Just a few hours after announcing the re-signing of Casey Mittelstadt, the Buffalo Sabres announced an identical deal for defenseman Henri Jokiharju. The 22-year-old has signed a three-year contract with an AAV of $2.5 million.
Three more years of Joki! 👊
We’ve signed Henri Jokiharju to a three-year contract with an AAV of $2.5 million.
Details: https://t.co/AultZAqBbo pic.twitter.com/NHaAt25xfJ
— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) September 2, 2021
Jokiharju is entering his third NHL season. After splitting one year between the Chicago Blackhawks and their AHL affiliate, he’s played each of the last two seasons with the Sabres. In the 2019-20 season, he appeared in 69 games and recorded 15 points, also accruing 32 penalty minutes. Last season, in 46 games, he put up eight points.
Jokiharju is one of three right-handed defensemen on the Sabres’ NHL payroll for the upcoming season, alongside Colin Miller and Mark Pysyk. (Pysyk can also play right wing.) At the minor level, the Sabres also have right-handed D in Oskari Laaksonen, Casey Fitzgerald and Ethan Prow.
With the signings of Mittelstadt and Jokiharju announced, the Sabres have just one restricted free agent remaining: Rasmus Dahlin.