They each have one year left on their contract and are eligible to sign on July 1. Dahlin, 23, signed a three-year contract extension worth $18 million (average annual value $6 million) on Sept. 22, 2021. Bauer, 20, signed a three-year general-entry contract on Sept. 8, 2022.
General Manager Kevin Adams met with each of them individually after the season, and earlier this month, agents met for each in his KeyBank Center office during the week of the NHL Scouting Combine.
“There was excitement there [Dahlin and Power] And a clear message to me that they both want to be here for a long time,” Adams said. … We started those conversations (with their agents) so now we’re working on them. They want to be here, so we’ll keep working on that…but I’m excited for these guys.”
Dahlin, who was selected by the Sabers with the #1 pick in the 2018 NHL draft, has set NHL highs in goals (15), assists (58) and points (73) in 78 games this season and ranks third in the league with average time Ice 25:48 per game.
Buffalo Energy selected the first pick of the 2021 NHL Draft. He had 35 points (four goals, 31 assists) in 79 games in his first full NHL season. He ranks 20th among skaters in average ice time per game at 23:48 (10-game minimum) and is a finalist for the Calder Trophy, awarded to NHL rookie of the year.
“He’s just scratching the surface, in my opinion, just in terms of ability,” Adams said. “He’s such an enthusiastic kid. I’m glad he’s at Calder’s level and I really think he deserves it. I hope that’s the name he’s called because I think he’s one of those people.” [is] Such an influential player, no matter how many points or whatever. The way he plays, the number of minutes he scores, the way he controls the game when he’s there. »
Adams did not hesitate to sign his first long-term contracts. Center signed Thompson crown, 25, who finished sixth this season with 47 goals in the NHL, was signed to a seven-year, $50 million ($7.14 million) contract on August 30, 2022; cannon Matthias Samuelsson, 23, signed a seven-year, $30 million (US$4.29 million) contract extension on October 12, 2022; and the center Dylan CousinsThe 22-year-old agreed a seven-year, $49.7 million ($7.1 million) contract on February 7.
Swordsmen also have forwards Alex Touch And Jeff Skinner Under contract for at least the next three seasons. Tuch has set NHL highs in goals (36), assists (43) and points (79) in 74 games this season. Skinner achieved career highs in assists (47) and points (82) in 79 games and scored 30 goals (35) for the second straight season and sixth time in his NHL career.
This combination, coupled with the emerging talents of the 21-year-old striker Jack Quinn And JG PetrkaAnd many more promising prospects, including 19-year-olds Jerry Kulich And Matt SavoySo Adams and the Sabers hope to take them from rebuilders to playoff contenders.
Buffalo, who had missed the playoffs for 12 straight seasons, finished one point behind the Florida Panthers for their second wild card into the Eastern Conference for the Stanley Cup.
Adams has rebuilt the organization’s set of expectations during his three seasons as general manager, looks forward to building for continued success, and plans to continue to deepen his depth. But that didn’t stop him from having conversations with his peers across the NHL.
“Maybe some of these conversations a year or two ago didn’t make sense,” he said.
Although Adams has considered prospects like Kulick and Savoy not to leave in trade talks, he knows that some of the players he has drafted and will draft can be assets used to bring in players he can help achieve their goal of winning a Stanley Cup championship. .
“If you’re acquiring players, if you’re also going to drop assets — that’s how it works — you have to get comfortable with all of that,” Adams said. “But what we’re not going to do, no matter what kind of method you define, is we’re not going to end up in a situation where we panic or feel like we have to do something just for the sake of doing it and end up creating our long-running franchise.
“Of course, if there’s a way to do something to improve alignment, we’d look at everything, but we’re not going to chase it. We’re going to come from a position of strength. We feel like we’re in a really good place right now. I like the way our team is coming together, and we want to improve it. If it’s Working logically, we will consider all scenarios. …
“I think you have to go through this very methodical and calm process and take it all out, and make sure that the decisions that you make at the end are because you really are okay with what you’re going to do to help you win a Stanley Cup game.”
