With a potential lockout still looming, the Buffalo Sabres have one positive announcement to make – the team has signed RFA forward Tyler Ennis to a two-year extension.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed in the press release, but The Buffalo News’s John Vogl has announced that the deal will be worth $2.5625 million in 2012-13 and $3.0625 million in 2013-14.
This deal is just about exactly what most people expected for Ennis, a low-cost, short-term extension that allows the team to see what he’s got as a potential #1 or #2 center before signing him to a bigger, long-term deal. If he can stay on the ice for the majority of the season and even come close to the incredible production he showed with Marcus Folgino and Drew Stafford at the end of last season, this deal should be a bargain for the Sabres.
After the break you can read the official presser from the Sabres.
BUFFALO, N.Y. (September 15, 2012) — Buffalo Sabres General Manager Darcy Regier today announced the team has signed center Tyler Ennis to a two-year contract.
“Tyler is a very important part of our offense and we are very happy to have him signed,” Regier said. “He has progressed as a player over the past few seasons and we are excited to see his growth, both as a person and professional, in the years to come.”
Ennis (5’9″, 172 lbs., 10/6/89) led the Sabres with a plus-11 rating in 2011-12 and tallied 34 points (15+19) through 48 games.
The Edmonton, Alberta native was drafted by the Sabres in the first round (26th overall) of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. He played his first NHL game with the Sabres on November 14, 2009 and became the 21st Sabres player to score a goal in his NHL debut. He has since recorded 92 points (38+54) through 140 games in the NHL.
While playing for the Portland Pirates (AHL) in 2009-10, Ennis tied for the most goals in the league and was awarded the Dudley “Red” Garrett Memorial Award as the the AHL’s top rookie player and was named to the 2009-10 AHL All-Rookie Team.