Buffalo Sabres
Sabres Sign Weissbach, Confirm Jacksonville As ECHL Affiliate
The Buffalo Sabres completed their internal summer business, signing their lone remaining free agent in forward Linus Weissbach to a one-year, two-way contract worth $775,000 on Monday.
Linus Weissbach and @AmerksHockey strike first. #HERvsROC | #CalderCup pic.twitter.com/LtX7lLmLQY
— American Hockey League (@TheAHL) May 29, 2023
Weissbach received a qualifying offer from the Sabres on June 30 along with teammate Brett Murray, who was also signed to a one-year deal on the weekend.
The Goteborg, Sweden native had a career-high 47 points (20 goals, 27 assists) in 69 games for the AHL Rochester Americans last season and added 10 points (3 goals, 7 assists) in 12 playoff games during the Amerks playoff run to the Eastern Conference Final. Weissbach was a seventh-round pick of the Sabres in 2017 after scoring 47 points for Tri-City of the USHL. The winger played four seasons for the University of Wisconsin before signing a two-year, entry-level contract with Buffalo.
“(He’s) a pest, a puck hound, a guy that goes to the front of the net, wins puck battles, forechecks, is physically engaged, is really good defensively,” Rochester head coach Seth Appert said during the Amerks playoff run, “He’s become a mainstay on the penalty kill. I mean, it’s a big deal.”
The 25-year-old was a key defensive forward for Rochester last season and may be in the mix for a depth forward spot on the NHL roster at training camp this September, but that will depend on whether Sabres management believes that younger prospects like Jiri Kulich, Lukas Rousek, and Isak Rosen need more seasoning in the American Hockey League and whether veteran forward Victor Olofsson is dealt over the summer.
Jacksonville Becomes Sabres New ECHL Affiliate
The club also confirmed last week’s report from Lance Lysowski of the Buffalo News that the Sabres new ECHL affiliate will be the Jacksonville Icemen. Buffalo was linked to the Cincinnati Cyclones for five seasons, but in June the Sabres and Cincinnati mutually agreed to part ways. Jacksonville had been affiliated to the New York Rangers since 2021 but opted to sign on with Cincinnati so in essence, the two NHL clubs swapped ECHL affiliates.