The Buffalo Sabres have signed left-handed defenseman Justin Falk (not to be confused for Justin Faulk) on a 1-year old deal for $650,000. Falk spent the last season with the Columbus Blue Jackets. This is the second move of the day for Tim Murray after picking up winger Kyle Okposo when Free Agency started at noon earlier today.
The defenseman played on the Spokane Chiefs team that won both the Western Hockey League championship and the Memorial Cup in 2008, and was named to the tournament all-star team. He was drafted by the Minnesota Wild in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, at 110th overall.
Falk was traded the day before Free Agency started in 2013 by the Wild to the New York Rangers. After a season in the Big Apple, he returned to the Minnesota Wild as a free agent on August 1, 2014 on a one-year, two-way contract.
After being assigned to the Wild’s AHL affiliate the Iowa Wild for most of the season, he was traded on personal request on March 2, 2015 along with a fifth round pick in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft to the Columbus Blue Jackets for former Sabres defenseman Jordan Leopold.
Media sources are reporting that this is a two-way deal, which restocks the cupboard at LHD for the Buffalo Sabres.