nfreeman

Also, Levon Helm was more important than Robby Robertson. And THAT just happened.

1st bolded -- what's boring is "points times x dollars equals correct contract." 2nd bolded -- again, you are simply fabricating statements and attributing them to others, in this case me. The point, of course, is that there is much more that goes into a player's value than points, and there are reasons to sign a guy at a given time that aren't just about making that guy wait for it. That is NOT the same as "KA did it, so it must be right, and if you disagree with me, you need to prove a negative." And the syllogism that suggests that it is the same is, indeed, low brow message board fodder. Damned freaking straight. Our young Winnipegger probably doesn't remember McKee, or what he brought to the table, but letting him and Grier walk out the door was the beginning of the end of the best Sabres team since Bert's peak. He was worth every dime of that $4MM, and that was when the cap was something like $35MM. Yes. It's a lower salary tier. No one is saying he should be paid like Dahlin. But the good ones still get paid, because they are still valuable players. Jake McCabe makes $4MM. Brandon Carlo makes $4.1MM. Connor Murphy makes $4.4MM. For all the caterwauling about points, and the claim that you aren't really basing this on points, I haven't seen you propose a metric to evaluate defensive defenseman on. This. It's not fantasy hockey. It's a game of blood and guts and passion and believing in your teammates and sacrificing for them. And it's also really freaking important to recognize that Dahlin is playing extremely well with his mate and to secure that arrangement. So choose one already that fits this position on the ice and apply some analysis. And using points as "the same consistent principles" continues to miss the point. So then WTH were the last 20 posts for? And I'll respond to the lack of modesty by noting that you were pretty far off in your prediction on Cozens' contract.

Also worth noting IMHO: Dahlin turns...23 in April. 8 years on the extension, please.

Taro beat me to it -- KA has, correctly IMHO, emphasized culture in building this team. Locking up Muel, making him rich and making it clear that he was part of the core for the long term was the kind of move that makes everyone buy in. This isn't fantasy hockey. It's not just points multiplied by some dollar amount. The guys have to buy in and have to want to be here. It all matters.

First bolded -- Dahlin's deal this summer will be a "pay early" deal relative to the 2 guys at the top (Doughty and Karlsson), as those guys got huge deals when they were already in their UFA years. Dahlin will still be an RFA when his current deal expires. Most of the other guys in the nines got their contracts at about the same point in their careers as Dahlin will be this summer. 2nd bolded -- I didn't say $2MM is negligible. I didn't say anything close to that. I said that $9.6MM is about $2MM less than what he would get if he got the very top of the market -- but that it would still make him the 3rd-highest paid Dman in the NHL and therefore would be fair.

Fair, but also fair to point out that TT had half a season under his belt of star-level play when he signed, while this is really the first year that Dahlin has truly been elite (with admittedly many more hints of elite play earlier in his career than TT had prior to his ascension). Both things can be true. Dahlin can, as a cultural indicator and a credit to KA, forego $2MM per year and being the highest-paid Dman in the NHL -- which many in his position would insist on -- while still being fairly paid at $9.6MM as the 3rd-highest paid.

Also, I think Cozens is in the top 25% or so of 2Cs in the NHL when age and trajectory are factored in.

This is a misuse of the term "career year" IMHO. It's Cozens' 2nd full season! He had 38 pts in 79 games in his 1st full season, on a really crappy team with a bottom-10 offense, and is now at a 75+-point pace with 2 rookies as linemates. He's also a heart-and-soul guy who burns to win, stands up for his teammates, has great speed and is showing more and more offensive skills. And he took less than he could've gotten to commit long-term, right now, and focus on helping muscle this young team into the playoffs. He's buy-his-jersey worthy, IMHO. Winter is coming. Good post. As to the bolded, I think Cozens was 100% on board with making less than TT, and for the same reason you mention. But TT signed his deal at age 24, and Rasmus will be 23 this summer -- isn't that more or less the same distance to UFA? Either way, I think you're right about the culture point being proven even more strongly if Rasmus signs in the nines. NB that only 2 defensemen are making more than $9.5MM (Karlsson and Doughty), 4 making $9.5MM and 4 more making between $9MM and $9.25MM. So if Rasmus gets $9.6MM, he'll be the 3rd-highest paid defenseman in the NHL.

It's not without risk, but no contract is. I think it's a great deal for the Sabres. And I think Dahlin will sign for an AAV in the nines.

@Skooby: care to explain your post?

These kids today…

Carolina is the only team I’ve seen this year in Boston’s class. The Sabres need their best game to beat a team that good, and that wasn’t their best game. I’m kinda worried about TT.

Carolina is 11th in GF/G and 6th in GA/G. They are also first in their division and #2 in the NHL with 74 pts. They are smart and they capitalize on mistakes. But they don't have the superfly TNT.

I liked the first few episodes of We Own this City, and they were reminiscent of the Wire, but the next few were much worse IMHO. Just way too preachy and not interesting or entertaining. Separately: - The Northman -- pretty bad - Bullet Train -- dumb but entertaining

I think DG has, correctly, and unlike Krueger, realized that moving Skinner off of the top line or the top PP unit results in Skinner getting PO'd and/or discouraged, with a net negative effect on the team. This is where I am. It's also worth noting IMHO that the PP has been in the dumper for a few weeks now, so a tweak is in order. And VO is crushing it right now.

Demko is under contract for 3 more seasons after this one at $5MM per year. Comrie has 1 more year at $1.8MM, while UPL has 1 more year at $837K. Demko turns 28 in December. Demko has been Van's #1 for 2 full seasons -- the abbreviated 20-21 season, in which he started 35 games, and last season, in which he started 64 games. In both of those seasons, he had a .915 SV%, which is very good, especially considering the high-pressure and fairly dysfunctional environment he worked in. All of which is to say that I agree that he fits the profile. And getting him wouldn't necessarily dissuade Levi from signing, since presumably UPL would be shipped out, Anderson will retire and Comrie only has 1 year left on his deal. I'd guess the Canucks would want UPL coming back, plus picks/prospects. I wouldn't expect KA to give up his 2023 #1, but maybe the best #2, plus Rosen or Östlund? OTOH, the guys might feel like UPL is a core member of the group and has gotten them to the threshold of the playoffs, so this might be a bad chemistry move.

Well, if Cozens, Muel and TT are full go in practice, they are probably playing tomorrow night.

Awesome.

Like @Marvin, this is where it gets too rich for my blood. I don't like the idea of 2 $9MM wingers. And the more costly item is the inflationary impact of giving an outsider, say, $9.25MM per year. That would drive up the AAV for Cozens, Dahlin, etc.

I think unless they think Savoie is going to be at least as effective in the NHL next year as JJP and Quinn are this year, they will not want to use a roster slot and burn a year of his ELC. NB that this is Quinn's and JJP's D+3 season, while next year will be Savoie's D+2 season. This is interesting. I wonder what the effect on his ELC would be? I'd guess it would burn a year, as it would be a pro league, but maybe not.

I'm out on Davis as the #2 for sure. Happy to keep him as the #4 (assuming Diggs at #1, another "boundary" wideout at #2 and Shakir in the slot at #3, with Davis playing in 4-wide sets). But Diggs needs a big monster with speed to play opposite him on every play, and that guy needs to be much better than Davis. Davis had the opportunity to be that guy this year and didn't come close to delivering IMHO.

The Bills have to get another legit WR this summer, probably in the first round of the draft.

That was an incredible performance by Mahomes last night. He's still the best player in the NFL IMHO.

BTW, I find it interesting that "primer" rhymes with "Zimmer," not with "timer."

KC is getting about a million times more pressure on Burrow than the Bills produced.