Ryan McLeod signed a four-year, $20 million contract with the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday. The contract has an average annual value of $5 million.
The 25-year-old forward, who was a restricted free agent, set NHL career highs last season in points (53), goals (20), assists (33), a plus-13 rating and 16:50 of ice time per game.
"One of the things I love about Ryan is he showed last year, I mean third-, second-line center, he can move over to wing, he can play power play, he kills penalties," Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams said. "An all-situations player right in the prime years of his career as a centerman. He was two years from UFA, so I felt that this is a really important piece with our team and the role he plays, and we're also buying two years of UFA years in the deal that he signed. So it was a win-win for both sides. If I go back a year ago when we identified him, we made the decision because we thought he had upside. We thought this was a player that could help us now and grow into the future, which is exactly what he did this past year in terms of his play, and then fortunate to get him on the contract we did."
Selected by the Edmonton Oilers in the second round (No. 40) of the 2018 NHL Draft, McLeod has 128 points (52 goals, 76 assists) in 298 regular-season games with the Oilers and Sabres.
He was traded to Buffalo by Edmonton on July 5, 2024.
The Sabres also signed goalie Alex Lyon to a two-year, $3 million contract. It has an average annual value of $1.5 million.
The 32-year-old goalie was 14-9-1 with a 2.81 goals-against average and .896 save percentage in 30 games (26 starts) for the Detroit Red Wings last season. He became an unrestricted free agent Tuesday.
"He’s a proven goaltender in this League," Adams said. "I think he’s a really good veteran. He checks the box in terms of what I just laid out in terms of veteran presence: high-character guy; he’s proven in the League; he’s played well in his time in the National Hockey League. He’s going to challenge and push. We just think he’s going to help us win hockey games."
Signed by the Philadelphia Flyers as an undrafted free agent April 5, 2016, Lyon is 51-38-11 with a 2.99 GAA, .902 save percentage and four shutouts in 113 regular-season games for the Flyers, Carolina Hurricanes, Florida Panthers and Red Wings, and 1-2 with a 3.63 GAA and .888 save percentage in four Stanley Cup Playoff games (three starts).
On Wednesday, the Sabres signed forward Justin Danforth to a two-year, $3.6 million contract. It has an average annual value of $1.8 million.
The 32-year-old forward played the past four seasons for the Columbus Blue Jackets. He had 21 points (nine goals, 12 assists) in 61 games last season.
Danforth has 64 points (31 goals, 33 assists) in 183 NHL games, all with the Blue Jackets.
