Sam Reinhart Signs Entry Deal With Buffalo Sabres

Sam Reinhart has become the first draft pick from 2014 to sign his entry-level deal with his respected club. Reinhart and the Buffalo Sabres agreed to the three-year entry deal on Sunday night and the clock is officially ticking on Reinhart.

Sam Reinhart was drafted second overall by the Buffalo Sabres but isn’t expected to play in the NHL next season with the rebuilding Sabres. While he may have the skills to play, many believe the Sabres want to give their young prospects time to develop. However, with the signing of his three-year entry-level deal, the Sabres may be ready to move forward with their future next season.

Reinhart will be given an opportunity to battle for and earn a spot on the Sabres through training camp and the first 10 NHL games of the season before the Sabres will need to make a decision and based on how things have worked out for other Sabres rookies, there could be some interesting debate.

Do you allow him to grow immediately with the team and experience the lowest of lows as the team scraps by or do you send him back to the WHL where there is arguably nothing left for him. It’s a catch 22 scenario which the Sabres haven’t been the best at as of late after the Mikhail Grigorenko situation.

With Tyler Myers the Sabres struck gold. Myers won the Calder after his rookie season and has become a staple, despite struggles on their back-end. While Grigorenko has brought the organization nothing but trouble after being shuffled between the NHL and QMJHL as of late.

After captaining the Kootenay Ice and winning WHL player of the year honors, one might believe the best place for Reinhart’s development is the NHL. However can he survive the media backlash and tough times ahead in Buffalo?

Either way the clock is ticking for Sam Reinhart and the Buffalo Sabres to make magic happen in the NHL.