Total Season Stats: 15-58-73 in 78 games played
Age: 23
Contract Status: Signed through 2023-24, $6 million AAV, RFA at the start of the 2024-25 season
Some hockey players show greatness from the moment they play in the NHL, while others are like fine wine or whiskey that does better with age. Rasmus Dahlin belongs in the second category. Dahlin, who was a top prospect based in part on his performance in the 2018 World Juniors, had an uneven first few years in Buffalo.
No. 26 finished his inaugural NHL season 9-35-44, with 66 blocks, 38 takeaways and 79 giveaways. Dahlin’s numbers declined over the next two consecutive years, slipping to just 5-18-23 at the end of 2020-21. While some of this was because of a COVID-19 shortened season, many observers and fans felt the young defenseman was another over-hyped Buffalo prospect that didn’t work out.
Since that low point, Dahlin has proven his detractors wrong, improving dramatically and ending this past season 15-58-73, with 132 blocks, 45 takeaways and 61 giveaways. The d-man went from a might-have-been to one of the team’s top assets.
Rasmus Dahlin isn’t afraid to take the puck into opponents’ zones and help Buffalo’s forwards out with goals and assists. He can even play offense as well as defense. When Tage Thompson was injured in February, Dahlin took his place at the NHL All Star Game.
He quickly stepped into the role. One of his best plays was on Feb. 4. On the roster with Team Atlantic against Central, Dahlin made a quick shot on a pass from Aleksander Barkov to put Atlantic up 7-3.
It’s not surprising the Sabres chose him to replace TNT. Less than two weeks earlier, Buffalo was trailing the Dallas Stars 1-0 in the first period. Casey Mittelstadt passed the puck to Dahlin, who blasted it from the top of the Stars’ zone to beat Dallas goalie Jake Oettinger and tie the game at 1.
Despite his offensive prowess, Dahlin is, after all, a defenseman, just as good blocking shots as he is getting goals. One of his best saves this year was on April 8 against the Carolina Hurricanes. With the score tied 3-3 in the third period, Dahlin blocked two Carolina shot attempts on Buffalo’s net, forcing a turnover that allowed Tage Thompson to score and give the Sabres a 4-3 lead.
Another one of his best defensive plays was on Dec. 31 against the Boston Bruins. Buffalo trailed Boston 3-2 at the end of the third period and the Sabres pulled their goalie for the extra attacker. The Bruins got a potential empty net chance, but Dahlin blocked David Pastrnak’s shot and made a cross-ice bank pass to Dylan Cozens to tie the score at 3.
With his great playmaking ability and skill on both ends of the ice, Dahlin definitely deserves DBTB’s highest mark.
Season Grade: A+