During the Buffalo Sabres’ late-January visit to Seattle, general manager Kevyn Adams sat down with Jason Zucker to discuss his future. Adams got straight to the point with Zucker, then a pending unrestricted free agent enjoying one of his most productive seasons.
“I challenged him a little bit,” Adams recalled. “Tell me why you want to be a Sabre.”
The 33-year-old forward made clear his desire to remain in Buffalo, an objective that laid the groundwork for Friday’s two-year contract extension. The deal pays Zucker an average annual value of $4.75 million through the 2026-27 season.
“I believe in the group, and I think it’s been a fun challenge for me being one of the older guys on the team,” said Zucker. “Obviously, this year didn’t go the way we wanted to this point, but that doesn’t mean we didn’t make progress. To me, it’s a little bit of an unfinished business thing, too.
“But, again, it’s been enjoyable to be a part of, and I’m happy to be a part of the group.”