Buffalo Sabres agree to sign goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen to a 5-year, $23.75 million contract

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) -- Goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen went from being the Buffalo Sabres’ third-string goalie at the beginning of last season to their potential long-term answer in net after agreeing to a five-year, $23.75 million contract on Wednesday.

The deal comes as Luukkonen, a restricted free agent, was scheduled to have his contract determined in arbitration in the next two weeks. For the 25-year-old from Finland, the contract provides long-term security for a player whose future...