Sabres working on Benson contract — The Fourth Period
The Buffalo Sabres are engaged in contract negotiations with pending restricted free agent forward Zach Benson, and a new seven-year contract could be the result when all is said and done.
Benson, 21, is coming off his entry-level contract and can become an RFA July 1 if he remains unsigned. However, according to ESPN’s Kevin Weekes, the Sabres and Benson’s camp are working on a seven-year deal worth around $7 million per season.
The Sabres have roughly $20 million in salary cap space with Benson and Peyton Krebs as their primary RFAs. Forwards Alex Tuch, Tanner Pearson, Beck Malenstyn and Joshua Dunne, and defencemen Luke Schenn and Logan Stanley are all eligible to become unrestricted free agents.
Earlier this week, the Sabres traded pending RFA defenceman Michael Kesselring and the 27th overall pick in next week’s Draft to the San Jose Sharks for the 20th overall selection.
