Sabres Lock In Jake Richard Before the Paperwork Gets Pricier

Buffalo is doing what smart teams do when a prospect starts to look less like a project and more like part of the plan. Jake Richard is now on an entry-level deal, which tells you the Sabres wanted to get this done before the next round of roster math gets even uglier. These are the kinds of moves that do not make loud noises on the timeline, but they matter in a league where cheap control is gold. The Sabres are betting that Richard is worth the handshake now and the cap hit later.