The Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday ensured a key piece of their rebuilding effort will stick around, signing forward Tage Thompson to a seven-year contract extension worth $50 million.

The contract, which begins with the 2023-24 season, rewards Thompson, 24, five months after a career season ended. He led the Sabres with 38 goals and 68 points while playing 78 games, and all of those totals were career highs.