Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin has been added to the upcoming NHL All-Star Game, the league announced Thursday morning. Dahlin will replace Tage Thompson, who was injured in Wednesday’s game against the Carolina Hurricanes. Thompson did not play in the third period of Wednesday’s game.
Dahlin is certainly more than deserving of the All-Star nod. He’s second in the NHL among defensemen in points scoring, with 55 points in 49 games. His 14 goals are also second, while his 41 assists are behind only Erik Karlsson and Josh Morrissey.
Aside from his offensive prowess this season, Dahlin has also been a backbone of the Sabres’ blueline, averaging over 26 minutes of ice time each night. He’s already set multiple career-highs, and he’s on pace to break Phil Housley’s franchise record for points in a season by a Sabres defenseman. He also recently wrote this letter to the fans on Sabres.com that was a strong message of his love for playing in Buffalo.
The NHL All-Star Skills challenge will be held on Friday, February 3 at 7:00 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN and ESPN+. The All-Star Game will be held on Saturday, February 4 at 3:00 p.m. and broadcast on ABC, ESPN+ and CBC.