BUFFALO – When the season ends, Rasmus Dahlin said, he will talk about it. Right now, it’s hard for the Sabres captain to reflect on what he has experienced over the past year.
Dahlin, 26, simply wants to look forward to Friday’s contest, Game 2 of the Sabres’ second-round playoff series against the Montreal Canadiens at KeyBank Center. The Sabres on Tuesday won Game 1 of the best-of-seven series 4-2.
“I’ll just say it’s been a crazy year,” Dahlin said on Thursday, shortly after being named one of the three finalists for the Norris Trophy, awarded annually to the NHL’s best defenseman.
In training camp, Dahlin revealed his fiancée, Carolina Matovac, suffered heart failure during the summer and spent several weeks on life support before undergoing a heart transplant.
If he had stepped away from hockey for more than the week he did in November, no one would have blamed him.
Matovac, who has joined Dahlin in Buffalo, later revealed in an Instagram post their baby’s due date would’ve been Jan. 26. Her worries about their unborn child forced her to see a doctor, and her life-threatening condition was discovered.
“I don’t think anyone wants to fathom what went on in those three or four months,” Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said.
With the support of the organization, the Swede has enjoyed the best season of his career, leading the Sabres to an Atlantic Division title and a long-awaited berth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
“It hasn’t been easy, but unbelievable,” Dahlin said. “Teammates, coaches, owner, GMs that (have) just been helping me throughout this. I could not have done this without my team, for sure.”
When he returned to the team in mid-November following a three-game absence, his play took off. He said seeing Matovac’s progress allowed him to relax mentally. Weeks later, the Sabres found a groove and began a stunning turnaround.
Dahlin said everything he and Matovac have endured helped him “understand that things outside hockey is more important than actual hockey.”
“I think that made me more relaxed coming to the rink, doing the work in peace, if that makes sense,” he said. “Knowing hockey’s just a game, I kind of had to understand that to take it to the next level.”
That next level has earned Dahlin a spot alongside the NHL’s top defensemen. The Colorado Avalanche’s Cale Makar and Columbus Blue Jackets’ Zach Werenski are the other Norris finalists.
This marks Dahlin’s first time as a finalist for the award. He finished sixth in the voting last season.
“It means a lot,” he said of his nomination. “We grinded for a lot of years, and finally the team has success. And when the team is having success, you usually get individual success, too. So it’s unreal. It’s cool.”
On Monday, he was named one of three finalists for the Masterton Trophy for his dedication to hockey.
Dahlin registered some gaudy numbers this season, scoring 19 goals and a career-high 74 points and in 77 games. Following his early-season trip to Sweden, he recorded 18 goals, 65 points and a plus-29 rating in 63 contests.
Offense is just one part of his game. Yes, he ranks among the most skilled hockey players in the world. But he also possesses an edge and some nastiness.
If you go after him, he’ll dish it right back.
“I think that’s how I grew up,” he said. “My buddies from back home were kind of the same way. We had that culture growing up that you do whatever it takes to win. That comes with being tough.
“I don’t call myself tough, but being hard to play against, compete. Yeah, you want to be that teammate that can do different things when you need to do different things on the ice.”
That’s why Dahlin, who’s in his second season as captain, often earns praise for his leadership skills.
“Leading by example, playing the game the right way,” Ruff said of how Dahlin has established a strong culture in the dressing room.
Ruff said the best captains serve everyone.
“Not just the guys that are struggling or your friend or your countrymen; it’s the captain for everybody, and I just feel that’s he’s a guy that cares for everybody,” he said. “He’s not just a captain for his fellow defensemen; he there’s for everyone. …
“First and foremost, you lead by example, then you can be vocal. But part of that is to be there for everyone.”