Buffalo, NY (Sports Network) - Buffalo Sabres forward Tim Kennedy was awarded a one-year contract worth $1 million by an arbitrator on Thursday.

Per guidelines set in the NHL's current Collective Bargaining Agreement, the Sabres cannot walk away from any free-agent contract given through an arbitrator's decision that is lower than $1,611,180 per year.

In his first full league campaign, the 24-year-old Buffalo native compiled 10 goals and 26 points with 50 penalty minutes in 78 games.

07/29 16:15:24 ET