Buffalo Sabers sign Jason Zucker to one-year contract

The Buffalo Sabers have signed 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, recording 14 goals and 32 points in 79 games. He added a goal and three points in six games with the Predators during the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

According to Seravalli’s report, Zucker’s new contract with the Sabers involves a $5 million salary cap hit. This is the second consecutive summer in which Zucker has signed a one-year contract for a significant sum; Last season, 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 (59th overall) of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. The Newport Beach, Calif., product made his NHL debut with the Wild in the 2011-12 season after a solid NCAA career at the University of Denver.

Zucker spent nine seasons with the Wild to begin his NHL career, totaling 33 goals and 64 points in 82 games with the team during the 2017–18 campaign. Two seasons later, the Wild traded Zucker to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

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

In 697 career games over 13 NHL seasons with the Wild, Penguins, Coyotes and Predators, Zucker had 196 goals and 370 points. He added nine goals and 18 points in 52 playoff games.

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