The Buffalo Sabres have secured another important piece of their long-term core, signing forward Noah Ostlund to an eight-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $6.6 million.
Ostlund, 22, established himself as a dependable NHL player during his rookie season in 2025-26. He recorded 27 points, including 11 goals and 16 assists, across 60 games while earning increased responsibility because of his ability to contribute at both ends of the ice.
His defensive awareness and consistency quickly made him a trusted option for head coach Lindy Ruff, who praised Ostlund’s ability to make the right reads without needing constant instruction.
Ostlund also made an impact during Buffalo’s playoff run despite appearing in only two games because of an injury. In his postseason debut against Boston, he threaded a pass through traffic for an assist before later hustling to score an empty-net goal.
The extension continues a development path that began when Buffalo selected Ostlund with the 16th overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft. Rather than immediately making the jump to North America, Ostlund spent two seasons playing professionally in Sweden before joining Rochester for the 2024-25 season.
With the new deal, Ostlund becomes another long-term piece of Buffalo’s roster. The Sabres now have 10 players under contract through at least the 2029-30 season, including forwards Josh Norris, Zach Benson, Tage Thompson, Josh Doan, Peyton Krebs and Beck Malenstyn, along with defensemen Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Power and Mattias Samuelsson.
Tuesday marks the final day for NHL teams to sign players to eight-year extensions. Once the new Collective Bargaining Agreement takes effect, seven years will become the maximum term for new contracts.
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to kyle@fingerlakes1.com.