From rising star to the Buffalo Sabres captain, Rasmus Dahlin’s NHL career has been an uphill battle. Due to the Sabres breaking their playoff drought, along with many other reasons, Dahlin is a contender for both the James Norris Memorial Trophy and the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy.
Buffalo acquired the Swedish defenseman first overall during the 2018 draft. Dahlin was considered the future of the organization, desperately rebuilding. From there, he skated alongside players like Jack Eichel, who strengthened the Sabres’ offensive and defensive approach.
Dahlin, at the time, was the only one on the team who could single-handedly skate into the opponents’ defensive zone, develop a play himself, and score. A team isn’t perfect and will have its struggles, but when it comes to drafts, the franchise often looks at its first-rounders as the ‘chosen ones.’ It’s up to that first-rounder, then, to rise to the occasion or crack under the pressure.
It has been seen many times before with players like Sidney Crosby and Macklin Celebrini, to name a few, and Dahlin was no different in that circumstance. The defenseman at first was, after all, a rookie and would give more turnovers than fans would’ve liked. Those were just growing pains that he endured in his career.
What also stood out about Dahlin was that throughout his rookie season, he was never sent to Buffalo’s farm team, the Rochester Americans. The coaching staff saw vast potential in him and sought to foster it at the highest level. In total, the defenseman had four head coaches during his first NHL tenure, which is widely considered abnormal and strengthens how pivotal Dahlin’s growth has been.
At the start of the 2024-25 season, Dahlin was named captain after two full seasons as an alternate. The Sabres entered new territory as an emerging team, and Dahlin quickly became its backbone.
Buffalo finally clinched a long-awaited playoff spot and is ‘a steamwagon.’ The team and its fanbase have every right to be excited, as they hadn’t been in the playoffs for 14 consecutive seasons. Many players have proven that they’ve earned their postseason moment, and Dahlin has continued to make a place for himself in the playoffs.
Dahlin has racked up the most ice time on his team during the postseason with roughly 23:14 per game. Often paired with Mattias Samuelsson, who has also hit a career breakthrough, the duo brings a hard defensive drive to the ice. Dahlin has a total of three goals and 10 assists during his playoff appearance. While the Sabres tried to figure out their approach during the first two rounds, Dahlin stayed level-headed on and off the ice.
The attributes of the James Norris Memorial Trophy closely align with who Dahlin is as a defenseman. He garnered 74 points and a plus-minus of +18. He might be lacking the career-high goals scored from his 2023-24 season, but his performance this year matches his best all-around career stats.
Signs like Dahlin having the most ice time on the team go to show how valuable he is, which comes with pros and cons. This season, Dahlin was frequently targeted. He’s not much of a fighter, but the altercations he’s been in became highlights during the regular and postseason. They even led to those opposing players being fined. Dahlin not engaging often, especially as a defenseman, proves how level-headed he is.
Along with the James Norris, Dahlin is in the running for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. Again, Dahlin’s experiences and traits overlap with the qualities that are awarded. The defenseman has played for Buffalo since their dark ages and is now in Round Two of the playoffs. He has been around long enough to see the team in the post-stages of rebuilding.
Whether it was patience waiting for the playoffs or seeing his efforts being rewarded by being named captain, Dahlin waited to see when the Sabres would have a breakthrough. He has composure on and off the ice, especially in moments where tension is high, like after Game Five of Round Two, and rarely acts irrationally.
Along with his efforts to bring his team together, his other skills have been recognized. Dahlin was called up and played on Sweden’s men’s hockey team during the 2026 Winter Olympics. He had one goal and four assists.
Dahlin’s leadership approach on how to strengthen the bond of the Buffalo team is self-explanatory and unique. Dahlin was asked during a post-game interview during the regular season how to build brotherhood on the Sabres team, he said, “Drink beer.”
The captain doesn’t take credit for the team’s success and states that it’s a group effort. Notably, Dahlin is the longest-tenured player from Buffalo’s original rebuild era, and that further shows his dedication to the organization and the sport.
It’s been incredible to see how far Dahlin has come during his time with the Sabres. From his stepping-stones of victories, like playing in the Olympics and now the playoffs, he is an athlete who deserves all the success that comes to him. Dahlin can easily be seen as one of the rare players who were drafted and stick around Buffalo long term. Any team would be lucky to have him, and it’s a good thing the Sabres aren’t letting him go anytime soon.
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