Buffalo's 50 pro contract total about to go through some significant changes.

With 32 players under contract for next season, 18 free agents to consider and four prospects on the clock the Buffalo Sabres organization could find themselves looking at a major player-overhaul this off season. But before they get to the June Draft and the July 1 start to free agency they'll need to decide whether or not to retain the rights of a handful of players before next month.

According to Kris Baker of sabresprospects.com, "the clock is ticking" for the Buffalo Sabres to sign goalie Linus Ullmark to an entry level contract.

The 2014 Swedish Elite League Goalie of the Year was drafted by the Sabres in the 6th round (#163) of the 2012 Draft and recently signed with MODO for the 2014-15 season with his sights set on coming to North America for the following season.

Baker notes that the Sabres have until June 1 to sign Ullmark to retain his rights.


Ullmark is big (6'3" 198 lbs.) and rising fast through the prospect ranks. Unless something weird happens Sabres GM Tim Murray, who is said to lean towards big goalies, will have a contract done and Ullmark will be in the fold.

The Sabres also have three more draft picks that need to be signed by June 1 as well--D, Brady Austin; C, Logan Nelson; F, Eric Locke.

Austin is a 6'4" 225 lb. left-shooting defenseman who's surprisingly mobile for his size. He's a crease-clearing d-man who tied his junior career high in goals (8) while notching a career high 28 points this season. He also had an impressive plus-49 rating for the regular season.

The London Knights received an automatic bid as the host team for this years' Memorial Cup. They begin play on Friday vs. the QMJHL winner with Austin and fellow Sabres prospect Nikita Zadorov playing for the home team.

Like Ullmark, Austin was drafted in 2012 (7th round, #193) so the clock is ticking on him because of his draft year.

Same with Nelson.

The Minnesota native was taken by the Sabres in the 5th round (#133) in 2012 and is way down on the center depth-chart.

Unlike Austin and Nelson, Locke is on the clock because of his junior status.

Locke was drafted in 2013 (7th round, #189) as an overager. His junior eligibility is now complete and according to Baker he'll either need to sign a pro contract with the Sabres by June 1 or any other team can sign him.

Hockey clubs are limited to a total of 50 pro player contracts. Amateur Try-outs (ATO,) Pro Try-outs (PTO) and other minor league deals do not count against that total.

In the case of Locke, the Sabres could sign him to a minor league deal and stash him in Elmira of the ECHL. Should they do that, though, another club could swoop in and poach him at any time.

According to capgeek, the organization has 32 players under contract for next season. There are 16 players who finished with Buffalo last season under contract for next season:

• Forwards (8):  Ville Leino, Cody Hodgson, Chris Stewart, Drew Stafford, Torrey Mitchell, Zemgus Girgensons, Brian Flynn, Matt Ellis.
• Defensemen (4):  Tyler Myers, Christian Ehrhoff, Mike Weber, Jake McCabe
• Goalies (4):  Michal Neuvirth, Jhonas Enroth, Nathan Lieuwen, Andrey Makarov

Forward Patrick Kaleta was buried in Rochester. He has one more season left on his contract.

After that they have 15 pro contracts in the organization:

• Forwards (10):  Mikhail Grigorenko, Tim Schaller, Joel Armia, Johan Larsson, William Carrier, Justin Kea, Daniel Catenacci, Kevin Sundher, Colin Jacobs, Phil Varone
• Defensemen (5):  Rasums Ristolainen, Nikita Zadorov, Mark Pysyk, Jerome Gauthier-Leduc, Drew Bagnall

And of the later contracts, both Carrier and Zadorov have one more year of junior eligibility left. They are on a sliding scale, should they be sent back to junior, their contracts will not count against the 50 total.

When all's said and done, the Buffalo Sabres are heading into the off season with at least 30 contracts.

They presently have 11 free agents that finished with the big club last season:

• Unrestricted (4):  Zenon Konopka, John Scott, Matt D'Agostini, Henrik Tallinder
• Restricted (7):  Tyler Ennis, Cory Conacher, Marcus Foligno, Jamie McBain, Chad Ruhwedel, Matt Hackett, Connor Knapp

There are two more unrestricted free agents in the system--Jamie Tardif, Kevin Porter--and five restricted free agents--Luke Adam, Matt McKenzie, Nick Deslauriers, Nick Crawford, Shawn Sydlowski.


The Sabres rebuild begins in earnest this year as GM Murray and his staff fill the organization up with 50 pro contracts.

This is where Murray will begin to mold the team in his likeness. And one can bet that there will be more significant changes for the Sabres this off season.