Sabres Ink Defenseman Oskari Laaksonen to an Entry-Level Contract

Oskari Laaksonen of Finland in the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship against the United States on January, 5, 2019. Photo by Rich Lam/Getty Images

Since they won’t play hockey again this season, Buffalo Sabres opt to focus on building a team for the future. The team announced on Monday that they have signed defenseman Oskari Laaksonen, who inked a three-year entry-level contract with the franchise.

Laaksonen, who was Sabres’ third-round pick in 2017, spent the past three seasons playing in his native Finland with Ilves. He has 113 games in Finish SM-Liiga and has contributed with five goals and 35 assists for a total of 40 points.

Reportedly, Laaksonen won’t play in the NHL right away and is expected to spend time in the minors as he gets used to hockey in the United States.

“The work Oskari has put in to improve his game has paid off during his last two seasons,” said Sabres general manager Jason Botterill in a statement. “His success on the international stage and what he’s done as a 19- and 20-year-old playing in a professional league is impressive.”

In 2019, Oskari Laaksonen was part of Finland’s national team that won the gold medal at the 2019 World Junior Championships. He played in seven games, contributing with one goal.