It’s never easy to part ways with the captain of your team, but that’s exactly what the Buffalo Sabres did by sending forward Kyle Okposo to the Florida Panthers before the NHL’s trade deadline on March 8. Sabres general manager (GM) Kevyn Adams was visibly emotional last week while talking to the media about Okposo and said there’s no rush to name a new captain. However, it’s only natural to look ahead and identify who could potentially be the 21st in the history of this franchise. Here are the two candidates.
1. Rasmus Dahlin
It hasn’t been an easy road for Dahlin, but the former first-overall pick in the 2018 Entry Draft has established himself as a leader and an elite NHL defenseman. Looking back at a player who’s almost six full seasons into his pro career, the 2020-21 season is the only one that sticks out like a sore thumb for Dahlin, who was a victim of bad coaching during that time.
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It was a painful time for Sabres fans when Ralph Krueger was behind the bench, preaching a conservative and defensive system that held back the offensive, puck-carrying capabilities of Dahlin, who was a minus-36 in 56 games that year. This is a young player who could’ve let one bad year ruin his development, but that’s not the case.
It wasn’t until Don Granato took over as head coach (2021-22) that Dahlin re-discovered his game again. Granato made it clear that Dahlin had the green light to just go out and play, which resulted in back-to-back career seasons for the left-shot defenseman. Now in his third year under Granato, the 23-year-old is averaging close to 26 minutes a night and showing his leadership in his second season as an assistant captain. According to Jeff Marek, Dahlin being the next captain of the Sabres is a no-brainer. The Swedish blueliner’s eight-year contract extension kicks in next season.
2. Alex Tuch
Make no mistake about it, Adams and the Sabres targeted him in the Jack Eichel trade with the Vegas Golden Knights, and he’s been a breath of fresh air for the organization ever since. The Syracuse, New York native grew up cheering for the Sabres and fit right into Adams’ plan to get players who want to be in Buffalo. The 27-year-old has not only been a positive presence but has produced on the ice as well.
We know that the Sabres aren’t where they want to be in the standings, and because of that, a couple of teams had called about Tuch’s services before the deadline, as per Elliotte Friedman. Fast forward to post-deadline, where, to the surprise of no one, Adams made it clear that Tuch is part of the solution in Buffalo and has no interest in moving him. Unlike Dahlin, Tuch doesn’t have much term left, but you’d have to think the Sabres will talk to him about an extension before his current deal ($4.75 million for two more years) is up.
Both Options Make Sense for the Sabres
If you wanted to argue for a third candidate, Zemgus Girgensons would be it. The veteran winger (surprisingly) didn’t move at the deadline and is highly thought of in the organization. However, the Sabres have already gone down the short-term veteran route, so a younger and longer-term fit would make more sense for a growing team. Their first option is a young, franchise defenseman who’s committed to the organization for a long time. And your second option is a core player who grew up in Western New York and loves being a Sabre. At the end of the day, Adams and Granato have two players who currently wear letters, want to be in Buffalo, and are great leaders.
