Rasmus Dahlin Off to Norris-Caliber Start for the Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres are 4-1 to start the season, and one player has been especially impactful.
22-year-old defenseman Rasmus Dahlin is now in his fifth NHL season, and after taking a huge step forward last season, he’s off to an incredible start this year.
Through five games, Dahlin has recorded five goals and eight points. He’s got one game-winning goal, a plus-8 rating, and a 27.8% shooting percentage.
Last week, Dahlin earn the NHL’s First Star of the Week honors after notching three goals and two assists in three games. No defenseman had more points than the Sabres’ alternate captain in the second week of the season.
Rasmus Dahlin has been unstoppable for the Sabres.
According to NHL.com, Dahlin’s goal-scoring has been record-setting so far this season. He has scored one goal in each of the Sabres’ first five games, which has never been done before by a blueliner.
In addition, his five-game goal-scoring streak matches a Buffalo franchise record for the longest streak by a defenseman at any point in a season. The last Sabres skater to notch a five-game goal streak was Thomas Vanek back in 2008.
The reality for Dahlin and the Sabres is that this is not the first time in his tenure with the team that they have gotten off to a fast start.
The hope for Buffalo, which enters Tuesday’s action in a tie for the second-best point percentage in the Atlantic Division, is that their success can be sustained this season.
With other players, like Alex Tuch, who has scored six goals in five games, also playing well, the Sabres will look to maintain their pursuit of a playoff spot, rather than suffer a drop-off later in the season.
If Dahlin can continue to contribute offensively, even at half the pace at which he’s contributed thus far, Buffalo could undoubtedly be among the playoff contenders in what figures to be a stacked Atlantic leaderboard.
light. Trending. NHL 2022-23 Season Weekly Power Rankings: Monday 10/24
After earning wins against the Edmonton Oilers, Calgary Flames, and Vancouver Canucks last week, the Sabres will return to the ice on Tuesday to conclude their western road trip when they visit the Seattle Kraken.