Buffalo Sabres

Adams: Dahlin, Power Deals “Need To Be Right From All Sides”

Published

8 months ago

September 21, 2023

The Buffalo Sabres held their season-opening media availability on Thursday, and GM Kevyn Adams when questioned about contract talks with the representatives for defensemen Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power, was optimistic but would not indicate where things stood with the pair of top overall picks.

“I think there’s obviously expectation today to have an update on where conversations with Rasmus and Owen are and what I can tell you is this process started probably around the Combine before the Draft,” Adams said. “I’ve explained to their camps and to them individually how important they are to this franchise and how we feel about them and we want them here long-term and just that kind of conversation. They’ve clearly indicated back to me and to us that this is where they want to be and they believe in this team and they believe in the direction we’re headed.”

Changing Contractual Landscape

Indications throughout the summer were that the Sabres and Dahlin were close to an eight-year extension that would make the 23-year-old one of the highest-paid blueliners in the NHL, but last week former Sabre Andrew Peters reported that Dahlin’s representatives want a shorter term five-year deal and the Sabres are holding firm for an eight-year deal.

GM Kevyn Adams is live with the media ahead of the first on-ice session of 2023 training camp. https://t.co/kLQNpNR612

— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) September 21, 2023

Adams said that the dialogue with agents Pat Brisson (representing Power) and Craig Oster of Newport Sports (representing Dahlin) is ongoing, and that there is no deadline for negotiations, but with both players under contract for 2023-24, it is possible that talks extend into the regular season.

“These (deals) are not easy to get done, they are critically important for both sides and we need to ensure that they’re right, they need to be right from all sides.” Adams said, “You go through ebbs and flows of this a little bit, where they pick up steam and the kind of go back and work internally. Over the last week, I’d say with both, talks have been more intense, more frequent, even as recent as last night. I was on the phone with both their agents for a long time late last night.”