Asplund>Bennett

Florida accepts.

If the point of taking Bob is to get assets back, why would the caps not just make the original deal with FLA?

You have a 3 way trade w/
FLA getting asplund, a 3rd, and 8m in cap space in exchange for Bob, Bennett, and a 5th
BUF getting Bennett, Iorio, and a 5th in exchange for asplund, a 3rd, and 12m in retention
WSH getting Bob at 5m in exchange for Iorio and a 5th

Caps should be getting Bennett, not BUF

I guess that I simply disagree with that, but I'm curious to hear your reasoning.

Asplund might be the most randomly underrated defensive forward in the league. Weirdly some of the best underlying defensive statistics in the league.

I guess that I was under the impression that WSH could be looking to upgrade in net.. The idea is that Bob at 5m isn't a cap dump anymore, especially not to a team who's looking to compete.

It doesn't make any sense to me that you would be getting both the quality starting goaltender and middle 6 C for Iorio and a 5th..

FLA needs cap relief -> Buffalo provides cap relief and upgrades at forward as payment
WSH could use help in net -> BUF gets paid to provide starting G

If you want Bennett, you can eat the total 12.5 Million of Bob @8 & Bennett @~4.5 and cut Buffalo out, but I don't think that you can afford that so both teams are paying the middle man to help facilitate a deal

Yea I think that for me Bob at 5m is still a cap dump. While they definitely would rather not spend money that way, the caps spending 12.5m on Bob + Bennett isn't completely crazy and they have a ton of money to spend with Backstrom being out

I agree that Asplund is a super underrated defensive forward, but Bennett is a legit middle 6/fringe top 6 PWF center who was on a ~60 point pace this year and he's only 1.5 years older than Asplund. I guess I don't know about Bennett's 2-way game so that could be a thing I suppose

Sabres shouldn't be involved in this. They are not getting better, but Florida and Wash are.

Random thoughts:
First, Bennett's performance was more similar to a bust until he was traded to high octane Panthers.
Second, IDK why BUFFALO FANS under value Olofsson.
The difference between Boeser and Olofsson is microscopic, not a second and Portillo.
Buffalo has several options for a scoring RW (he had only two more goals and one more pt than Okposo) so Boeser is less needed than Olofsson.
Then add in that Brock will be paid nearly double of Olofsson next year, I personally would not trade them one for one.
Third, just as Bennett found his scoring touch this past year, we may see Rasmus break out as well.
He did really well playing LW with Casey and Tage and had only one less goal in the IIHF than Cozens, Dubois and Pastrnak.
Fourth, I would do the Carolina trade. At the TDL Gardiner could return a really good pick and while I am not thrilled with Bear, he would have a low AVV and is decent RHD.