Buffalo Sabres: 3 one-year rentals to help hit the cap floor
By Sion Fawkes
Arttu Ruotsalainen
Ruotsalainen’s goal is to return to the Buffalo Sabres. But he is also a player who wants to be at the NHL level. For 2022-23, he deserves an audition to play in a rotational role on the fourth line if not even more.
After spending most of the season with the Rochester Americans, Ruotsalainen was arguably the team’s best player if you combine his statistics in the regular season and the playoffs. He played in 67 games with the Amerks, logging 63 total points (26 goals).
His base salary sat at $832,500 this past season. And he was adequate enough in Buffalo during limited appearances last season to, like Hayden, earn more in 2022-23. As a restricted free agent, Cap Friendly projected Ruotsalainen’s qualifying offer at $874,125, but he will likely end up earning more than that.
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Add in signing bonuses at roughly 11 percent, which is what he made last season, his total salary, at minimum, will sit at $970,208. Odds are, Ruotsalainen and the Sabres would continue to negotiate and hit the seven figure mark. Especially after the way he played in Rochester.
(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference)