TSN Hockey’s Chris Johnston said on the most recent ’Off the Post’ podcast that he fully expects Rasmus Dahlin to sign an eight-year contract extension. Johnston said that both sides have made positive strides towards finding the star’s next contract and that they may even have a deal in place before training camp. There’s no doubt that Dahlin’s next contract will likely come with a hefty cap hit – something that Johnston says Buffalo will likely try to offset by signing Owen Power to a cheap and short bridge contract when he’s an RFA next summer.
Dahlin is coming off a tremendous season, where he recorded 15 goals and 73 points in 78 games. His scoring ranked seventh among all defenders in points and points-per-games and marked career-highs in goals, assists, and points. Dahlin has confidently taken control of the Sabres top defender role and is still only 23. A long-term extension will likely take him through his prime and learning what that cap hit will look like is something the Sabres are surely eager to find out.
More from the East:
- The Montreal Canadiens have announced Mike Matheson as their second alternate captain. Matheson will join captain Nick Suzuki and fellow ’AC’ Brendan Gallagher in the captain’s room. Montreal acquired Matheson as the main piece to the deal that sent Jeff Petry to the Pittsburgh Penguins. He recorded 34 points in 48 games in his first season with the team, although a nagging lower-body injury limited the number of games he was able to play.
- In a recent article building up anticipation for his next season, The Buffalo News’ Lance Lysowski shared that the Buffalo Sabres had tried to sign Devon Levi following the 2021-22 season. Levi recorded a dazzling .952 save percentage and 1.54 goals-against-average that year, his first in Northeastern’s starters crease. But Levi and his team didn’t want to rush anything, opting to stay another year in college before signing with Buffalo this spring. Levi enters the 2023-24 season with little competition for the starter’s net in Buffalo and, as this report lays out, clear excitement from the team.
With Skinner’s $9mil per contract down to 4 years left the Sabres will be fine extending Owen Power long term.
They will also have to sign Krebs, Middlestadt, Olafsson, 3 more d, 3 more forwards, and a G. Not as clean as it may seem.
Stillman, Bryson, Klague should be let go, the 4th line won’t be around next year
Even if Dahlin signs for $10.5mil per both Okposo & Grigs makes $2.5mil per (Dahlin’s current $6mil cap hit + $5mil per = $11mil per). Comrie, Bryson & Jost are coming off the books next off-season $5.6mil) & Joker & Mitts are on their last year bridge salaries of $2.5mil per). I can see 3 to 4 current Sabres getting extensions because the Sabres have players already in Rochester on ELCs + add in Savoie & Benson who are not.
+ Erik Johnson & his 1 year $3.25mil cap hit is also off the books next off-season.