Value of Dahlin?

[DobHoc]

First...to make it clear...i´m not a Sabres fan....but i watched a couple of games last season

And i saw Dahlin...some mistakes and some "Woaw" moments...but he is not a superstar or even a star yet. But there is definitely shades of "Lidstrom" in him.

Right now there is PLENTY of RFA players that doesn´t seem to want to sign contracts...my question is:
What is the value of Dahlin right now? Could you consider him as a trade bait?

Would you be willing to do like a Marner trade with him...straight up...Marner for Dahlin?

What is the value of Dahlin right now? And i know there is a "money issue"...but regardless...would you do the trade if you could afford Marner?

Click to read more...

 

[gallagt01]

Dahlin is:

-A star player already.
-Certainly not trade bait.
-Very valuable.


Given the current makeup of the Sabres, I'm not sure there's a player in the league I would trade him for. It's not because I think he's the best player in the league; it's because Buffalo doesn't remotely have a player or prospect of his caliber in its system.

 

[Hasekperreault23]

First...to make it clear...i´m not a Sabres fan....but i watched a couple of games last season

And i saw Dahlin...some mistakes and some "Woaw" moments...but he is not a superstar or even a star yet. But there is definitely shades of "Lidstrom" in him.

Right now there is PLENTY of RFA players that doesn´t seem to want to sign contracts...my question is:
What is the value of Dahlin right now? Could you consider him as a trade bait?

Would you be willing to do like a Marner trade with him...straight up...Marner for Dahlin?

What is the value of Dahlin right now? And i know there is a "money issue"...but regardless...would you do the trade if you could afford Marner?

Not trading him for anybody.The end

 

[dortt]

Not trading him for anybody.The end

I'd take McDavid if Edmonton would ever do that trade

 

[DobHoc]

Not trading him for anybody.The end

Not even McDavid? That would never happen...but saying he is "untradeable" is not true. I mean "Crosby" or "McDavid" straight up who wouldn´t make that deal? Crosby and McDavid are proven players.

 

[Washed Up 29YearOld]

Probably the top 3 most valuable assets in the league IMO if not THE most. Depending on how you view him, as a D in a more valuable and impactful position than a center, at the age of 18-19, his value arguably trumps McDavid. As crazy as that may seem, remember the records Dahlin broke last season, including Bobby Orr's.

People might look at me sideways if I say this, but if high scoring continues, and Dahlin progresses, I see a 90-100 pt. d-man not even being a homer. If he was on a different team and I watched him as much as I did, I'd have an identical opinion.

I have confidence he'll fulfill his potential because he's a truly elite player, with the prerequisite unquenchable drive to be the best.

Dahlin is also still on his ELC.

130 point 22 year old center, or future 100 point d-man who is currently only 19 with 2 more years on an ELC? Personally, I choose the latter.

 

[DobHoc]

I'd take McDavid if Edmonton would ever do that trade

Probobly a big NO from Oilers....but there has to be somebody that the Sabres org. would think...."ahhh...yeah...we could probobly do that deal".

 

[Chainshot]

Wait, so Dahlin didn’t just have the third most points of any 18-year old defenseman in league history? So that doesn’t make him a star or even a star in the making?

Please, do tell. Clearly we need more knowledge of someone we all watched be f***ing amazing as an 18-year old kid.

 

[DobHoc]

Probably the top 3 most valuable assets in the league IMO if not THE most. Depending on how you view him, as a D in a more valuable and impactful position than a center, at the age of 18-19, his value arguably trumps McDavid. As crazy as that may seem, remember the records Dahlin broke last season, including Bobby Orr's.

People might look at me sideways if I say this, but if high scoring continues, and Dahlin progresses, I see a 90-100 pt. d-man not even being a homer. If he was on a different team and I watched him as much as I did, I'd have an identical opinion.

I have confidence he'll fulfill his potential because he's a truly elite player, with the prerequisite unquenchable drive to be the best.

Dahlin is also still on his ELC.

130 point 22 year old center, or future 100 point d-man who is currently only 19? Personally, I choose the latter.

I agree with you...i rather have a 100 points d-man quaterbacking the PP...but still...i have no doubt that Dahlin will turn out a "Lidstrom" kind of guy...but what if his mistakes last season isn´t just "rookie mistakes"?

I´m not here to hate on you guys...i like Dahlin...but what if he turns out not so good as everyone seems to expect from him? I mean it´s just a season.

 

[TheMistyStranger]

I agree with you...i rather have a 100 points d-man quaterbacking the PP...but still...i have no doubt that Dahlin will turn out a "Lidstrom" kind of guy...but what if his mistakes last season isn´t just "rookie mistakes"?

I´m not here to hate on you guys...i like Dahlin...but what if he turns doesn´t turn out good...i mean it´s just a season.

It’s not just a season, though. He was dominant at every level and visibly improved game to game. He comes off as humble yet determined. Truly a total package.

To sort of answer your question, it would so much to acquire him that the acquiring GM’s grandchildren will need physical therapy.

 

[DobHoc]

Wait, so Dahlin didn’t just have the third most points of any 18-year old defenseman in league history? So that doesn’t make him a star or even a star in the making?

Please, do tell. Clearly we need more knowledge of someone we all watched be ****ing amazing as an 18-year old kid.

Yeah ok...you got me there...i watched a couple of games with Sabres...but he did make some HUGE mistakes that lead to the opposing team scoring. But HUGE potential...the stuff he did right was "Lidstrom esque"...i sat there and said..."Ok...that dude is pretty good".

He was a "Calder" finalist. So what is your value of him right now? I´m pretty sure that if Oilers called and said...hey...you want to make a McDavid for Dahlin trade you would say....heck ya".

 

[dortt]

Probably the top 3 most valuable assets in the league IMO if not THE most. Depending on how you view him, as a D in a more valuable and impactful position than a center, at the age of 18-19, his value arguably trumps McDavid. As crazy as that may seem, remember the records Dahlin broke last season, including Bobby Orr's.

People might look at me sideways if I say this, but if high scoring continues, and Dahlin progresses, I see a 90-100 pt. d-man not even being a homer. If he was on a different team and I watched him as much as I did, I'd have an identical opinion.

I have confidence he'll fulfill his potential because he's a truly elite player, with the prerequisite unquenchable drive to be the best.

Dahlin is also still on his ELC.

130 point 22 year old center, or future 100 point d-man who is currently only 19 with 2 more years on an ELC? Personally, I choose the latter.

The reason I'd do the Dahlin for McDavid trade (if we could fit McDavid under the cap) is we'd immediately turn our second biggest weakness of #2 center into our greatest strength. We'd still have more NHL caliber defensemen than we do roster spots so it's not like we'd be icing an AHL D

 

[Washed Up 29YearOld]

I agree with you...i rather have a 100 points d-man quaterbacking the PP...but still...i have no doubt that Dahlin will turn out a "Lidstrom" kind of guy...but what if his mistakes last season isn´t just "rookie mistakes"?

I´m not here to hate on you guys...i like Dahlin...but what if he turns doesn´t turn out good...i mean it´s just a season.

What I love about Dahlin, is that not only does he have exceptional potential and has proven to be an elite player with significant offensive contributions already at EIGTHTEEN-----

BUT he's also a TWO-WAY d-man.

I never thought I'd see a player with better hands than Tim Connolly until I saw Dahlin live. The kid is a freak, in a good way. Extremely special player.

He defends as well as he contributes, and to me, that is truly invaluable and maybe the best weapon any team would have. He also has size and is physical.

I've never seen a Sabres prospect with such a high hockey IQ as Dahlin, watching his tendencies, instincts. As a 25 yr old, I've admittedly only followed hockey since 99' so had missed out on some legendary players, but Dahlin, there's something different about him that I haven't witnessed in any Sabres player.

As a Buffalo sports fan, I have a very reserved and cautious optimism, but it's hard not to be excited about him after putting up a more than respectable season at EIGHTEEN. Still blows my mind.

 

[Tatanka]

I agree with you...i rather have a 100 points d-man quaterbacking the PP...but still...i have no doubt that Dahlin will turn out a "Lidstrom" kind of guy...but what if his mistakes last season isn´t just "rookie mistakes"?

I´m not here to hate on you guys...i like Dahlin...but what if he turns out not so good as everyone seems to expect from him? I mean it´s just a season.

I think you are coming at it from the wrong direction. His ceiling may not be goat, but his floor is franchise #1 defensemen. The recent recipe for a stanley cup winner with the exception of the caps, requires at least one on the back end. So without a suitable replacement as a #1 d his value to the Sabres escalates. Short of McDavid I can’t see why we wouldn’t hang on to him through elc and bridge.

 

[Washed Up 29YearOld]

The reason I'd do the Dahlin for McDavid trade (if we could fit McDavid under the cap) is we'd immediately turn our second biggest weakness of #2 center into our greatest strength. We'd still have more NHL caliber defensemen than we do roster spots so it's not like we'd be icing an AHL D

But needs change all the time. We have Cozens, we could have potent offensive center depth in a few years. Things change fast season to season,

but having a 29 year old McDavid or a 26 year old Dahlin when the Sabres window to compete is wide open- I'm picking Dahlin.

*edit* d-men peak later and there's a very strong chance that McDavid signs somewhere else as a free agent if we trade for him. We have Dahlin for basically a decade, versus 6 years of McDavid. I also think Nathan MacKinnon is in that top 3 with low cap hit- but even he is not under team control for too long, relatively speaking. To a competing team MacKinnon is for sure top 3 most valuable assets. But for a team like Buffalo-- it's probably wise to hold onto Dahlin long-term. They're not winning the cup by just adding McDavid. There's 4 lines in hockey. Look at Edmonton now even with Draisitail and McDavid. I think Sabres have too many holes and not enough depth to instantly compete legitly by adding McDavid AND erasing Dahlin. (d-men are on the ice MUCH longer, hence more impactful than a center). Just my opinion, may or may not be right. Not a GM by any means.

 

[DobHoc]

It’s not just a season, though. He was dominant at every level and visibly improved game to game. He comes off as humble yet determined. Truly a total package.

To sort of answer your question, it would so much to acquire him that the acquiring GM’s grandchildren will need physical therapy.

"GM’s grandchildren will need physical therapy"....LOL that was a funny quote

Yeah, i agree...but everyone is this league has a price. And from the games a saw...he was not "dominant"...i might have just watched the games where he was "not perfect".

But the guy has some crazy skills...even skills that makes forwards jelous. And as you said...seems to have a pretty good head....still, i would trade him if i get the perfect player.

 

[DobHoc]

Thank you guys for all the answers...it´s really great to see how much you value him right now. As i said in my main post...not here to hate...just to see how much you value him right now.

And i like Dahlin...natural born leader...and really fun to watch. I will catch a couple of games with Sabres this season.

 

[Asymmetric Solution]

Lulz for Marner. Although I’d probably trade Dahlin for Marner and Matthews.

 

[Asymmetric Solution]

Lulz for Marner. Although I’d probably trade Dahlin for Marner and Matthews.

I’ll caveat this and say i wouldn’t trade him for anything less on a leafs offer. Matthews + Nylander isn’t enough.

 

[Gabrielor]

Connor McDavid and that's it.

Don't even consider anything else

 

[jc17]

Season needs to start

 

[Zman5778]

It'd take some sort of stupid overpayment by a seriously short-sighted GM.

McDavid and Draisaitl for Dahlin and Okposo? Probably.
Marner and Matthews for Dahlin and Okposo? Probably.

See the pattern? He's probably either the first or second most valuable trade chip in the NHL (between him and McDavid).

He's already a legit #1 Dman and is likely to take his next step this year.

 

[Selanne00008]

Every single Pens fan and GM and everyone in the world would trade Crosby for Dahlin.
Crosby IS 32 YEARS OLD.
Dahlin has 13 YEARS on him. Christ.

The only player in the entire league worth even remotely in the same ball park as Dahlin is McDavid. And even then you still have 2 years of major cap savings compared to McDavids monster contract. It's short but needs to be mentioned.

 

[DatGuy]

This isn’t the place you ask that question, the bias here is off the charts.

Going to pass on my personal opinion.

 

[Dreakon13]

In a vacuum, yeah I probably trade Dahlin for McDavid. In reality? I'm not even sure about that. If we have another player we're paying $10+ mill to, I think I'd rather it be solidifying 1D for another 10 years versus a glut of expensive superstar centers.

I can't envision a scenario that I trade Dahlin and feel good about it. It'd have to be such an excessive overpayment with so many good pieces that we'd probably end up over the roster limit or in cap hell trying to manage it all.