Sabres sign Malenstyn to 6-year contract

The Buffalo Sabres signed forward Beck Malenstyn to a six-year contract with an average annual value of $2.9167 million, the team announced Monday. He’s now signed through the 2031-32 season.

Malenstyn, 28, was scheduled to hit unrestricted free agency this Wednesday after his second season in Buffalo. A fixture on the fourth line, he played 81 regular season games with 14 points (7+7) before adding three points (1+2) in 13 playoff games.

The 6-foot-3 winger has brought a dependable physical presence to Buffalo’s lineup, as he ranked fifth leaguewide with 282 hits in the 2025-26 regular season. He also set the single-season franchise record for the stat, which has been tracked since 2005-06. Malenstyn pursued those bodychecks as the NHL’s fastest recorded skater, getting up to 24.94 mph (NHL Edge).

That speed led to offense, too, with a career-high seven goals – including some highlight-reel dekes and breakaways.

“Being somebody that tries to play that heavy, hard, fast, physical game all the time, I think there are moments where you maybe create a little bit more space for yourself and don't take advantage of them,” Malenstyn said. “… I think I was able to take a step in that direction this year, create a little bit more offense when I was on the ice.”

Malenstyn was also one of the Sabres’ top penalty-killing forwards, playing 1:48 shorthanded per game in the regular season and 2:35 per game in the playoffs. He blocked 24 shots on the kill and 75 overall, regularly earning stick-taps from the bench for eating pucks in key situations.

His playstyle and production made him a fan favorite in Buffalo, earning nicknames and 300-level arena signs like Malengoat, Malentown, etc. Recognizing that and the Sabres’ emergence as contenders, Malenstyn made clear that he wanted to stick around.

“We’ve put ourselves in a spot now of understanding what we can accomplish,” he said last month. “… We want this and we want more, and we’re going to continue to push for that.

“For me personally, to be a part of it this year was just extremely special. It was an awesome group of people to be around, from staff to players. And then to be in the community and the arena with those fans was really special and something I would definitely enjoy to remain a part of.”