The Sabres have added some grit to their roster.
The Sabres have added some grit to their roster.
The Buffalo Sabres have traded the 43rd pick of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft to the Washington Capitals in exchange for forward Beck Malenstyn.
With this move, the Sabres have added a hard-nosed forward with upside to their bottom six. With players like Zemgus Girgensons, Victor Olofsson, Eric Robinson, and Tyson Jost having expired deals, the Sabres must add more depth to their forward group this summer. Adding Malenstyn is their first step in doing so.
Malenstyn, 26, had a breakout season with the Capitals in 2023-24 and cemented himself as a true NHLer. After appearing in just nine games for the Capitals in 2022-23, Malenstyn played in 81 contests this past season, posting six goals, 21 points, 93 blocks, and 241 hits.
Overall, Malenstyn showed that he has the potential to provide decent secondary offensive production in a bottom-six role while also playing an incredibly heavy game. This should make him a solid addition to the Sabres' roster, and it will be intriguing to see how he performs for his new club from here.