BUFFALO – A healthy and confident Rasmus Dahlin has quickly transformed a Sabres team that completely unraveled in his absence.
It can be argued Dahlin’s value was never more evident than last week, when his return after battling back spasms helped the Sabres end their 13-game winless skid and throttle two opponents, outscoring them 13-3.
The Sabres, who open a four-game road trip this afternoon against the St. Louis Blues, began free-falling down the standings when their captain and top defenseman departed the lineup Dec. 3. Now, his dynamic presence offers hope in a trying season that appeared to be lost barely a week ago.
In Friday’s 6-2 home win against the Chicago Blackhawks, he recorded two assists in the first period, giving him a whopping six over a four-period span. In Monday’s 7-1 road victory over the New York Islanders, he registered four assists, tying a franchise record for defensemen and the highest total by an NHL blue liner this season.
While Dahlin, 24, was often a difference-maker early in the season, his back, which forced him to miss most of training camp, hampered him. He was effective but not himself.
Feeling healthy has helped him quickly reach another level.
“I think that is exactly what we’re seeing,” Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said following Saturday’s practice in LECOM Harborcenter. “This is the best he’s felt since he’s been back. It’s the best he’s felt all year.”
Counting the game he left injured, a 5-4 loss to the Colorado Avalanche in which they blew a late 4-1 lead after he departed, the Sabres went 0-7-2 without Dahlin.
The Swede played Dec. 20, skating more than 27 minutes in a 6-3 home loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Still, the Sabres acted cautiously, so he sat out last Saturday’s 3-1 road defeat to the Boston Bruins.
“This is as good as he’s looked all year, these last couple games,” Ruff said. “I think the move to keep him out of the back-to-back really helped him.”
Dahlin said “a little bit of everything” contributed to his dazzling performances last week.
“The team is playing good,” he said. “We’re creating a ton offensively. Guys are feeling good right now. I mean, points come and go, but, yeah, I feel better in my back, for sure.
“And then I was out for a little bit, I was having a lot of thoughts into how improve my game.”
Dahlin knew he was forcing plays and becoming frustrated when he carried the puck.
“Not letting things develop and happen, trying to make up plays in my own mind,” he said.
But these days, he said he’s “just taking a step back, just playing the game that you’re supposed to play.”
A significant part of that game includes breaking the puck out. Forget about the points. Moving the puck or finding a quick pass out of the defensive zone has been perhaps Dahlin’s biggest impact.
“You get out of your end in four to five seconds, you get the play up ice,” Ruff said. “I think you saw our transition game was so much better.”
Ruff said for a stretch in Friday’s first period, Dahlin “was just a one-man breakout machine.”
“Just kind of took the game in his own hands and said, ‘Here, I’m going to lead the way,’” he said.
Dahlin also led the way offensively, creating the Sabres’ first goal by spotting Zach Benson at the net and deftly feeding the winger from the right point.
“I knew we had guys down there,” Dahlin said. “I was about to shoot it, and (the) last second I saw him. So he made a great play by having his skate behind his stick so he could handle a hard pass.”
Points are nice – Dahlin has 25 this season, including a team-high 19 assists – but he said he doesn’t think about them.
“That’s when the points are coming, when you don’t think about them,” he said.
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Ruff said Sabres defenseman Mattias Samuelsson missed Saturday’s practice for maintenance. He expects him to play against the Blues.
Meanwhile, Ruff said winger Nicolas Aube-Kubel missed the session because he’s sick. He’s questionable for the game.
Dahlin finds Benson for an easy tap in, 1-0 #sabrehood #blackhawks pic.twitter.com/kPP7b10l02
— Buffalo Hockey Moments (@SabresPlays) December 28, 2024