Rasmus Dahlin has signed a two-year deal with the Buffalo Sabres

Another top restricted free agent has inked a contract right before the start of training camp.

The Buffalo Sabres announced on Wednesday that Rasmus Dahlin has signed a two-year contract worth $6,000,000 annually.

Dahlin was selected No. 1 overall by the Sabres in the 2018 draft. He immediately broke into the NHL as an 18-year-old and recorded 44 points in 82 games. That performance resulted in him finishing third in Calder Trophy voting, behind Elias Pettersson and Jordan Binnington.
The following season, Dahlin was again very productive, scoring 40 points in 59 games, but he missed some time after suffering a concussion in November. The 2021 season was the worst of Dahlin’s career, as he scored just 23 points over 56 games, though that can largely be chalked up to how much of a mess the Sabres were as a whole.
This bridge contract will provide Dahlin with an opportunity to really cash in a couple of years from now when he becomes a restricted free agent for the second time. In 2023, Dahlin will only have two more years of control left before he can hit the open market. He has the option to bet on himself and sign another two-year deal and walk right to free agency.