The Buffalo Sabres announced Friday that they have agreed to a one-year, $900,000 contract extension with defenseman Zach Metsa, keeping the 27-year-old under contract through the 2027-28 season.
Metsa established himself as an NHL regular during the 2025-26 season, appearing in 43 games for Buffalo and recording two goals and six points. He averaged 10 minutes, 58 seconds of ice time per game while posting a plus-16 rating, the best mark among NHL defensemen who played fewer than 600 minutes during the season.
The right-handed defenseman also saw action in two postseason games against the Montreal Canadiens, where he scored the first playoff goal of his career. He averaged 7 minutes, 52 seconds per game during the series.
Metsa spent the season playing alongside several different defensive partners, including stretches with Rasmus Dahlin, while providing an offensive boost from the back end.
His emergence in Buffalo capped a steady climb through the organization. Metsa arrived as an undrafted free agent after developing into a standout at Quinnipiac University, where he eventually became captain and helped lead the program to a national championship during his senior season.
He then signed a two-year American Hockey League contract with the Rochester Americans and continued to make progress within the Sabres organization. Metsa led Rochester with 39 assists during the 2024-25 season, earning his first National Hockey League contract with Buffalo last summer.
Metsa is set to earn $850,000 during the 2026-27 season under his current two-way contract before the new one-way extension begins in 2027-28.
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Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to kyle@fingerlakes1.com.