Sabres sign Louis Crevier to four-year contract extension

The new contract comes before Crevier has even skated in a regular season game for the Sabres, who acquired the defenseman from the Chicago Blackhawks this summer in the blockbuster trade that sent Bowen Byram to Chicago and the No. 4 overall pick in June’s NHL Draft to Buffalo. It will carry a salary cap hit of $4 million on an annual basis.

At 25 years of age, Crevier stands six feet, eight inches tall and took on a full-time role in the NHL for the first time last season in Chicago after getting his feet wet with 56 games split across his first two professional seasons.

A seventh round pick by the Blackhawks in 2020, Crevier was impressive last year despite suboptimal surrounding conditions in the Windy City. He notched 25 points on 7 goals and 18 assists in his 78 regular season appearances, and posted a minus-2 rating while skating an average of 17:08 of time on ice per game while playing tough minutes for a team that finished with a minus-62 goal differential.

For his career, Crevier has 32 points in 134 games with a minus-24 rating while averaging 16:54 per game. He is projected to start the season on the Sabres’ top pairing alongside perennial Norris Trophy contender Rasmus Dahlin.

Two nights into the NHL’s regular season, the Sabres have yet to get their new year started. That will change on Thursday night, as Buffalo will visit the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena for a 7:00 PM EST puck drop.

The Sabres are looking to make it two straight years with an appearance in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, after the 2025-26 campaign saw them snap the NHL’s longest active postseason appearance drought and make it to the second round before falling short against the Montreal Canadiens.