Here's the thing mig, I can't get caught up in that. If he takes low 5's awesome he stays here. If he and his agents say "I understand I like playing here in NY but theres an extra million a year out there if your willing to move" then so be it. He will go somewhere else for 6 mill or more per. What can you do.
I can only say what I would do if I was Sather, and that is a 4 or 5 year deal (rather 4) for a max cap hit of low 5's per (would go to 5.3 but rather 5.2 as the max).
That's all I can comment on. Not enough...okay good luck Dan.
Sometimes you take for granted what you have. Look at Prust. We all said 2.5 cap hit per no way we can do that. Fast forward a few years and we have paid way more than that for guys to try and replace him and failed big time. Rupp, Asham, Mashinter, Powe, and others. Huge waste.
Sometimes what you have is worth more than you think.