The Buffalo Sabres were only a few hours away from the start of the 2026-27 season but that didn't mean Jarmo Kekalainen was willing to take a break. Instead, the team was able to reach an agreement on a new four-year extension with Louis Crevier.
The Sabres acquired Crevier this summer as part of the return in the trade with the Chicago Blackhawks for Bowen Byram and Jordan Greenway. Crevier was entering the final year of his contract and would have been a restricted free agent next summer.
However, the Sabres saw enough from one of their new defensemen in training camp and the preseason to believe he is a key part of this blueline long-term.
Louis Crevier defied the odds to get to this point in his career
One of the reasons that the Sabres probably were so quick to get a deal done is what Louis Crevier has shown to get to this point. He was a seventh round pick by the Blackhawks in the 2020 NHL Draft and has already played in 134 games, including 78 last season.
It is rare for a seventh-round pick to reach the NHL and according to Jason Gregor, Crevier was going to be one of 19 players on an NHL roster to begin the season who was drafted in the seventh round. A player doesn't get to this point without hard work and determination.
For Crevier, he isn't just a feel-good story but, in fact, has shown he can be a key part of a defense. The first chance he will prove that is as early as the first game of the regular season against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Last season in Chicago, he averaged over 17 minutes per game and set career highs in goals (7), assists (18), and hits (124).
With the Sabres missing Olen Zellweger for the season opener, Crevier now steps in on the second pair next to Owen Power. Even though it was expected to be Zellweger's spot, Crevier has a chance to keep it with a good performance against the Blue Jackets.
After the contract extension was announced, Crevier was asked how he was feeling: "It's something that I've worked for for a while now, and I'm super glad it's behind me. Just having the stability is going to help me a ton to play hockey."
That is exactly what the Sabres are hoping for, and they now have a majority of their defense locked up long term with Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Power, Mattias Samuelsson, Zellweger, and Crevier now under contract for at least the next three seasons. The blueline was a strength of their roster last season, and they are making sure it is going to stay that way for a while.
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