BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Sabres were active, but not splashy on the first day of NHL free agency.
The team signed five players, largely focusing on the bottom six of the line-up as well as overall roster depth.
Left wing Jason Zucker getting the largest payday, signing a one-year deal worth $5 million.
Zucker had 32 points (14 + 18) last season between the Coyotes and Predators.
General Manager Kevyn Adams noted Zucker's extensive postseason experience (52 games over 9 seasons) as well as the flexibility to slot him on any line Lindy Ruff sees fit.
Center Sam Lafferty got a two-year deal with an AAV of $2M.
Lafferty coming off career-highs with 13 goals and 11 assists with Vancouver.
Forward Nicolas Aube-Kubel signed a one-year deal worth $1.5M.
Jacob Bryson returns to the Sabres after spending time in both Buffalo and Rochester this past season. He gets a one-year deal worth $900K.
Finally, a hometown kid comes back to Buffalo. Defenseman Dennis Gilbert signed a one-year deal worth $825K. Gilbert went to St. Joe's High School as well as played for the Buffalo Junior Sabres.
Five others were signed to two-way deals.
Forward Josh Dunne getting a two-year, two-way contract with an AAV of $775K.
Forwards Brett Murray and Mason Jobst, defenseman Jack Rathbone, and goaltender Felix Sandstrom signing one-year, two-way contracts worth $775K each.
A flurry of signings of Monday that won't be considered splashes, but additions that do bring to Buffalo exactly what Kevyn Adams was looking to add this offseason.
"We wanted to be harder to play against," Adams said. "We wanted to bring in more physicality, more identity kind of into that bottom six."
"I think we've proven in this league the last couple of years that we have guys as talented as anyone, make plays," Adams went on to add. "We need to round the group out."
After missing the playoffs for a 13th straight season, Adams knows this team has plenty to improve if it hopes to break that drought. Some of that improvement will come from what the new additions bring to the table, but the Sabres will also depend on improvement from those who were on the team last season.
"There's a belief, I'd say is the better word, the Tage Thompson's of the world, the Alex Tuch and Dylan Cozens and Jack Quinn... these players are going to take steps to improve their own individual game," Adams said. "Some of it may be because of their own game, some of it may be the way we're going to play, and just the predictability and playing a little bit of a faster, more direct game."
That doesn't mean the Sabres won't continue to look for players they can bring to Buffalo. Free agency just started Monday, and trade talks, Adams says, are always ongoing.
But after the first afternoon of free agency, the Sabres GM likes where his team stands.
"The dust settles a little bit and you see where different teams are, but I really like where our group's at right now," Adams said. "I like it a lot, the look of our team. We had goals coming into this offseason of what we were trying to achieve, and I think we're a much better team today than we were a couple of days ago."