Now that Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson is locked into a seven-year contract, who will be the next player to sign a long-term deal?
While I was an advocate for a second bridge contract, I am also glad the Buffalo Sabres have continually stuck to their plan. General manager Kevyn Adams was adamant in not signing any big-name free agents for this very reason: He wanted the band to stay together long-term.
This meant forgoing the likes of Nazem Kadri, Andre Burakovsky, and other huge names out there. It also meant resisting the urge to trade for someone like Alex DeBrincat or Ville Husso, both of whom the Sabres will meet multiple times a year.
And finally, it meant that, for once, the Sabres are building this thing the way it needs to be built: Through the draft and through established players in the system. Ideally, I’d like to have seen one more big year from Thompson and maybe more. But I also err on the side of caution.
Adams and the Sabres saw otherwise, and Thompson should be in the Queen City for a long time. But knowing the Sabres long-term plan is to extend as many current cornerstones as they can, it bodes the question: Who’s next? Here are three names to look for.
Three Buffalo Sabres most likely to sign the next big contract extension: Player #1 – Rasmus Dahlin
The obvious choice for #1, Dahlin’s $6 million AAV runs through 2023-24. And following his own breakout last season, or renaissance, considering a strong 2018-19 campaign, it wouldn’t surprise me if we were breaking down the All-Star defenseman’s potential new contract extension this time next year.
One reason Thompson got the nod this year simply came from the fact he would have been heading into a contract season with an AAV of just $1.4 million. Dahlin is currently enjoying an AAV of $6 million, so it makes sense to play on the contract for at least one more year.
However, if his statistics emulate the 53-point outing that also involved dozens of dynamic plays on defense, look for Dahlin to be the leading candidate for a new contract. But there are two others to look out for.