAV

So technically at 2.917 or whatever that exact number was he's not quite 3rd line but I think the point was valid if you want to claim it's a lower level 3rd line number. It's definitely high for 4th line. 

 

[LGR4GM]

2 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

maybe google AI is way off base but it's not like I'm going to go look up every team and figure it out. These numbers seem accurate to what I would have thought.

average 4th line salary 1.2 - 1.6 AAV

average 3rd line salary 3 - 5 AAV

So technically at 2.917 or whatever that exact number was he's not quite 3rd line but I think the point was valid if you want to claim it's a lower level 3rd line number. It's definitely high for 4th line. 

 

But that's based off an average. It's not based on when they signed their contracts. 

[PerreaultForever]

Just now, LGR4GM said:

But that's based off an average. It's not based on when they signed their contracts. 

True, but it's the current average which includes new and current deals. So you can inflate it a little but if you keep paying to a future cap number you'll still get into trouble. If you are overpaying at any position you'll have to underpay somewhere else to balance the cap that's the real key. So it might not be much, and it certainly has no impact on today, but 3 years from now that number might be eating money we need. 

[LGR4GM]

Just now, PerreaultForever said:

True, but it's the current average which includes new and current deals. So you can inflate it a little but if you keep paying to a future cap number you'll still get into trouble. If you are overpaying at any position you'll have to underpay somewhere else to balance the cap that's the real key. So it might not be much, and it certainly has no impact on today, but 3 years from now that number might be eating money we need. 

3yrs from now you can also trade him. 3 million will be like 2 million today. If we can trade Greenway and his 4 million we can trade Malenstyn. 

Edited June 30 by LGR4GM

[oddoublee]

Just now, PerreaultForever said:

True, but it's the current average which includes new and current deals. So you can inflate it a little but if you keep paying to a future cap number you'll still get into trouble. If you are overpaying at any position you'll have to underpay somewhere else to balance the cap that's the real key. So it might not be much, and it certainly has no impact on today, but 3 years from now that number might be eating money we need. 

My AI search showed that playoff teams entire 4th lines averaged somewhere between 3.5 and 5.5m. it's a tough find as teams have players move up and down the lineup constantly. 

If krebs does not come back, our 4th line seems in line. If he comes back AND plays the 4th line....then yes, our 4th line is rather expensive. 

[Cheektorado]

4 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

True, but it's the current average which includes new and current deals. So you can inflate it a little but if you keep paying to a future cap number you'll still get into trouble. If you are overpaying at any position you'll have to underpay somewhere else to balance the cap that's the real key. So it might not be much, and it certainly has no impact on today, but 3 years from now that number might be eating money we need. 

Sabres 4th line has been playing above "average" if you ask me.

[PerreaultForever]

1 minute ago, oddoublee said:

My AI search showed that playoff teams entire 4th lines averaged somewhere between 3.5 and 5.5m. it's a tough find as teams have players move up and down the lineup constantly. 

If krebs does not come back, our 4th line seems in line. If he comes back AND plays the 4th line....then yes, our 4th line is rather expensive. 

I think that might be bumped up because of deadline adds. 

[PerreaultForever]

2 minutes ago, Cheektorado said:

Sabres 4th line has been playing above "average" if you ask me.

Is that with or without Greenway? Is it Dunne Carrick Malentstyn now? Krebs? Kozak? If it's Krebs your total cost is now really high for a 4th line. 

[Cheektorado]

Just now, PerreaultForever said:

Is that with or without Greenway?

I would say both but maybe a bit better without Greenway.

[LTS]

6 hours ago, That Aud Smell said:

nah, man. i'm asking for the basis for making this a Sabrespace truth.

Ahh, so we stop debating reality. Kind of like the neverending Eichel diatribe and so many other items that never seem to die even though there's really not much to debate any longer.

I just keep looking at Malenstyn as a player who puts his body on the line more than other 4th liners do... and he gets paid because of it.

[Richard Noggin]

Beck Malen$ign.

 

My favorite player, by the way. 

Edited June 30 by Richard Noggin

[LGR4GM]

I think 6 years is too long honestly. 4 would have been my max. 

[GASabresIUFAN]

13 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

I think 6 years is too long honestly. 4 would have been my max. 

Why does it even matter.  Assuming Jarmo is still the GM four years from now and lets say Beck's game has fallen off a cliff, a buy out would cost about $1 mill a year for 4 years.  That's not even 1% of the current cap.  It won't hinder the Sabres ability to make moves unlike Skinner’s 6.44 million this season which may have cost us Tuch.  

 

Edited June 30 by GASabresIUFAN

[That Aud Smell]

12 hours ago, LTS said:

Ahh, so we stop debating reality. Kind of like the neverending Eichel diatribe and so many other items that never seem to die even though there's really not much to debate any longer.

I just keep looking at Malenstyn as a player who puts his body on the line more than other 4th liners do... and he gets paid because of it.

i don’t understand what you’re saying.

i’m just asking: what is the cited basis for your proffered Sabrespace truth that Alex Tuch didn’t re-sign here, in part, because his wife wanted out of Buffalo.

[shrader]

19 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

Yes we did have Greenway at 4 M and that was ridiculous and they fired Adams (maybe that contributed) and we finally ditched that dumb deal so I guess Jarmo figures he's saving 1 M. The term is a problem though and when Carrick's agent says he wants more than Beck we will lose Carrick or end up overpaying again. I imagine Krebs agent will now say he's worth more than Beck too. 

I want to be clear, I thought Beck had a fine season, but I don't think he's worth more than 2M and I wouldn't have given him more than 4 years. I would be trying to develop new 4th liners in my system in that 4 year term. 

Sam Carrick is 34 years old.  So, yeah, when next year is over, see ya.

[PerreaultForever]

6 hours ago, shrader said:

Sam Carrick is 34 years old.  So, yeah, when next year is over, see ya.

Possibly. Still, for now, he's our best face off man. (Only face off man?) I could see him re-signed for a few more years if he has a good year and wants to stay here. 

[GASabresIUFAN]

47 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

Possibly. Still, for now, he's our best face off man. (Only face off man?)

Norris and McLeod were supposed to be good in the faceoff circle. McLeod was 52+ his first year in Buffalo but under 48% last year. Norris is a 52% for his career but was under 50% for the first time last season.

[PerreaultForever]

22 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Norris and McLeod were supposed to be good in the faceoff circle. McLeod was 52+ his first year in Buffalo but under 48% last year. Norris is a 52% for his career but was under 50% for the first time last season.

It's a weakness for sure and has been for years. Since they hired Lucic maybe hire Bergeron now to teach them how it's done 🙂

 

[PerreaultForever]

Viel contract makes me feel better about this Malentstyn one. Similar players, and given the Florida tax break similar contracts. 

[LGR4GM]

After the first day of UFA, Malenstyn's contract aged pretty well. Idk if another team would have gone 6yrs (which I don't love) but he certainly would have gotten in that 3million or more range based on the prices we saw. 

[LGR4GM]

Looking over depth charts, almost every single NHL team has a 4th line guy that is making around 2.5million to 3.5million.

[LTS]

1 minute ago, LGR4GM said:

Looking over depth charts, almost every single NHL team has a 4th line guy that is making around 2.5million to 3.5million.

And how many of those guys block as many shots as Malenstyn?

[shrader]

On 7/2/2026 at 9:11 AM, LGR4GM said:

After the first day of UFA, Malenstyn's contract aged pretty well. Idk if another team would have gone 6yrs (which I don't love) but he certainly would have gotten in that 3million or more range based on the prices we saw. 

There's so little harm from those 6 years if Malenstyn struggles later in the deal.  Worst case scenario, you stash him in the minors and eat the ~$2 million cap hit.  That stings if you have to do it with multiple players, but it's such a small hit for just one guy.

[FrenchConnection44]

I like the signing. $2.9 M in 4-6 years will likely be barely above minimum. 

I really like Malenstyn. He's a late bloomer. So what. But he has excellent speed and is pretty tough. He led the team in hits last year. 

I think he will improve offensively. He flashed some astounding puck skill on a few goals last year, along with speed. If he builds his consistency he could easily be a 15 goal/year goal scorer, imo. 

And this will only help his brewery aspirations. That's nothing to to shake a stick at! 😉

And finally, how can you not retain a guy who does this to a bleep like Perry? Tho Dunleavy, with the otherwise excellent fight call, did miss that it was the right overhand and that short left that did Perry in.