Sabres ink franchise cornerstone to very lucrative contract extension

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Mike Armenti
October 9, 2023 (9:16)

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The Buffalo Sabres took care of an important piece of business on Monday morning, announcing a mega-extension for former 1st overall pick (2018), Rasmus Dahlin. The two sides had been grinding away at the negotiating table since July 1st, and now, we can finally announce that his 8-year deal is complete.

With his new deal, Dahlin becomes the 2nd highest paid defenseman in the NHL after being award an $11M AAV, equal to that of Drew Doughty, and just a hair behind Erik Karlsson's $11.5M AAV.

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Both Dahlin and the Sabres are excited to get this one done. The 23-year-old blueliner's 73 points last season marked the 3rd highest point total by a defenseman in Sabres history, and he's just now entering his prime. Sabres captain, Kyle Okposo, is among those most excited to learn that Dahlin has been locked in for 8 more seasons.

"He's so competitive. That's probably his best leadership quality, how competitive he is. He just wants to win all the time. He wants to be the best. He wants to be on the ice in every situation. He's been incredible." - Okposo on Dahlin

Sabres GM Kevyn Adams is thrilled to have one of his franchise cornerstones signed through his entire prime. He has seen Dahlin grow a lot over his first 6 seasons and is excited to be able to continue to watch him evolve right before his eyes.

"I know I'm biased, but I look at him as one of the top in the world at what he does. He's taken huge steps. I couldn't be more proud of him but I also know how much work he's put into this. I still think he's going to get better. You hear me say that a lot. He's a player I believe will keep getting better." - Adams on Dahlin

Dahlin has amassed an impressive 233 points in his 355 career regular season games in the NHL. He is one of just 12 blueliners in NHL history to reach the 200-point plateau before his 23rd birthday. Congrats to Rasmus on his new deal.

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POLL
OCTOBRE 9 \| 117 ANSWERS Sabres ink franchise cornerstone to very lucrative contract extension What do you think about Rasmus Dahlin's new 8-year deal, worth $11M per season?
Too long, too much money	44	37.6 %
Solid deal for the team	16	13.7 %
Solid deal for Dahlin	31	26.5 %
Great deal for both sides	26	22.2 %
List of polls

Sabres ink franchise cornerstone to very lucrative contract extension

What do you think about Rasmus Dahlin's new 8-year deal, worth $11M per season?