Doesn't make sense to add another LHD for the sabres.

I could see it happening! That’s more than I can say for a lot of these ACGMs.

The UFA market, while there are big names, it is rather weak compared to previous years. So there could be an increase in the number of offer sheets this year, as the RFA market is exceptionally good. That being said, the RFA market was exceptionally good last year, yet there were none, namely towards 2 very notable Dallas Stars. Who knows, but only time will tell.

Would Not be surprised if half the league considers offer sheeting Miller.

I think the larger issue is miller isn't /that/ good,

I mean this number is likely higher than what owen power's extension will be. I think what little money the Pegula's have has to be spent on goaltending.

That top-4 is sumptuous.

If the Terry did this to Dolan, they'd find him in the Danbury dump.

A top 4 of all LHD? If he signed it, I think we'd match it reluctantly and then probably trade him for more.

No thanks.

Why spend the assets and huge cap on someone who at best is our 3rd or 4th best defenseman?

Can't trade him for a year I believe after matching an OS

I think Rags fans might have a different view of just how good Miller is.

Anywho, having your top-two centers taking up just over $14M while having a deep, talented pool of forwards offers the Sabres plenty of financial flexibility on the back end. My projections for Dahls and Power extensions with Sammy and Miller signings:

Dahlin $10.5M
Power $8.5M
Miller $8.4M
Sammy $4.3

$31M total

Rangers fans also said Kravstov was adequate as a centre piece for the Eichel deal. I wouldn't put too much stock in that.

If you're playing power and dahlin on different pairs you dont need either of their partners making that much money. I mean right now, when the lineup is healthy, the combined top 4 ranks somewhere in the 80th-90th percentile in terms of on ice value/wins above replacement largely due to both 1st overall picks carrying their pairing. Any addition to the top 4 likely gives you a marginal bump, and so you don't really have to spend 8,4 mil and draft picks to get there.

If you've ever watched Miller play you'd know that he'd give more than a "marginal bump" to that top four while carrying a heavy load on the PK and adding a ton of sandpaper to the back-end. I bet if you asked Dahlin what he thought of playing next to Miller he'd be all in.

Its not a knock on K'andre Miller. My point is that the top 4 is already doing well largely because two 1st overall picks carry it. If Miller is carrying his pair in new york, he wont carry it here, which diminishes the value he brings as a player. Thats why the Sabres don't need to drop 8+ mil on a guy.

I've often stated that exact same thing and am fine with it. However, as of late both Dahlin and Power are struggling under the weight of playing huge minutes while carrying that top-four. Miller adds a lot of what the Sabres don't have on the back end and he can play big minutes, and he's entering his prime.

All that said, I threw that OS out there to see what the reactions would be.

Dahlin is putting up norris level underlying numbers, he's not struggling. Power is a bit, but he's also a rookie. They've already burned enough assets on sandpaper, and they can add it for free in the off season for their bottom six. The blue line just needs a guy who wont kill the offensive zone plays the way Jokiharju does.

Analytics are good, to an extent, but in watching the Sabres games as of late, Dahlin is not what he was earlier in the season, nor is Power. Dahlin hasn't been bad by any stretch of the imagination but he's without a goal in his last 14 games (which is by far his longest drought this season) and in his last 11 games he's registered zero or one shot on goal three times each (he was held to zero or one shot eight times in the prior 49 games).

WADR, you can break out all the fancy stats you want, but the season is wearing on him and that's because he's carrying a heavy load. Power's in the same boat.

I don’t evaluate my d- men based on their goal scoring numbers. He’s still moving the puck well.transitioning defense to offense, and creating chances for his teammates. I don’t care if he’s scoring the goals or someone else is. When he’s on the ice, it tilts in the right direction. That’s what i see, that’s what the numbers suggest. Is he fatigued? Of course he is. But that’s largely due to the fact that granato doesn’t trust his 3rd pair so dahlin and power regularly get double shifted. If anything, they should be overhauling that so they can comfortably roll 3 pairs rather than double down on an already exhausted one.

Great conversation.
This is what ACGM is all about, posting ideas and listening to the feedback.

Check out how 20 yo Power 60gm, 4g, 20ast, 24pts compares to 20 yo Dahlin 56gm, 5g, 18ast, 23pts. .
While Dahlin missed several games due to injury but IMO he did not fully recover.
Look how slowly he skated letting Killorn pass him so easily: https://www.nhl.com/video/killorn-knocks-it-in-for-shg/t-336123348/c-15665913

But it is unlikely Buffalo would offer sheet Miller $8,400,000 which may be more than they plan to offer Power.
Find a couple of RHD who can play similar to Samuelsson and the Sabres' defense will be fine.

Yup. Specifically to avoid teams doing things like that (either the acquiring or the matching team).