Buffalo Sabres: Sam Reinhart needs to be signed to a long-term deal

Sam Reinhart remains a restricted free agent, and the Buffalo Sabres are in a tough position heading into the 2018-19 season

Sam Reinhart needs to get signed, and soon. He witnessed fellow youngsters Elias Lindholm and Jason Zucker get paid this offseason, but he seems a ways away from landing a similar deal with the Buffalo Sabres.

For the Sabres, a two-year bridge deal is in the cards. They drafted Reinhart second overall in 2014, but are still waiting for him to blossom into a bonafide top-line player. He has shown glimpses of superstar status, scoring 37 points in the final 38 games last season. However, he has yet to impress on a consistent basis.

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This, surely, has the Sabres concerned. Did Reinhart pick up his socks knowing he was playing for a contract? The Sabres have been in a position of throwing money at players in the past, and frankly, it has not worked out well for them. Is Reinhart different? That has to be the question bothering the Sabres as they hash out the next best deal for their budding forward.

As Mike Harrington of the Buffalo News points out, the Detroit Red Wings’ handling of Andreas Athanasiou and Anthony Mantha could be something to consider, as they both signed two-year deals for about $3-3.5million per year. At the same time, the Sabres have plenty of talent, and Reinhart is part of that group. Jeff Skinner is a great addition but has consistency problems of his own.

If the Sabres want to make the most of their current squad, keeping players like Reinhart on a long-term basis should be in the cards. On top of that, salary cap issues are non-existent, and Reinhart is really the only player of concern who remains unsigned. With that said, one has to wonder what is holding back the Sabres from providing an attractive deal for one of their best young forwards, and if they are simply operating in fear of wasting money on a still-questionable talent.

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Why Is Reinhart Worth A Long-Term Deal?

Everyone seems to be talking about his average points per game, but his ability to take on a role and thrive is something else to note. The Sabres are still young and experimenting, which means players like Reinhart are still finding their place on this roster. Even in those circumstances, Reinhart has continued to improve every season.

He has also managed to stay healthy over the first three years of his NHL career. He has missed just six games since 2015, but played in all 82 in 2017-18. His plus-minus may look unattractive, but the Buffalo Sabres were terrible as a hole, scoring just 199 goals while letting in 280. Needless to say, they had the worst team plus-minus in the NHL, but there is a good chance every player sees a boost in that regard come 2018-19.

At just 22 years old, Reinhart has proven his ability at the NHL level. He stays healthy, he has seen a gradual improvement in points, and could be a 30-goal, 60-point threat as early as next season. He has even tried to take on a two-way game when called upon. With the completion of a bridge deal, the Sabres could lose the chance of signing him long-term, as he may choose to explore his options at the end of the contract. This would be a worst case scenario, especially if Reinhart uses his time with the Sabres as a proving ground to go elsewhere.

The Sabres can put an end to all of this by trying to secure the young forward in that $5-6 million range, with hopes that he looks like a $6-7 million player over the next two seasons. This is a likely scenario for a player who continues to improve and shows signs of wanting to become a force at the NHL level.

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It will be interesting to see how this all plays out for Reinhart. If the Sabres force his hand, they better hope he shows loyalty down the road, or forever wonder why they didn’t sign him to a long-term deal in the 2018 offseason. Your move, Buffalo.

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