Methods and systems are provided for enhanced link utilization in attached SCSI (SAS) topologies. A SAS expander may be configured to monitor link utilization within a SAS topology, and may manage connection requests received thereby based on the monitoring of link utilization. The monitoring may comprise determining availability of links for at least one node within the SAS topology with respect to other nodes in the SAS topology. This may be done based on pending connection requests, and/or responses thereto received by the SAS expander. It may also be done based on shared link utilization data. The managing may comprise determining for each received connection request when link unavailability in other nodes within the SAS topology prevents connectivity to a destination node corresponding to the connection request. When this situation occurs, the SAS expander may handle the connection request directly.