The Buffalo Sabres made a number of moves on the final day before the beginning of free agency, qualifying six restricted free agents and signing two players to contract extensions, but the surprise was not giving a qualifying offer to defenseman Jacob Bernard-Docker. The 25-year-old was acquired in the deadline deal that sent center Dylan Cozens and defenseman Dennis Gilbert to Ottawa and brought center Josh Norris to Buffalo.
In 15 games with the Sabres, Bernard-Docker has four points (1 goal, 3 assists) in 15 games, and played in the top-four at times with Owen Power. The non-qualification makes the Alberta native an unrestricted free agent, but could mean that Buffalo is looking to sign him for less than what the qualifying offer would be.
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The Sabres submitted qualifying offers to RFA’s Ryan McLeod, Tyson Kozak, Conor Timmins, Bowen Byram, Devon Levi and Ryan Johnson, and soon after announced they signed Johnson to a three-year, $2.25 million contract extension ($775,000 AAV). The former first round pick played three games in Buffalo and the majority of the season with AHL Rochester, with 13 points (2 goals, 11 assists) in 66 games.
The club also announced the signing of defenseman Jack Rathbone to a two-year, two-way deal worth $1.6 million ($800,000 AAV). The 26-year-old was a Vancouver draftee and played parts of three seasons with the Canucks before being dealt to Pittsburgh last season and signing with the Sabres last summer. Rathbone was a steadying influence on the Amerks blueline last season, and registered 23 points (6 goals, 17 assists) in 63 games.
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