The Buffalo Sabres have never come close to winning the Stanley Cup in their 55-year history. This automatically mounts pressure on players to look up to the trophy and young rookies who want to stay back in the organization. But why are we talking about this? Actually, the debates about the Sabres started after a former player dropped a shocking update on the Sabres captain. After the captain responded to the claim, turning down the fact, the former player has again defended his statements. Head’s spinning, right? Let’s dig deeper.
The former NHL star Paul Bissonnette was asked about the recent denial of reports by Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin. So, the former player defended his report, saying, “I’m just repeating what I heard.”
And after frankly confessing he’s not an insider thought, Bissonnette also added, “I mean, you gotta think, though, like with what’s going on there and how quality of a player that Darlene is.” He’s right. Darlene’s a top player with 77 goals and 266 assists, showcasing his talents on the ice rink. So, Paul mentioned his mentality in staying with the franchise and how much longer his patience levels hold him.
Paul continued his take on the analysis of Dahlin and the Sabres. “I think he’s got, what, six years left on his deal? Like, you think this guy’s going to put up with this for much longer? Like, from other things that you hear about just how things are ran and the way that the camaraderie and culture is on the team, I just can see this guy sticking around much longer if it ends up like this.”
But most importantly, Paul Bissonnette asked a genuine and to-the-point question regarding the team’s situation and Rasmus Dahlin’s future with the franchise.
On the podcast “The Sheet” w/ @JeffMarek , Paul Bissonnette follows up on his comments regarding Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin’s meeting with GM Kevyn Adams on possibly wanting out of Buffalo if things don’t change fast.
“I’m just repeating what I heard”@BizNasty2point0 pic.twitter.com/f3EmKBp0FF
— 2 Goalies 1 Mic (@2Goalies1Mic) March 11, 2025
He asked, “Would you say that if they miss the playoffs next year and the following year, he is still a Buffalo Sabres in year three after that?” Umm, he got a point, though. But before we move on to look into his contract details and the Sabres’ condition, let’s know what the report Rasmus Dahlin denied. And how he denied.
Actually, all this drama started when Paul Bissonnette came out of the blue and dropped an update. His claim was, “I don’t dig for this information. It’s given to me by the people who really matter and who move the needle as far as the insiders. But apparently, Dahlin met with (GM) Kevyn Adams and said that, ‘If this doesn’t turn around fast, I’m ‘gonezos.’”
This was a frankly contentious update.
This triggered Dahlin. “I want to be moved? I don’t know what he’s talking about,” said the player when a reporter asked him a few hours ago whether the reported update was true. Rasmus Dahlin clearly denied it. Dahlin further mentioned not claiming a ticket out of Buffalo. However, he also admitted he doesn’t want to lose and wants the team to improve.
The Buffalo Sabres are in a dire situation, much like when certain captains remain clueless after the ship hits an iceberg. They know this is not their season, but they still have March ahead and end the regular season, and the team is 8th in the division.
Struggling Buffalo Sabres, Rasmus Dahlin contract, and the possibility of departure
If we rewind a bit, Paul Bissonnette asked a perfectly fitting and logical question about Rasmus Dahlin’s contract. What if the Sabres get into the same situation next year? Do you think any star player would want to stay there? This actually reminds me of Tyreek Hill‘s situation in the National Football League.
When the NFL’s regular season was ending and his team, the Miami Dolphins, was not even close to the playoffs, he said, “I’m out”, right in the face of NFL media and franchise. So, the point of picking up the NFL’s example was that players don’t stay if the team is continuously not performing well.
And in the context of the Buffalo Sabres, they are 8th in the Atlantic division right now; that is the last spot. After playing 63 games, they have only won 25 and lost 32 games, plus six overtimes. And if we talk about their previous season (2023-24), the Sabres were 6th. Talking about their past four seasons, they have never been in the first four spots in the division either.
Only a messiah can get you the Stanley Cup in such pressure situations.
And we just pan our attention to the youngest players in the league, they would want to flourish their career in a better place. To talk about Rasmus Dahlin, he is a 24-year-old defenseman. This is his first year in the league, and he has signed an 8-year $88,000,000 deal with the Sabres where the average salary goes up to $11,000,000 a year. For the current season, Rasmus Dahlin will get a base salary of $8,000,000.
So, from now on, Rasmus has seven years left on the contract to ponder about the other team. Do you think Dahlin will stay back in the upcoming season also? And if not, do you think he will lead the franchise to their first Stanley Cup? Let us know in the comments.
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