Rasmus close to extension at $10M per

[Derrico]

2 hours ago, tom webster said:

They are just waiting for him to return to the States. 

Any idea when that may be?  Will he be back before training camp?

[kas23]

Sorry to break it to you guys. But it’s a done deal. Here the proof:

 

[Buffalonill]

 

I think something is coming or it could be a fart

[RochesterExpat]

1 hour ago, Buffalonill said:

 

I think something is coming or it could be a fart

I love his vacant expression.

[Taro T]

13 minutes ago, RochesterExpat said:

I love his vacant expression.

Can't say the kid didn't learn ANYTHING from Rasmus the Elder.  😉

[kas23]

2 hours ago, RochesterExpat said:

I love his vacant expression.

Reminds me of when astute observers noted Reinhardt not smiling during games. 

[MattPie]

16 hours ago, kas23 said:

Reminds me of when astute observers noted Reinhardt not smiling during games. 

You know, kinda sad we never got a Reinhardt == Reinstein filter here (a la Pomminstein).

Edited July 12, 2023 by MattPie

[Buffalonill]

Elliotte Friedman on 32 Thoughts: The Podcast on Buffalo Sabres Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power: “There’s been alot of talk about extending Power & Dahlin, they met with both the camps I heard at the combine and at the draft, BUF feels it’s very positive, both players said they want to be there long-term, so they’re going to work @ getting both of those guys done”.

 

So I don't know what to believe everyone said it was done 😕 with dahlin

[Brawndo]

 

[Brawndo]

 

[Zamboni]

The real bottom line is… Dahlin is signing long-term with the Sabres. I personally couldn’t care less if it was announced this afternoon, or October 1st. Is there really a need for anxious hand wringing/nail biting at this point?

[Buffalonill]

Sounds like hes backpaddling. 

I love how he says I never said the deal was done. But quote " The deal is pretty much done"

I wouldn't hate on him if he just said. Hey I was fed some miss information I apologize..

Nope

[tom webster]

This is such a non story but like Chad, I feel the need to explain a little bit about how this works. 
These contracts are at least 90% boiler plate and 9% precedent driven. There really is not a lot to negotiate once term and AAV are agreed on. It’s why guys can sign five minutes after free agency begins. So when someone tells me that term and limit are in “non deal breaking territory” the deal is done.

The reason I was misinformed about the Ullmark deal is because Buffalo ultimately met his numbers only for Boston to swoop in after their plan A(Darcy Kuemper) became unavailable. It happens. There is nothing that can blow this deal up short of Rasmus blowing out a knee at an amusement park.

For what it’s worth, I’m hearing Owen is going to be a shorter deal. It really is the smart play for him unless Buffalo goes way high.

[French Collection]

9 minutes ago, tom webster said:

For what it’s worth, I’m hearing Owen is going to be a shorter deal. It really is the smart play for him unless Buffalo goes way high.

He can approach it that way if he feels like he can make more money. My important factor as a fan is that he is still under team control after the deal. I don’t want to see a Matthews type of scenario.

I may be wrong but I feel like Power will never put up the points Dahlin does because Rasmus is better at PP1. Because of that I think his earning potential is lower than Dahlin. The cap will be higher so he may end up with more $$ but I see Dahlin as the benchmark for the next few deals.

I know Power’s value is more than just points but KA would use that in negotiations. Dahlin scores 80 points a year while you are a 65 point guy. We pay him $10M and you want $12M?

[Scottysabres]

21 minutes ago, tom webster said:

This is such a non story but like Chad, I feel the need to explain a little bit about how this works. 
These contracts are at least 90% boiler plate and 9% precedent driven. There really is not a lot to negotiate once term and AAV are agreed on. It’s why guys can sign five minutes after free agency begins. So when someone tells me that term and limit are in “non deal breaking territory” the deal is done.

The reason I was misinformed about the Ullmark deal is because Buffalo ultimately met his numbers only for Boston to swoop in after their plan A(Darcy Kuemper) became unavailable. It happens. There is nothing that can blow this deal up short of Rasmus blowing out a knee at an amusement park.

For what it’s worth, I’m hearing Owen is going to be a shorter deal. It really is the smart play for him unless Buffalo goes way high.

I believe a shorter deal for Power is smart for both the organization and the player. They bridged Dahlin, if they brought Power to his UFA year I'd be concerned. 1 yr left as rfa, I'd feel more comfortable as it gives time for any potential maneuvering for the situation, no?

[PerreaultForever]

13 minutes ago, Scottysabres said:

I believe a shorter deal for Power is smart for both the organization and the player. They bridged Dahlin, if they brought Power to his UFA year I'd be concerned. 1 yr left as rfa, I'd feel more comfortable as it gives time for any potential maneuvering for the situation, no?

If you bridge Power, cap's going up, he'll want a lot more in 2 years so if they are confident in him and can get him at a reduced price for signing term now like they've already done with others you do it and then the team's window is pretty much defined. 

[GASabresIUFAN]

19 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

If you bridge Power, cap's going up, he'll want a lot more in 2 years so if they are confident in him and can get him at a reduced price for signing term now like they've already done with others you do it and then the team's window is pretty much defined. 

But if you are Power's representatives do you take a Cozens-type deal or do you take a 3-year bridge and then go for the 8 x 11+ deal when the cap has had a chance to rise? Given his age, I might do a 3-year bridge, then a 5-6 year deal, and then cash in a 3rd time at 28/29.

Edited July 12, 2023 by GASabresIUFAN

[JohnC]

43 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

But if you are Power's representatives do you take a Cozens-type deal or do you take a 3-year bridge and then go for the 8 x 11+ deal when the cap has had a chance to rise? Given his age, I might do a 3-year bridge, then a 5-6 year deal, and then cash in a 3rd time at 28/29.

I would do the bridge deal. He should follow the Dahlin model of a bridge deal and then follow it up with a deal that falls in line with the market rate for a player of his caliber. The bottom line is he should do whatever he believes is in his best interest. 

[dudacek]

In the abstract, a long-term deal is better for the Sabres.

It only stops being better when the AAV shoots past the Heiskanen and Ekblad deals in terms of percentage relative to the cap at time of signing.

It’s been my position since talk started that Power is better off waiting and leveraging the above percentage against the cap leap we all know is coming.

[Taro T]

2 hours ago, Scottysabres said:

I believe a shorter deal for Power is smart for both the organization and the player. They bridged Dahlin, if they brought Power to his UFA year I'd be concerned. 1 yr left as rfa, I'd feel more comfortable as it gives time for any potential maneuvering for the situation, no?

It's smart for the player; not so much the Sabres.

Were they not in the middle of the Covid era when negotiating Dahlin's 2nd contract it likely would've been a LT deal.  But due to uncertainties about revenues, ownership didn't want to get locked into a LT deal where they might have to come up with some serious $$'s with no real cash coming in.  And, because it was right after 2 "down" years (by Ras' standards), he wasn't really pushing for the LT deal either.

From the team's standpoint, the 2 situations are significantly different IMHO.

[Scottysabres]

56 minutes ago, Taro T said:

It's smart for the player; not so much the Sabres.

Were they not in the middle of the Covid era when negotiating Dahlin's 2nd contract it likely would've been a LT deal.  But due to uncertainties about revenues, ownership didn't want to get locked into a LT deal where they might have to come up with some serious $$'s with no real cash coming in.  And, because it was right after 2 "down" years (by Ras' standards), he wasn't really pushing for the LT deal either.

From the team's standpoint, the 2 situations are significantly different IMHO.

As fans, we are assuming Power will achieve or ascend to a certain level of value status based on not only performance, but projected performance. Given his rather still young age, it may be beneficial for a 3 or 4 yr contract to see if he hits an early ceiling. In either case, long or short term deal, there is some risk. And that is one example of several where a short term deal allows more flexibility for the organization.

I look at the glass as half full, as well as half empty.

[PerreaultForever]

3 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

But if you are Power's representatives do you take a Cozens-type deal or do you take a 3-year bridge and then go for the 8 x 11+ deal when the cap has had a chance to rise? Given his age, I might do a 3-year bridge, then a 5-6 year deal, and then cash in a 3rd time at 28/29.

If he wants to bet on himself he might. His agents might also advise him on a 3 year bridge. I think the 5-6 year deal after the bridge is unlikely though. Usually that's the 8 year point but anything's possible. 

You also have to consider the average salary over the time period. If you take the bridge for less you've left money on the table for 3 years that you have to get back in the next chunk of years. eg. 3 years now at 5, then 5 years at 9 = 60, 8 years at 7.5 =60.  In those scenarios if you are Power wouldn't you rather have the money now so you can buy your house/condo/etc and invest (along with the security in case you have a setback or slower development)?

Remember, agents also like to get guaranteed money now, upfront, so they get paid too. Players can change agents down the road.

If I'm Power (and we assume he is happy being a Sabre) I want to put myself into that locked up core of the team with Thompson, Cozens and Dahlin.  

[Taro T]

16 minutes ago, Scottysabres said:

As fans, we are assuming Power will achieve or ascend to a certain level of value status based on not only performance, but projected performance. Given his rather still young age, it may be beneficial for a 3 or 4 yr contract to see if he hits an early ceiling. In either case, long or short term deal, there is some risk. And that is one example of several where a short term deal allows more flexibility for the organization.

I look at the glass as half full, as well as half empty.

Personally don't see why people are afraid that guys like Dahlin and Power are going to level off well below their projected ceilings.  There is a reason both were selected 1st overall and neither looked like he was not going to at minimum come close to the original expectations through his 1st couple of years.  

Totally get that a guy like Myers (who lasted until 12OA for a reason even though he's bigger than either) plateaued.  But he exceeded early expectations and showed signs of tailing off to more what he was expected to be by the 2nd year.  He did not have the pedigree of either.

Power is special.  He is not Dahlin.  But the likelihood of a LT contract blowing up in their faces is slim; the likelihood of a ST deal blowing up in their faces is a lot higher.  IF he'll agree to it, lock him up now for 7-8 years and deal with the next contract then.  Power has played as a top pairing guy at every level since junior within his 1st year whereever he's been.  The case can be made he didn't do that in Buffalo, but is that accurate - if the Sabres were down in the last 2 minutes who was Dahlin paired with while they're trying to get that tying goal?  Yep, the youngest D-man on the roster.

Edited July 12, 2023 by Taro T

[Taro T]

And don't forget, they put him with Dahlin when the injury bug hit the D hard.  They had 24 minutes of good D play and then 36 minutes of trash.  When the injury bug hit again, they kept them separate so they could both dominate their own pair.  And get them closer to 50 minutes of reasonable D play.  That worked much better.

[Night Train]

The prediction by locals 2 months ago was Dahlin gets his big deal and Power gets a 3 year bridge deal with a much bigger deal after that when the cap is bigger. 

 No rush if KA is still looking around the trade market with weeks until camp.