Buffalo Sabres forward Beck Malenstyn geared up in the defensive zone and then skated full speed down the right wing during Thursday night's 2-1 loss to the Washington Capitals, his former team.
The result? A new NHL record for the fastest skating speed burst since the league started tracking such stats in 2021-22:
We have a new fastest speed burst in the NHL EDGE era ‼️@BuffaloSabres forward Beck Malenstyn was clocked with a 24.94 mph max skating speed to best the previous mark set by Miles Wood (24.82 mph on April 10, 2025). #NHLStats: https://t.co/QnQrgI6dQh pic.twitter.com/9utUG5cuuF
— NHL Public Relations (@NHLPR) March 13, 2026
In December, we discussed how Malenstyn's speed was helping him become a key weapon for the Sabres' fourth line and on the penalty kill. He's also scored a few highlight-reel goals this season to further endear himself to Buffalo fans.
The Blue and Gold added some bottom-of-the-lineup depth options ahead of last week's 2026 NHL trade deadline, but the 28-year-old winger's spot should be secured heading toward the playoffs.
Beck Malenstyn is making a strong case for a contract extension from the Buffalo Sabres
Sabres general manager Jarmo Kekalainen is going to face some tough decisions over the summer, and Malenstyn will be one of them.
Buffalo has nine potential free agents on its roster — Malenstyn, Alex Tuch, Zach Benson, Peyton Krebs, Michael Kesselring, Logan Stanley, Luke Schenn, Josh Dunne and Tanner Pearson — and currently only has $13.2 million in projected salary-cap space for 2026-27, per PuckPedia.
Tuch and Benson are obviously the highest priorities, while the Blue and Gold will probably aim to keep Krebs and Kesselring, who are both restricted free agents, as well.
Malenstyn would typically become an odd man out as part of a cap crunch, in large part because it's generally easier to replace a fourth-liner than a high-end contributor like Tuch or Benson, but the 6-foot-3 Canadian would leave a key void if he departs in free agency.
The 2016 fifth-round pick brings a physical presence (228 hits in 65 games this season) the Sabres otherwise lacked before the additions of Stanley and Shenn, and he's a terrific energy guy both on the ice and in the locker room.
It'll probably come down to money, though. Buffalo simply isn't going to have much of it available this offseason, especially if it ultimately re-signs Tuch to a salary over $10 million, so every penny is going to count when building next season's roster puzzle.
Malenstyn currently carries a $1.35 million cap hit. Although it shouldn't jump significantly because he's limited to a fourth-line spot with some occasional PK contributions, he could command a contract in the $2 million range.
Kekalainen will have to decide whether the Sabres can make that work, or if they'll try to replace him with a cheaper in-house option like Tyson Kozak.
Until decision day arrives, Malenstyn has a golden opportunity to continue proving his worth to the Blue and Gold by maintaining a high level of play during the stretch run of the regular season and into the playoffs.