Jul. 1—GRAND FORKS — The Buffalo Sabers claimed Tyson Jost off waivers last season.
It seems to have been a good fit.
The former UND center re-signed with Buffalo on Saturday, the opening day of the NHL’s free-agency period.
Jost inked a one-year deal worth $2 million.
“I’ve definitely loved my time in Buffalo,” Jost said. “It’s been amazing. I couldn’t have asked for things to work out any better. I’m really, really happy that I ended up here.”
Jost had seven goals and 22 points in 59 games for the Sabers after they claimed him from the Minnesota Wild in November.
Jost was set to be a restricted free agent this summer, but he told the Sabers he wanted to return.
“I just stressed that I really wanted to be back here and be a part of this team,” he said.
It happened in a roundabout way.
The Sabers did not send Jost a qualifying offer by Friday’s deadline, making him an unrestricted free agent Saturday. However, The Buffalo News reported that both sides were interested in a deal.
They got it done Saturday.
Jost played one season for UND in 2016-17, tallying 35 points in 33 games. He signed with the Colorado Avalanche at the end of that season.
Jost remained with Colorado until March 2022, when he was traded to the Minnesota Wild. He spent less than a full season with the Wild before going to Buffalo.
“I’ve created some pretty cool relationships,” Jost said of the Sabres. “That’s just what you see in this locker room. That’s what makes a good hockey team, too. I look back on Colorado and just the relationships that I had with that team and kind of the dynamic of that team, and there are so many similarities here with Buffalo.
“It’s special, too. It makes it fun coming to the rink, and everybody wants to enjoy their job. That’s something that really makes it easy to do here.”
Buffalo missed the playoffs last season, but has a young, up-and-coming group led by No. 1 overall draft picks Owen Power and Rasmus Dahlin.
Jost has played in 413 regular-season NHL games.
As of July 1, there are 20 former UND players under NHL contracts for 2022-23.
They are Jacob Bernard-Docker (Ottawa), Brock Boeser (Vancouver), Drake Caggiula (Edmonton), Judd Caulfield (Anaheim), Derek Forbort (Boston), Rhett Gardner (Philadelphia), Jost, Matt Kiersted (Florida), Tyler Kleven. (Ottawa), Paul LaDue (NY Islanders), Brad Malone (Edmonton), Zane McIntyre (Minnesota), Brock Nelson (Islanders), TJ Oshie (Washington), Tucker Poolman (Vancouver), Jake Sanderson (Ottawa), Nick Schmaltz ( Arizona), Cole Smith (Nashville), Troy Stecher (Arizona) and Christian Wolanin (Vancouver).
There are nine former Fighting Hawks who are unrestricted free agents after being on NHL contracts last season: forward Collin Adams, goalie Aaron Dell, forward Grant Mismash, forward Zach Parise, forward Austin Poganski, defenseman Colton Poolman, goalie Adam Scheel, forward Jonathan Toews. and forward Jasper Weatherby.
Forward Shane Pinto (Ottawa) is a restricted free agent.