Former Notre Dame defenseman Dennis Gilbert signs with Buffalo Sabres

They say you can’t go home again, but that no longer is the case for former Notre Dame defenseman Dennis Gilbert. He grew up in Buffalo, New York, and now, he’ll get to play the game he loves there. Gilbert has signed a one-year contract with his hometown Sabres . He joins Ian Cole among former Irish defensemen who found new homes via free agency on the same day .

The 2023-24 season was Gilbert’s most successful yet. In his first full NHL season, he scored seven points, six on assists, and had 16 penalty minutes with the Calgary Flames. He also recorded 23 shots on goal.

Over the 82 NHL games he has played with the Flames, Colorado Avalanche and Chicago Blackhawks, he has gotten in 12 fights. At a time when fights in hockey are becoming more uncommon, it’s nice to see at least one player hold up that part of the game to some degree regardless of how one feels about it.

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