Beck Malenstyn became a fan favorite for the Buffalo Sabres this past season, and the question now is whether or not the Sabres have the cap space to bring him back. The forward is set to be an unrestricted free agent and recently made his desires clear in that he wants to return to Buffalo.
Malenstyn was recently on Donnie & Dhali was asked his feelings about his upcoming free agency and if he wants to return to Buffalo or hit the open market. "This is just really an opportunity for me to trust my agents to do their job, and we still got some time to figure out working something out in Buffalo," Malenstyn said. "That is first and foremost a priority."
Malenstyn joined the Buffalo Sabres during the 2024 NHL Draft when he was traded by the Washington Capitals for a second-round pick. He signed a two-year contract and became a key part of their fourth line this past season with 14 points, a team-leading 282 hits in the regular season, and then three points and 42 hits in 13 playoff games.
Malenstyn even set an NHL record this past season with the fastest record speed burst since the league started tracking in the 2021-22 season.
Buffalo Sabres are going to have a tough time retaining Beck Malenstyn
While it sounds like Malenstyn wants to return, and the Sabres should absolutely want him back, the reality is that it might be tough to get a deal that works. The Sabres have limited cap space with under $12 million, and a large chunk of it sounds like it will be dedicated to a new deal for Zach Benson.
However, most teams don't have this problem and will have plenty of money to spend, as made clear by the recent contract for Michael McCarron with the Minnesota Wild. He received a six-year deal with an AAV of $3.3 million earlier this month and plays a similar role to Malenstyn.
The Sabres do have some options and can look to clear some cap space, either through a buyout of Jordan Greenway or maybe trading players with high AAV, like Josh Norris. Either way, it sounds like Malenstyn wants to return to Buffalo, and he is a player who might not have the most ice time but makes a huge impact when he is on the ice.
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