The Buffalo Sabres signed their lone RFA holdout Sam Reinhart to a two-year bridge deal with an AAV of $3.65 million.
🚨 BREAKING: We've signed forward Sam Reinhart to a two-year deal. pic.twitter.com/E0dodwJdFs
— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) September 19, 2018
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The signing comes after Reinhart missed some practices and the team’s first two pre-season games.
Getting Reinhart under contract was a priority for Jason Botterill, but he didn’t back down and ended up getting a very good team friendly deal for the Sabres.
Austin’s Take
While there was some hope that the Sabres and Reinhart would come to terms on a long-term deal, a bridge deal is really beneficial for both sides.
For Reinhart, he has officially bet on himself to show the Sabres that he is the guy who finished the last half of the season extremely strong. In the last 44 games of 2018-19 Sam showed why he was a 2nd overall selection:
Buffalo has agreed to a 2-year, $7.3M contract with RFA Sam Reinhart.
Reinhart finished the season on a tear, getting a ton of looks from in tight and displaying the skills that made him a second overall pick in 2014. pic.twitter.com/COjACFycFp— The Point (@ThePointHockey) September 19, 2018
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For the Sabres, you now have your top-line right winger and Jack Eichel’s best friend locked up for two years with an extremely low AAV.
This deal also allows the Sabres more control over Reinhart if they so choose. Reinhart will be a RFA after the bridge deal is up on July 1, 2020. If Sam earns a max-term contract the Sabres will essentially guarantee themselves 10 more years of Sam Reinhart.
There is a lot to like about this contract, and fans should be excited that Reinhart will be back on the ice with his teammates.
