Confirmed Signing with Link: [BUF] D Rasmus Dahlin signs extension with the Sabres (8 years, $11M AAV)

[MarkusKetterer]

Not for the first couple years of the contract but for the final six years, as the cap goes up, then it’s a good deal.

The thing is that this contract doesn’t even start yet. Buffalo is still paying him $6M this upcoming season. So he’s a Sabre for the next 9 years

 

[tsujimoto74]

Good for Dahlin and Buffalo, because he is a very good player. I have trouble reconciling that he's worth 11 million AAV, as I haven't watched him closely enough to see this. If Buffalo Sabres fans are happy, then I'm happy for them. Lord knows they've had enough misery the last 10 years.

imo Dahlin should've been a Norris finalist last season. Not bad for a 22yo. To lock him into a max term contract that buys the entirety of his prime and 7 UFA years with a cap increase on the horizon for Doughty money? Yeah, I'm thrilled with this tbh.

 

[FriendlyGhost92]

Can you explain, how does this refer to my comment? There was comparison of salaries from pre-cap era and then comment and "yeah, there is cap now, BUT....."

Like cap would just make a tiny detail here..

I'm still curious what you think "Front-loaded" means.

 

[jiitu]

... What exactly do you think "Front-loaded" means in terms of NHL contracts?

Sorry if my english is not perfect (after all its not among the two official languages we speak here. And still there's another language in my home additionally), but i would still guess, it should be pretty obvious: paying too much to your top players. So top-loaded cap structure is maybe better term?

The trend to spend extra millions to front/top players is obviously not resulting cups. In the end, what ypu can gain by having topmplauer instead of very good, is not enough to compensate the loss of having to replace good middle 6 player by an average rookie.

I know, many if not most thi k vice versa but results are are showing different story.

 

[Tetsuo]

Dahlin finally figured it out and got justly rewarded for it. Buffalo keeps its best player cost-controlled against a cap set to explode.

I find myself wishing I could slide into the GM Slack and say "Yo, Verbeek... this is how you manage the cap." While posting a mic drop emoji. $11mil is not going to sting at all once the cap is pushing $100mil. Hell it doesn't sting right now given how good Dahlin is.

Win/win deal.

 

[1point21Gigawatts]

You do get that owners are expanding so much to get that extra expansion fees, right? NBA doesn't have 32 teams.. They don't have a good TV deal in the U.S so they make that up by expanding.
MLS is catching up.

Then go watch MLS. I don't see how Dahlin is the root of the issue that you are laying out. This seems to be a personal sticking point for you.

 

[bobholly39]

He's going to be a great player (already is). A lot of $$, but I expect he'll be fully worth it, and then some.

 

[Team Cozens]

Non top 5D in the league should not be making 11M

Makar, Fox, McAvoy, all are a lot under 11M and are better then him, but they signed under lower cap.

Dahlin ceiling is lower than Malar and Fox but probably better than McAvoy

He still needs to improve to be worth 11M

You are trying to hard and look foolish.

 

[FriendlyGhost92]

Wasn't Matthews getting 15-16 per in LA in 2024? What's the issue with 13.25?

As has been explained to Leafs fans ad nauseam, $13.25M is not the number that is the problem in Matthews' contract.

 

[hamzarocks]

You are trying to hard and look foolish.

Nothing foolish, your being a homer defending dahlin on a deal which still has a component of pay based on his potential/improved play being factored in

I also forgot Heiskanen on that list too

 

[MavisGoldberg]

As has been explained to Leafs fans ad nauseam, $13.25M is not the number that is the problem in Matthews' contract.

B.S you guys thought he was gone to LA. And 15-16 per is not better for 7 years vs 13.25 for 4...
4 years is irrelevant now. No one cares. Keep trying..

 

[Djp]

Buffalo's cap structure is absurd. Only $25M for Dahlin/Thompson/Cozens for the next 7-8 years is drool-worthy.

For comparison look at Toronto and how much is h is mariner, Tavares, and matthews.

 

[hamzarocks]

B.S you guys thought he was gone to LA. And 15-16 per is not better for 7 years vs 13.25 for 4...
4 years is irrelevant now. No one cares. Keep trying..

Matthews contract sucks man, the term is bad for the AAV he got vs what a direct comparable in Mackinnon got.

It won't matter too much if Matthews bounces back and finds the next gear in the playoffs.

5 years later we can assess if there is a point in giving him a 4th deal or not

 

[jiitu]

The stars should not be making almost as much as they did when revenues were 1/8th what they are today.

I still dont get. You basically compare that back then, 9 M salary was payed so 11 M now is thus fine. Ok, if revenue were 1/8th then, so in your nhl tem, wjere cap is jsut tiny detail, top player gets 72 M.

So yes, cap is not just "i know there is cap, BUT...."- type thing. It is fully game changing thing.

For comparison look at Toronto and how much is h is mariner, Tavares, and matthews.

And see, how well it has resulted. Good wau to go, right?

 

[MavisGoldberg]

For comparison look at Toronto and how much is h is mariner, Tavares, and matthews.

Skinner would be the worst contract you you compared both rosters.

 

[FriendlyGhost92]

Sorry if my english is not perfect (after all its not among the two official languages we speak here. And still there's another language in my home additionally), but i would still guess, it should be pretty obvious: paying too much to your top players. So top-loaded cap structure is maybe better term?

The trend to spend extra millions to front/top players is obviously not resulting cups. In the end, what ypu can gain by having topmplauer instead of very good, is not enough to compensate the loss of having to replace good middle 6 player by an average rookie.

I know, many if not most thi k vice versa but results are are showing different story.

I'll give you the benefit of the doubt for English being a second language. In the future, "Front-loaded" references contracts where players were given a shit-ton of money at the start of their contract and next to nothing at the end with the understanding that they would likely retire before fulfilling those last few years.

It was basically tacking on years the players never planned on playing to lower their cap hit and, for the most part, was phased out with the 8 year term limits. Players like Marian Hossa (Developed an allergy right as his salary dropped to $1M/year) and Zetterberg (Suddenly couldn't bear his back pain anymore once his salary cut in half) are good examples.

Where I can't really give the benefit of the doubt is with what you actually meant, lumping Buffalo in with teams like Toronto who are top heavy in cap structure. For the rest of the decade, BUF will be paying their Top 3 players a whopping $25M. Coming from a fan of a division rival, they're going to be an absolute pain in the ass simply due to the depth they'll be able to afford.

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

Man that Sanderson 8M for 8 year contract looks even better now seeing that Buffalo had to overpay big time on Dahlin I'm sorry but in what reality is Rasmus Dahlin worth $11 million???

Hahaha you're kidding right

 

[FriendlyGhost92]

Skinner would be the worst contract you you compared both rosters.

Skinner just outproduced Tavares at $2M less and has a contract that can actually be bought out...

There's no comparison here. Tavares' contract is way worse.

 

[MavisGoldberg]

Skinner just outproduced Tavares at $2M less and has a contract that can actually be bought out...

There's no comparison here. Tavares' contract is way worse.

Skinner's previous career high was 63 points. He's just not close to JT, who is also a C. JT is Mr.Consistent.

 

[FriendlyGhost92]

B.S you guys thought he was gone to LA. And 15-16 per is not better for 7 years vs 13.25 for 4...
4 years is irrelevant now. No one cares. Keep trying..

I would love to see a post where I said I thought Matthews was going to LA.

Feel free to search my name.

Skinner's previous career high was 63 points. He's just not close to JT, who is also a C. JT is Mr.Consistent.

Or Mr. Consistently Lamented Signing. One of those.

 

[Djp]

Skinner would be the worst contract you you compared both rosters.

not that much of a big issue. His contract kicks in next year. It’s $25M compared to the $35M Toronto is paying next year For 3 players

 

[1point21Gigawatts]

If Power gets 9 that’s 20 per for those two. Are there any other teams with two D taking 20 on their cap?

Rangers are pushing $17.5 million. Penguins are at 16.1 million, but their top 2 Defensemen are over 33. Nashville's top two D are $15 million and over 33. Kings are a t $16.875 for their top 2 and doughty is over 33. Next year, buffalo's top 3 D only costs about $11 million. The cap is going up, Dahlin and power and Samuelsson are under 24 years of age. I think buffalo is going to be okay.

 

[MOGlLNY]

Would’ve liked a touch less, but fair deal.

No, what's embarrassing is comparing a third contract signed right before the cap thaws out, which buys 7 UFA years, to two second contracts that were signed while the league was still in a state of complete financial uncertainty thanks to COVID regulations.

+1

 

[FriendlyGhost92]

Biggest sour point for me is between Sanderson's deal and this deal, my dream of Seider coming in just under 8 x $9M is probably dead.

 

[LokiDog]

After watching this entire video, Ras jumped several spots in my book. Dude is a monster.