Buffalo Sabres sign forward Jason Zucker to one-year contract

The Buffalo Sabres have signed forward Jason Zucker to a one-year contract, Daily Faceoff hockey insider Frank Seravalli reported Monday afternoon.

Zucker, 32, split the 2023-24 season between the Arizona Coyotes and Nashville Predators, collecting 14 goals and 32 points in 79 games. He added one goal and three points in six games with the Predators in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

According to Seravalli’s report, Zucker’s new contract with the Sabres carries a $5 million cap hit. This marks the second consecutive summer in which Zucker has signed a one-year deal for big money; last offseason, he agreed to terms on a one-year, $5.3 million contract with the Coyotes.

The Minnesota Wild originally selected Zucker in the second round (No. 59 overall) of the 2010 NHL Draft. The Newport Beach, California product made his NHL debut with the Wild in the 2011-12 season after a strong NCAA career at the University of Denver.

Zucker spent parts of nine seasons with the Wild to begin his NHL career, topping out with 33 goals and 64 points in 82 games with the team during the 2017-18 campaign. Two seasons later, the Wild flipped Zucker to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

After parts of four seasons in Pittsburgh, Zucker signed with the Coyotes as an unrestricted free agent. He skated in 51 games with the team during its final season in Arizona before being traded to the Predators in exchange for a 2024 sixth-round draft pick.

Through 697 career games over 13 NHL seasons with the Wild, Penguins, Coyotes, and Predators, Zucker has collected 196 goals and 370 points. He’s added nine goals and 18 points in 52 playoff contests.

In addition to Zucker, the Sabres signed forward Sam Lafferty to a two-year deal on Monday. Before free agency opened, the club traded a high 2024 second-round pick to the Washington Capitals in exchange for forward Beck Malenstyn.