Top 3 Buffalo Sabres to sign the next big contract extension

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.

Rasmus Asplund

The obvious dark horse on the Buffalo Sabres to receive an extension, Asplund has proven to be one of the game’s better defensive forwards. And while it is hard to believe that he will sign a seven-year deal with a $7-plus million AAV, I can see something along the lines of five years, $4.5-$5 million AAV.

Many have criticized Asplund for his lack of scoring – just 27 points in 80 games last season. But his 19th-place finish for the Selke shows us that his playing style garnered more recognition among NHL circles than just the region of Western New York.

If Asplund improves in his role in 2022-23, expect him to get a long-term deal. No, it wouldn’t be as rich of a contract that Thompson got, or that Dahlin and Cozens may end up getting, but nonetheless, it will be a long-term extension that must occur next offseason.

Asplund will also be an RFA following the season and is arbitration eligible. This would be something the Sabres would also want to avoid, making him a strong candidate for a long-term extension.

(Contract facts and figures provided by Cap Friendly)