Sabres Sign Recently Acquired Defenseman to Extension

Timmins is set to play in his first campaign with the Sabres this fall. Buffalo targeted Timmins this offseason and went after him. At the 2025 NHL Draft, the Sabres acquired Timmins with prospect Isaac Belliveau from the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for veteran puck-mover Connor Clifton and a second-round draft choice. Timmins arrived to the organization as a restricted free agent in need of a new deal. One month later, the two sides have agreed to an excellent deal for the 26-year-old blue liner.

The Colorado Avalanche drafted Connor Timmins in the second round of the 2017 NHL Draft, taking him with the 32nd overall pick. He skated in just 33 NHL games with the team that drafted him before he was packaged in a trade to the Arizona Coyotes in 2021.

From there, the journey became a bit turbulent. He spent part two seasons with the Arizona organization, bouncing up and down between the NHL and AHL lineups.

In 2022, the Coyotes shipped him to the Toronto Maple Leafs in an exchange of AHL players. He spent the next two and a half seasons with the Leafs, playing in 101 regular season contests over that span.

The Penguins acquired Timmins, along with forward Connor Dewar, from the Maple Leafs near the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline. The Leafs needed roster and salary cap space, and the Pens pounced. It took just a fifth-round draft choice to acquire both from Toronto. Ultimately, the Penguins come out winners of this deal, flipping Timmins for that second-round pick just a few months later.

The Sabres hope that Timmins rounded out his game in Pittsburgh and Toronto and is ready to be the ideal third-pairing player on the right side. Last season, he played in 51 games with the Leafs, but he excelled with the Penguins. In 17 contests, he recorded seven points and averaged nearly 19 minutes of ice time.