Buffalo Sabres Sign Rasmus Ristolainen as Florida Panthers Acquire Brody Sutter from Carolina Hurricanes

The Buffalo Sabres announced on Tuesday that they have reached an agreement with Rasmus Ristolainen on a six-year, 32.4 million-dollar contract. 

Ristolainen had been skating with the Sabres since he returned from the World Cup of Hockey this summer, while he was negotiating a new deal with the club. 

General manager, Tim Murray said, “Rasmus has already proven to be a pivotal player on our blue line, and we are eager to have him back with the team. This deal is a reflection of the hard work and improvement Rasmus has shown since being drafted., and we hope to see him continue on his trajectory moving forward.”   

Ristolainen, 22, dressed in all 82 games for the Sabres this past season, as he led the Buffalo defensemen with nine goals and 32 assists. He was also the leader in average ice time on the club, and 10^th amongst defensemen, in the National Hockey League, with 25:16. 

The first-round pick, eighth overall by the Sabres in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft, has scored 19 goals and 46 assists in 194 games over three seasons. 

The Sabres will open their 2016-2017 NHL season as they host the Montreal Canadiens at the Key Bank Center in Buffalo, New York on Thursday October 13. 

In other News:

The Florida Panthers announced on Tuesday that they dealt Connor Brickley to the Carolina Hurricanes for Brody Sutter. 

Sutter, 25, played eight games for the Hurricanes during the 2015-2016 season, after having played in 70 games for their American Hockey League affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers. He put up 13 goals and 11 assists with the Checkers last season. 

The six foot five, 203-pound native of Viking, Alberta was drafted by the Hurricanes in the seventh round of the 2011 NHL Draft. 

The Panthers will open the 2016-2017 NHL season, as they host the New Jersey Devils at the BB&T Center in Sunrise, Florida on Thursday, October 13.