3:13 p.m.: The Sabres have made Leschyshyn’s signing official.
12:45 p.m.: Free agent center Jake Leschyshyn has signed a two-way contract with the Sabres, according to PuckPedia. He will earn $775K in the NHL and $350K in the AHL with a $400K guarantee.
Leschyshyn, a second-round pick by the Golden Knights in their inaugural 2017 draft class, now joins his third NHL organization. He’d spent parts of the last three seasons in the Rangers’ system, primarily with the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack, after they claimed him off waivers from Vegas during the 2022-23 campaign. He hasn’t seen NHL action since Jan. 11, 2024, his only major-league appearance that season.
In 69 regular-season outings for Hartford last season, he scored 13 goals and 11 assists for 24 points with a particularly eye-popping -35 rating, third-worst in the league behind teammate Jaroslav Chmelar’s -37 mark and defenseman Samuel Bolduc’s -38 rating for the Bridgeport Islanders.
The 5’11” pivot will not have much of a chance at an NHL roster spot in Buffalo as a result and will only serve as veteran insurance for their AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans, assuming he clears waivers during training camp. In 77 total NHL games for Vegas and New York across three seasons, Leschyshyn has a 2-4–6 scoring line with a -13 rating while averaging 10:15 per game.
Buffalo has now filled 43 of its 50 contract slots for this season. They have two restricted free agents left to sign: Conor Timmins, who is in an arbitration case, and goaltender Devon Levi.
I thought Conor Timmins was an interesting project type guy for a rebuilding team like the Pens to play around with and see if he can be a late bloomer. We got him and Dewar (who is worth a similar bet) for a 5th. A fine little low risk roll of the dice.
Why on Earth did BUF give us a top 40 pick for him?
Adams isn’t good.
Mainly to move off Clifton’s remaining year. Still, horrible asset management. One of Adams’ strengths.
Remember when you cried about giving up a late round pick for Timmins and Dewar? I do.
Thanks for hanging on my every word and volunteering to be my unpaid personal stenographer, Boy.
2nd round picks have a 33% or less of playing 100+ games in the NHL. 1st round picks have a double success rate.
Number of the Doofus – I remember watching drunk people fall down too. Its fun to remember when dumb people do dumb things.
Fljay – DoofusBoy was upset the Pens traded a 5th rounder (7.5% chance to play 100 games) for TWO current NHLers young enough to still be in their RFA years. This is what I have to put up with while reading Pens news.
Keep trying, Pud.