With the label of being a franchise player comes high expectations, and this is the case for Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin. Since being selected by the Sabres first overall in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, he’s made massive improvements to his game, living up to the hype surrounding him. The 23-year-old blueliner has made strides in each of his five NHL seasons, with the 2022-23 campaign being his best yet.
In 2022-23, the Swedish blueliner finished ninth among all defensemen in goals with 15 and fifth from the position in points with 73. With career-high numbers across the stat sheet, he also finished eighth in the James Norris Memorial Trophy race.
At just 23 years old, there’s still room for improvement from Dahlin, who could be a legitimate candidate to take home the Norris Trophy in the upcoming NHL season if he continues to make strides in his game.
Dahlin’s Career Thus Far
Since stepping foot on the ice with the Sabres as an 18-year-old in the 2018-19 season, the spotlight has been on Dahlin in Buffalo.
Dahlin played top-four minutes with the Sabres during his rookie campaign, averaging 21:09 on ice per game. He failed to disappoint in his first year of NHL action, as he led his team in goals and points by defensemen, finding the back of the net nine times with a point total of 44.
Dahlin was on pace to shatter his rookie totals in his sophomore season, but he missed significant time due to injury. After an injury-plagued season in 2019-20, the young Swede struggled to live up to expectations in the shortened 2020-21 season, recording five goals and 23 points with a career-low plus/minus of -36 in 56 games played.
But the 2021-22 season saw a resurgence for Dahlin, who reminded everybody why he was selected first overall by Buffalo in 2018. As a 21-year-old, the young Sabre took on a bigger responsibility, averaging 24:01 on ice per game, the highest on the team. With the increased ice time came an uptick in production, posting an impressive 13 goals and 53 points in 80 appearances.
Last year, Dahlin had his true breakout season in the NHL, putting the league on notice. He set career-highs in just about every statistical category. Not only did the star excel offensively, but he also improved in his own end with his best defensive season to date, recording 45 takeaways and using his body to make an impact with 102 hits and 132 blocked shots.
Dahlin’s Offensive Abilities
It’s no secret that Dahlin is one of the most gifted offensive defensemen in the NHL; his production on the score sheet in perhaps what he’s best known for. Since entering the league in 2018-19, he’s scored 46 goals with 233 points in 355 games played and has led his team in points by defensemen in each of the last five years. After posting career-highs in every offensive scoring category last year, these are numbers the 23-year-old is poised to build on going forward.
Dahlin’s contributions on special teams are a big part of what makes him special. He finished second on the Sabres in power play points in 2022-23 with 32, just two shy of star forward Tage Thompson. Throughout his five-year NHL career, 44.2 percent of his 233 points have come with a man advantage, good for 103 power-play points.
The young defenseman isn’t afraid to join in on the rush and excels at the offensive end of the ice. Dahlin’s strong skating ability allows him to go coast-to-coast with ease and use his elite vision and playmaking abilities to make things happen offensively. He’s an exceptional playmaker who can complete stretch passes from one end of the ice to the other to create offensive opportunities for his team from the defensive zone. His rare skillset allows him to make contributions that very few blueliners can at the highest level of hockey, and he’s only getting better at 23 years of age.
Defensive Improvements
While Dahlin has always been offensively gifted, the biggest area with a need for improvement has been in his defensive zone, which is what we witnessed in 2022-23.
Dahlin made massive strides in his defensive development last season, as he led the Sabres in blocked shots with 132 and finished second on the team in hits with 105. He used his large 6-foot-3, 202-pound frame to his advantage by getting in front of shots and using his physicality to create a career-high 45 takeaways, generating more opportunities for Buffalo by regaining possession of the puck.
With a team-leading 4.2 defensive point share, it’s no wonder Dahlin led his team in average ice time at 25:48 per game last year. He was the clear-cut top defender for the Sabres last season, not only offensively but in his own end as well.
The five-year pro made significant contributions at both ends of the ice throughout the 2022-23 campaign. Fans around the NHL were already aware of Dahlin’s offensive abilities, but he put the league on notice by demonstrating the improvements he made defensively. Heading into his sixth NHL season, the Swedish-born blueliner has plenty of experience playing top-pairing minutes and should continue to improve in his own end and have his best year yet defensively.
What Makes Dahlin a Potential Norris Trophy Candidate?
When examining winners of the James Norris Memorial Trophy in past years, it’s clear what type of defensemen take home the coveted hardware.
Defensemen who can contribute at both ends of the ice take the award home at the end of the year. Just look at the past winners of the trophy. Over the last two seasons, Erik Karlsson and Cale Makar have been the winners of the Norris Trophy, both of whom play in a similar fashion as Dahlin. Karlsson and Makar averaged a point per game and excelled in their own end of the ice when they won the award, two things Dahlin is also capable of doing.
While Dahlin has yet to average a point per game in an NHL season, he came close to the mark last season, averaging 0.93. At 23 years of age on a dangerous Buffalo team that finished third in goals last year, the 2023-24 campaign could be the first time he reaches the point-per-game milestone in his career.
With significant improvements to his defensive game last year, Dahlin should build on the numbers in his own end as he continues to grow as a player. For young offensive-minded blueliners, improvements in the defensive zone are often the final piece of the puzzle in their development.
Related: 2022-23 Norris Trophy Tracker – End-of-Season Update
Not only will the potential to take home some hardware be a motivator for Dahlin in the upcoming season, but the Sabres are looking to end their playoff drought, and he’s entering a contract year. The Sabres have failed to make the playoffs since the 2010-11 season, and they’ll need another big year from Dahlin if they’re going to put the drought to rest in the upcoming season. At the conclusion of the 2023-24, Dahlin is set to become a restricted free agent, and with another big year, he’ll maximize his payout on his next contract.
Dahlin’s production at both ends of the ice has been trending upwards, especially over the last two seasons. If his trajectory continues moving in the same direction, the star defenseman can be a legitimate candidate to win the James Norris Memorial Trophy in 2023-24.
