It wasn’t a matter of if, only when defenseman Rasmus Dahlin would become the Buffalo Sabres’ next captain.
Long before new Sabres coach Lindy Ruff awarded him the captaincy Thursday, Dahlin, 24, emerged as a worthy candidate to wear the prestigious ‘C’ someday.
The Swede is more than just one of the NHL’s most dynamic defensemen. He possesses a work ethic his coaches and teammates laud and pays a price to try to win. As he has grown more comfortable over the years, he has become the team’s most passionate voice, demanding more of himself and his teammates. His actions back up his strong words.
Dahlin, an NHL All-Star in each of the last three seasons, is the 21st full-time captain in franchise history.
The Sabres on Thursday also named centers Dylan Cozens and Tage Thompson, winger Alex Tuch and defenseman Mattias Samuelsson alternate captains. They will rotate the letter.
Dahlin, the first overall pick in 2018, previously served as an alternate under Buffalo’s last captain, Kyle Okposo. The Sabres traded the veteran winger to the Florida Panthers last season and finished the final weeks of the campaign without a captain.
Under Okposo, who earned captaincy prior to the 2022-23 season, the Sabres morphed into a tight-knit group. He encouraged his teammates to be themselves.
Players have explained how there are no cliques in the dressing room and they like to spent time together outside of the rink.
Last season, Dahlin asked rookie winger Zach Benson to live with him. In July, he invited his teammates to a summer hockey camp he organized in Switzerland.
Dahlin is beginning the first season of an eight-year, $88 million contract extension he signed almost a year ago.
He’s scheduled to address the media this morning on a Zoom call from Munich, Germany, before the Sabres played an exhibition game tonight against Red Bull, a team in Deutsche Eishockey Liga.
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Sabres winger JJ Peterka, 22, grew up in Munich and developed in the Red Bull organization, so tonight’s game, the first event in the 12,500-seat SAP Arena, promises to be a memorable homecoming.
“It’s going to be unbelievable just going back home,” Peterka said prior to scoring three goals in the Saturday’s 7-3 preseason win over the Pittsburgh Penguins in KeyBank Center. “I mean, I worked out with those guys the whole summer, skated with the pro team there.
“Just to get the opportunity to get to play against the team I played for … it’s going to be really special for me.”
Peterka, who scored 28 goals last season, is one of a slew of talented young Germans to crack the NHL in recent years.
Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl, a three-time 50-goal scorer, ranks among the world’s greatest talents. Detroit Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider and Ottawa Senators center Tim Stutzle are budding stars.
Peterka said more German children are becoming interested in hockey.
“That’s the No. 1 thing,” he said. “If you have more kids competing, you will always have better kids.”
Peterka also said the coaching has improved.
“A couple coaches there … really want to develop themselves,” he said. “I think that’s been really on the (grow) that coaches try to get better and teach kids better stuff.”