Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin strongly denies report he would ask for trade

BUFFALO – Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin processed the question and wanted a little clarification.

“Who?” Dahlin asked incredulously when he was told a member of the “Spittin’ Chiclets” podcast said he would ask general manager Kevyn Adams for a trade if the last-place Sabres don’t improve.

When informed it was Paul Bissonnette, the Swede asked again.

“Who wants to be moved?” he asked.

After a reporter relayed Bissonnette’s words again, an irritated Dahlin called the report “false.”

“I don’t know what he’s talking about,” the defenseman said following Tuesday’s practice in KeyBank Center. “I’ve never said I want out of here. I’m not happy where we’re at. I don’t want to lose. We have to get better. I’ve never said I want out of here. I thought that was pretty clear.”

Bissonnette’s words – “Apparently, Dahlin met with Kevyn Adams and he said that, ‘If this doesn’t turn around fast, I’m (gone),’” he said – angered Dahlin, who’s in the first season of an eight-year, $88 million contract.

“That bugs me, actually,” he said. “I get pissed off by that. I haven’t even mentioned the word ‘leave.’ So, yeah, that’s just how it is.”

Dahlin, whose Sabres play a road game tonight against the Detroit Red Wings, sat down and chatted with Adams for about an hour a couple of days prior to Friday’s trade deadline. He called it “a really good discussion.”

“We were very honest with each other,” he said. “Stuff has to change. That’s how it is. I absolutely hate losing. That’s a part of who I want to be, so stuff has to change.”

Adams told reporters Friday in Florida that Dahlin approaches things in an “intelligent and thoughtful” way.

“He asks a lot of questions,” he said. “What he and I talk a lot about is how does he balance what he does on the ice, off the ice, all those type of things.”

The Sabres made three deals Friday, most notably sending center Dylan Cozens, a good friend of Dahlin’s and a member of the team’s young core, to the Ottawa Senators in a trade that brought center Josh Norris to Buffalo.

“I’ve known Cozey for a very long time now and we created a really good relationship,” Dahlin said. “It’s tough, for sure, to see him go. But it’s part of the business, and (I’m) super excited to have Norris here. He’s an unbelievable guy and an unbelievable player.”

Norris created linemate Tage Thompson’s winning goal in Monday’s 3-2 win over the Edmonton Oilers, helping the Sabres end a six-game winless skid.

Dahlin, who’s in his first season as captain, has endured a lot of losing over his seven-year career. The Sabres will miss the playoffs for the 14th consecutive season, adding to their NHL-record streak. They have just 56 points this season.

Of course, Dahlin, 24, is the Sabres’ most dynamic player. He has scored 11 goals and 51 points in 55 games while battling injuries from the get-go this season. He recently acknowledged for at least some of the campaign – he doesn’t reveal much about his injuries – he “wasn’t able to really shoot” the puck.

By any measure, he has enjoyed a terrific individual season. Still, he believes he can be better.

“I’m part of it,” he said of the Sabres’ struggles. “I haven’t played good enough. We haven’t won games. I take responsibility, too. Stuff has to change. That’s the bottom line.”

As regimes, coaches and players have changed, losing has been the one constant. Naturally, it has worn players out, and eventually some have asked to be traded.

“If guys don’t want to be here, then you don’t want to be here,” Dahlin said. “You can’t really do anything about it. But I don’t see that in this room. We have a lot of really, really good competitors who want to turn this around. That what gives me the most hope.”

Dahlin also draws hope from his teammates’ commitment.

“The guys are willing to do whatever it takes to get better,” he said. “We have had a lot of discussion lately of what we have to do and how we have to move forward. And we’re definitely not happy where we’re at.”

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Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said winger JJ Peterka missed Tuesday’s practice because of a lingering lower-body injury.

Ruff said Peterka had the injury examined. He did not know if the German would accompany the Sabres to Detroit.

Meanwhile, Ruff said winger Jason Zucker missed Tuesday’s session for maintenance.