NHL Rumors: Buffalo Sabres, and the Tampa Bay Lightning

The Sabres are talking to Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power but there is no rush

Lance Lysowski of the Buffalo News: A source said on Thursday night that the Buffalo Sabres haven’t reached contract extensions for defensemen Rasmus Dahlin or Owen Power. They aren’t officially eligible to sign an extension until July 1st.

Both Dahlin and Power have said they’d like to stay in Buffalo long-term and there is optimism that deals will eventually get done.

Sabres GM Kevyn Adams has been talking to Dahlin’s agent Don Meehan for a while now, and Adams has recently spoken with Power’s agent Pat Brisson. There isn’t a rush to get the deals signed, though it would help them with the future cap outlook.

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Comparables have Dahlin getting over $9 million a season and he could top $10 million.

Power’s is a little trickier given his age, but comparables could be Aaron Ekblad‘s eight-year, $60 million, or Miro Heiskanen‘s eight-year, $67.6 million. A comparable bridge for Power could be Dahlin’s three-year, $18 million.

It’s going to be a tough offseason for the Tampa Bay Lightning

Eduardo A. Encina of the Tampa Bay Times: Will the Tampa Bay Lightning be able to work a friendly extension for Alex Killorn or will he price himself out of Tampa? Other pending UFAs for the Lightning include Corey Perry, Pierre-Edouard Bellemare and Ian Cole. Ross Colton and Tanner Jeannot are restricted free agents. It’s going to be a tough offseason for the Lightning.

“This is probably the worst offseason we’ve had,” BriseBois said during his season-exit interview last month. “Just the number of roster spots we have to fill and the cap space available to us is probably the most limited we’ve ever had it.”

The Lightning will be paying 64% of their salary cap on six players, and currently have 17 players under contract with $7.325 million in cap space. They’ll get Brent Seabrook‘s $6.875 million in LTIR space once the season starts.

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Pending RFA forward Ross Colton may be dealt as they may not be able to fit in an extension. They don’t draft until the sixth round so may be looking to recoup some picks.