My guess would be it could be a masterful manner of tampering legally.
If you request to trade for a UFA in a sign&trade you can talk to the player. He's said he won't do 8 years now so a trade isn't necessary.
The Sabres don't swing for the fences; they play small ball. But play a very fine line style of small ball where sac flies are not allowed. Could it work, certainly; but it isn't exactly common.
2026 1st would have to have some protection
Benson isn't regardless of trade
You'd be looking at moving Byram for futures than turning those futures and a prospect to get Robertson effectively.
5x7.7mil would put it at compensation of a 1st, 2nd and 3rd
So perhaps we need to view the return through that lens
Would we rather have Kesserling + Doan or Utah's 1st, 2nd, and 3rd next year?