Sabres acquire Sam Carrick from Rangers for draft picks
As first reported by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman on Thursday, the Buffalo Sabres have acquired forward Sam Carrick from the New York Rangers in exchange for a third- and a sixth-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.
Buffalo 3rd & Chicago 6th this June
Hearing the Rangers will trade Sam Carrick to Buffalo Every team can use some Stouffville
Carrick, 34, has four goals, 10 points, and 53 penalty minutes in 60 games with the Rangers this season. The 6′ forward is under contract through the end of the 2026-27 season at a $1 million annual cap hit.
The Rangers originally signed Carrick to a three-year deal as an unrestricted free agent in 2024. The Stoufville, Ontario product is a 10-season NHL veteran and a quality depth forward addition for a Sabres team primed to end its long playoff drought.
The Toronto Maple Leafs originally selected Carrick in the fifth round (No. 144 overall) of the 2010 NHL Draft. After wrapping up his junior career with the OHL’s Brampton Battalion in 2012, Carrick spent parts of four seasons in Toronto’s system and appeared in his first 19 NHL games with the Leafs between 2014 and 2016.
After less than a full season with the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs, Carrick joined the Anaheim Ducks organization in 2017 and eventually made his way back into the NHL midway through the 2018-19 season. He ultimately appeared in parts of six NHL seasons with the Ducks before being moved to the Edmonton Oilers alongside Adam Henrique at the 2024 trade deadline.
Carrick dressed for 10 games during the Oilers’ run to the 2024 Stanley Cup Final but was not retained by the club the following summer. After signing with the Rangers, he played in a career-high 80 games with the club in the 2024-25 season and reached the 20-point plateau for the first time.
In 380 career NHL games with the Leafs, Ducks, Oilers, and Rangers, Carrick has collected 38 goals, 83 points, and 427 penalty minutes. He’s added one assist in 10 playoff contests, all with Edmonton.
The Sabres have not qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs since 2011, but they’re currently tied with the Tampa Bay Lightning for first place in the Atlantic Division with a 37-19-6 record and 80 points in 62 games.