Sabres sign Colton Poolman to one-year, two-way contract

A veteran minor-leaguer is heading to a new organization for the first time.

On Tuesday, the Buffalo Sabres announced they have signed defenseman Colton Poolman to a one-year, two-way contract. The deal carries a $775,000 cap hit through the 2024-25 season.

This is the first change of scenery, in terms of franchises, in Poolman’s professional career. The undrafted defender signed with the Calgary Flames after four years at the University of North Dakota in 2020. However, he has never seen the ice in an NHL regular-season game, instead spending his entire time with Calgary’s American Hockey League affiliates.

After two seasons with the Stockton Heat, the Flames moved their farm team close to home, becoming the Calgary Wranglers. He has played well over 60 games a year over the past three seasons, scoring a career-high 14 points during the 2022-23 campaign. Along with the rest of the Wranglers, Poolman took a dip, production-wise, scoring just three goals and three assists.

In 213 AHL games, the East Grand Forks, Minnesota native has scored six goals and 33 points, with plus/minus of +35. Poolman has also registered three assists in 27 Calder Cup Playoff games.

While at North Dakota, Poolman was named team captain for his senior season in 2019-20, leading the Fighting Hawks to an NCHC Regular Season Championship while being named the best defensive defenseman in the conference. He rose toward the college ranks thanks to a fruitful junior hockey career. Poolman played over a season with the Fargo Force in the United States Hockey League, before playing the Penticton Vees of the British Columbia Hockey League in 2015-16.

With the signing, the Sabres have 39 standard player contracts on the books for next season. According to CapFriendly, Buffalo has less than $19 million in projected cap space.