I thought both deals were very good and to me seemed like an investment in both players futures. Joker might have suffered under Krueger but if he's paired with Dahlin this year on a full time basis he could really elevate his game. And both will have RFA status when the deals are over.

The Sabres want to go young and both Mitts and Joker could be a big part of that future core. They just need to fix the goaltending lol.
- mhp

Thought they were good deals to mhp for the players and the team. Found it interesting on the under 23 rankings how they had Levi higher than UPL, Goaltending is definitely gonna be a intriguing process going forward

I thought both deals were very good and to me seemed like an investment in both players futures. Joker might have suffered under Krueger but if he's paired with Dahlin this year on a full time basis he could really elevate his game. And both will have RFA status when the deals are over.

The Sabres want to go young and both Mitts and Joker could be a big part of that future core. They just need to fix the goaltending lol.
- mhp

I like both deals as well, just think mitts has some serious upside with top line minutes and a coach who likes him.

Not saying donnie doesn't like joker, but I'd really like to see a defenseman that plays defense paired with dahiln.

Let dahlin play his game....

I'd like to see a guy like Samuelson with dahlin eventually.

Goaltending = tank4

2 yrs. at that number would be great for both sides
- Michael Pachla

For what it's worth, Evolving Hockey has a 2 year deal estimated at $4M per, and only an 11% chance of happening.

I like both deals as well, just think mitts has some serious upside with top line minutes and a coach who likes him.

Not saying donnie doesn't like joker, but I'd really like to see a defenseman that plays defense paired with dahiln.

Let dahlin play his game....

I'd like to see a guy like Samuelson with dahlin eventually.

Goaltending = tank4
- Boss34

Who's playing RHD if the pair is Dahlin and Samuelsson?

Who's playing RHD if the pair is Dahlin and Samuelsson?
- kingcong39

Guess you would flip Dahlin to RD. Thought Borgen would have been a good partner for Dahlin.

So what should Dahlin get? Will they do a 3 year deal for him like they did Mitts and Joker?

3 years $5.5M AAV? I wouldn't go long term with him just yet.
- mhp

I think a 3 year deal would be horrendous for Dahlin as that would mean he would have one year left of RFA status before being a UFA.

Either a 5 year deal at $5.5M per or a 6 year deal at $6M-$6.5M per for me, to buy up a UFA year or 2 while leaving Dahlin time to sign a monster long term deal later.

For what it's worth, Evolving Hockey has a 2 year deal estimated at $4M per, and only an 11% chance of happening.
- kingcong39

I think 6yrs is the sweet spot.

2 yrs. at that number would be great for both sides
- Michael Pachla

I like that.

[quote=homiedclown]everyone is full of it to one degree or another


I blame it on the owners


if we had decent hockey to talk about, it would be a much different place


Ion " it was very creative " - referring to his marginal post

Cause of ion's self boosting - the pegula's

I'd say that's a stretch ☝️


The 4 guys I listed , hank, lun, bluff36 and power were part of MY very creative post. ☝️

Also - not full of themselves..
Posters who avoid confrontation for the most part

Avoid confrontation = not full of themselves

For what it's worth, Evolving Hockey has a 2 year deal estimated at $4M per, and only an 11% chance of happening.
- kingcong39

$4m seems too low...

the 'boos vs. eh' challenge continues

Thought they were good deals to mhp for the players and the team. Found it interesting on the under 23 rankings how they had Levi higher than UPL, Goaltending is definitely gonna be a intriguing process going forward
- Buff36

The only thing I saw on Levi were some you tube highlights and he was spectacular. I'll be watching him this year, see how he progresses. They may have a good one.

I think a 3 year deal would be horrendous for Dahlin as that would mean he would have one year left of RFA status before being a UFA.

Either a 5 year deal at $5.5M per or a 6 year deal at $6M-$6.5M per for me, to buy up a UFA year or 2 while leaving Dahlin time to sign a monster long term deal later.
- kingcong39

2yrs. followed by an 8-year deal has him in buffalo for 10 years instead of 5 or 6

the mitts you saw for the last 20 games would be the better deal but looking at both players entire body of work, it's joker and not even close
- homiedclown

Really?

What happens when power slides into the lineup? Isnt joker #3? 2.5 is a nice 3D value....
Is the 3d as valuable as a 1C or 2C depending on mitts spot ?

Mitts is probably a 1C or 2C .
I'd say a projected 55 -60 point guy.

Is it the natural fit for dahlin/ joker?
Is mitts definitely a center?

The only thing I saw on Levi were some you tube highlights and he was spectacular. I'll be watching him this year, see how he progresses. They may have a good one.
- mhp

He has really good edge work, pushes of good and has a pretty good glove hand, very athletic to. To me he's 2 or 3 inches taller and people would think a lot different of him on this board.

I like both deals as well, just think mitts has some serious upside with top line minutes and a coach who likes him.

Not saying donnie doesn't like joker, but I'd really like to see a defenseman that plays defense paired with dahiln.

Let dahlin play his game....

I'd like to see a guy like Samuelson with dahlin eventually.

Goaltending = tank4
- Boss34

Good points.

I'd love to see Dahlin and Power together in a few years but for now, I'm ok with Dahlin/Joker.

Mitts took his off ice workouts seriously and he now looks every bit of the player we were hoping for.

I would have signed Dubnyk for 2 years and let 6K marinate in Rochester. But we got Anderson and Dell, my god.

He has really good edge work, pushes of good and has a pretty good glove hand, very athletic to. To me he's 2 or 3 inches taller and people would think a lot different of him on this board.
- Buff36

I'm ok with his height. His athleticism makes up for it.

Who's playing RHD if the pair is Dahlin and Samuelsson?
- kingcong39

I'm always under the impression that dahlin is able to play both sides...

So I'd say Samuelson....

Also, i was just using a "stay at home defenseman " as an example. Not particularly positioning ☝️

Also, suprised to see johnson ahead of Samuelsson by a considerable amount on the under 23 rankings athletic rankings.
* just an opinion, I really liked samuelssons game last season...

I think a 3 year deal would be horrendous for Dahlin as that would mean he would have one year left of RFA status before being a UFA.

Either a 5 year deal at $5.5M per or a 6 year deal at $6M-$6.5M per for me, to buy up a UFA year or 2 while leaving Dahlin time to sign a monster long term deal later.
- kingcong39

Fair points, I didn't know that. Do 2 years and then sign him to a long term deal?

the mitts you saw for the last 20 games would be the better deal but looking at both players entire body of work, it's joker and not even close
- homiedclown

when players are this young, their deals are based purely on development and potential, regardless of what that potential is. On ice, off ice, how they blend the two to create the player they should become. Using a 20 game sample size is probably more of a red flag for a guy in his prime rather than a guy in his early 20s. Casey showed what he's capable of, and is still undeveloped. I like both contracts, as long as Donnie or similar is employed here. You get a guy who can bring the best out of his development players, it's great for what we have here.

2yrs. followed by an 8-year deal has him in buffalo for 10 years instead of 5 or 6
- Michael Pachla

I notice you're not including the potential for Buffalo to sign him to a long term extension after the 5 or 6 year deal.

So 13 or 14 years instead of 10?

He'll have ARB rights after the 2 year deal, which is a factor as well.

I'm always under the impression that dahlin is able to play both sides...

So I'd say Samuelson....

Also, i was just using a "stay at home defenseman " as an example. Not particularly positioning ☝️

Also, suprised to see johnson ahead of Samuelsson by a considerable amount on the under 23 rankings athletic rankings.
* just an opinion, I really liked samuelssons game last season...
- Boss34

it's skill level and projection with johnson and samuelsson with the former having a higher degree of skill and a higher projection

So did I prove that over the last 45 minutes we could actually talk hockey and not politics or vaccines or whatever else?

I notice you're not including the potential for Buffalo to sign him to a long term extension after the 5 or 6 year deal.

So 13 or 14 years instead of 10?

He'll have ARB rights after the 2 year deal, which is a factor as well.
- kingcong39

won't he be a ufa after 5 or 6 years?

I'm ok with his height. His athleticism makes up for it.
- mhp

I agree, I liked that they added him and he's tough playing with a broken rip is very painful.

Fair points, I didn't know that. Do 2 years and then sign him to a long term deal?
- mhp

He'll have ARB rights after the 2 year deal.

Why complicate things? Go 5 or 6 years and don't mess around.

There's a reason Evolving Hockey has those 2 term lengths as they're top 2.