Sabres extend qualifying offers to 4 players

The Buffalo Sabers have extended qualifying offers to goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, forwards Peyton Krebs and Beck Malenstyn, as well as defenseman Henri Jokiharju, the team announced Sunday.

The deadline for NHL teams to extend qualifying offers to their own restricted free agents was Sunday at 5 p.m. Players who do not receive qualifying offers by the deadline become unrestricted free agents.

By extending the qualifying offers and maintaining their restricted free agent status, the Sabres retain the right to match offer sheets submitted by opposing teams for any of the four players after free agency opens at noon on July 1. Players can accept the Sabres’ qualifying offer or continue to negotiate terms on a new contract.

Sabers general manager Kevyn Adams said in a June 20 press conference that negotiations regarding new contracts for Luukkonen, Krebs and Jokiharju were ongoing.

“No worries (about contracts),” Adams said. “They are three important players. »

Buffalo acquired Malenstyn, 26, from the Washington Capitals in exchange for a second-round pick in Saturday’s NHL draft. The 6-foot-3, 200-pound winger ranked fifth among NHL shorthanded forwards and was on the ice for the third-most 5-on-5 defensive zone faceoffs among all NHL players . He led the Capitals with 241 hits.

“When he hits, he hits hard,” Adams said. “And we’ve looked for ways to … just be harder to play against. And he’s definitely someone who brings that every night. That was a big need that we were looking for this offseason and we were excited to get him.”

The Sabres did not extend qualifying offers to defensemen Jacob Bryson, Calle Sjalin or Riley Stillman, making them eligible for unrestricted free agency.