Capitals trade Malenstyn to Sabres for pick No. 43

The Washington Capitals traded restricted free-agent winger Beck Malenstyn to the Buffalo Sabres for the 43rd pick in the 2024 NHL Draft on Saturday, the teams announced.

The Capitals then used the pick to select Cole Hutson, a defenseman out of the U.S. National Team Development Program and brother of highly touted Montreal Canadiens prospect Lane Hutson.

Malenstyn just completed his first full NHL season, tallying six goals and 15 assists in 81 games. The 6-foot-3, 200-pounder is a a high-energy, bottom-six winger who racked up a team-high 241 hits in 2023-24.

The Delta, British Columbia, native is 26 years old and eligible for salary arbitration this summer.

The Sabres still owned the 42nd pick as part of the move down the board from 11 to 14 on Thursday. They added blue-liner Adam Kleber from the USHL's Lincoln Stars with the pick.

Buffalo general manager Kevyn Adams said following Thursday's trade that he hoped to use the extra draft pick as ammunition to improve the NHL roster.