Sabre Noise
Fansided

Buffalo Sabres: 3 one-year rentals to help hit the cap floor

By Sion Fawkes

ELMONT, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 30: Arttu Ruotsalainen #25 of the Buffalo Sabres skates against the New York Islanders at the UBS Arena on December 30, 2021 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
ELMONT, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 30: Arttu Ruotsalainen #25 of the Buffalo Sabres skates against the New York Islanders at the UBS Arena on December 30, 2021 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /
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Buffalo Sabres
NEWARK, NEW JERSEY – OCTOBER 23: John Hayden #15 of the Buffalo Sabres in action against the New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center on October 23, 2021 in Newark, New Jersey. The Devils defeated the Sabres 2-1 in overtime. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) /

John Hayden

Per Die by the Blade, Hayden signed a one-year deal for $750,000 this past season. He played in a career high 55 games, logging 104 hits and 84 penalty minutes. Hayden isn’t the type of player who will score often, but that’s not what he’s in Buffalo for. He is merely an enforcer and a physical presence answering to some of the NHL’s hardest-hitting teams.

A rotational fourth-liner, Hayden played well enough in his role to warrant a seven-figure deal. For 2022-23, the Sabres can bring back the hard-hitter for a another year for between $1 million and $1.25 million.

He isn’t the type of player you keep long-term unless you only want him for the physical role he excelled in. But he is a serviceable player who can provide energy for the team and the home crowd against defensive-minded opponents.

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