Updated

The Buffalo Sabres avoided arbitration with Nathan Gerbe by signing the center to a new, three-year contract Wednesday.

Terms of the contract were not announced; however TSN's Bob McKenzie is reporting the three-year deal will have an average cap hit of $1.433 million.

Gerbe, 23, was eligible to become a restricted free agent had he not been signed by July 1. The 5-foot-5, 178-pound forward had 16 goals and 15 assists in 64 games for the Sabres in 2010-11. He was impressive late in the season, as he scored 15 goals in Buffalo's final 40 games.

The native of Oxford, Mich., set a franchise record for fastest two goals by one player when he scored twice just five seconds apart Jan. 21 against the New York Islanders.

Gerbe was Buffalo's fifth round selection in the 2005 Entry Draft and was the 2008 AHL Rookie of the Year.