Sabres Re-Sign Ryan McLeod to Four-Year $20M Contract

The Buffalo Sabres have secured center Ryan McLeod with a four-year, $20 million contract following his breakout 2024-25 season. McLeod, 25, set career highs with 20 goals, 33 assists, and 53 points while averaging nearly 17 minutes of ice time per game, establishing himself as a versatile and reliable two-way player. His 52.3% faceoff win rate and plus-13 rating highlighted his value as a key middle-six contributor and penalty killer. The contract reflects McLeod's elite speed and consistency, with an average annual value of $5 million, and includes a modified no-trade clause in the final two years. Alongside McLeod's extension, the Sabres also signed other restricted free agents, including defenseman Ryan Johnson and forward Tyson Kozak, while still having unsigned RFAs like goalie Devon Levi and defensemen Bowen Byram and Conor Timmins. This deal positions McLeod as a core piece in Buffalo's ongoing rebuild around players like Tage Thompson and Rasmus Dahlin.