One restricted free agent not showing concern about being unsigned -- at least publicly -- is Buffalo’s Cody Hodgson.
On Thursday, the 23-year-old said he’s sure he’ll be re-signing with the Sabres soon.
“I like it here, and we’ll get something done,” Hodgson told the Buffalo News, after practicing with teammates at the First Niagara Center.
Hodgson made $1.66 million annually (with bonuses) on his last deal -- his entry-level contract -- and rejected Buffalo’s qualifying offer of $826,875. The Sabres don’t have any cap concerns and consider Hodgson, the team’s second-leading scorer last year, to be an integral part of the future, so it’s easy to see why there’s confidence about reaching a deal.
The only issue, it seems, is timing. Buffalo has a history of dragging these RFA deals out.
The Sabres signed Drew Stafford to a new deal two days into their 2009 training camp and, last year, inked Tyler Ennis to an extension hours before the CBA expired and the lockout began.