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    “Josh is a player that impacts the team both on and off the ice,” general manager Jarmo Kekkalainen said in a statement. “He works hard, is competitive and skilled, and his game is going to continue to develop. We believe he will be a core piece of this team moving forward and I am excited to have him as a Buffalo Sabre long term.”

    Doan is third on the Sabres with career highs of 15 goals and 35 points through 49 games this season. He also leads the NHL with 35 takeaways.

    “Hey Sabres fans, thank you so much for the support since I got here,” Doan said in a message to fans on X. “Looking forward to the next seven years. Let’s go Sabres.”

    His extension is the first major piece of business for Kekkalainen, who replaced Kevyn Adams in December. The Sabres have turned around their season, going an NHL-best 16-3-1 since Dec. 9 to put themselves in the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff chase.

    The Sabres have the NHL’s longest playoff drought at 14 consecutive seasons.

    Doan, who was the No. 37 pick of the 2021 NHL draft by the Arizona Coyotes, has 27 goals and 63 points in 111 career games. He is the son of Coyotes legend Shane Doan, who is currently an executive with the Toronto Maple Leafs.