Buffalo Sabres: Will Rasmus Dahlin build off of a strong 2021-22 season?
Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin turned around his career during Don Granato’s first season with the Buffalo Sabres. Will his success continue?
The Buffalo Sabres definitely have a star defenseman in Rasmus Dahlin. While many consider Tage Thompson to be the team’s breakout player, Dahlin was by far the best on the defensive pairings, so much that he earned a trip to his first All-Star Game.
Overall, Dahlin seemed to get better as the season dragged on, and he enjoyed a career resurgence under head coach Don Granato after toiling for two seasons with Ralph Krueger in charge. Now, fans and pundits want to know whether Dahlin can continue to progress and transform into an elite defenseman, and will it occur this season?
Can Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin play even better in 2022-23?
In 2021-22 Rasmus Dahlin enjoyed a breakout season with the Buffalo Sabres. Here are what his numbers looked like in case you missed them: 80 games, 13 goals, 40 assists, 53 points, 91 blocks, 121 hits, 24:01 ATOI.
Overall, Dahlin looked like the two-way player the Sabres thought they were getting when they drafted him first overall in the 2018 NHL Draft. His 2021-22 campaign was similar, but also an improvement, to what he accomplished during his rookie year in 2018-19 under Phil Housley.
That season, he finished in third place for the Calder Trophy and earned a First Team spot on the NHL’s All-Rookie Team. Now that Dahlin saw a career resurgence, can he string together two fantastic years in a row and potentially compete for the Norris Trophy? Let’s discuss.
Why Dahlin will be stronger in 2022-23
Midway through the 2021-22 NHL Season, it became apparent that Dahlin’s struggles between 2019-20 and 2020-21 were a result of Ralph Krueger being in charge. Krueger left little room for error, and the incoming Don Granato brought in a different mentality. Knowing he wouldn’t lose ice time because of a mistake or two, Dahlin let loose, and it is something you will see more of in 2022-23.
His poise and lack of hesitation when it came to creating scoring opportunities for both himself and teammates directly contributed to his success in 2021-22. Now that Dahlin knows a thing or two about what works, you could easily see fewer mistakes and more success in the offensive, defensive, and neutral zones.
Speaking of poise, Dahlin was faced with the tall task of replacing Rasmus Ristolainen as the team’s top defender after the Buffalo Sabres shipped the latter to Philadelphia. Dahlin slid right into the role with ease, and going into 2022-23, he is unquestionably the team’s top man. And best yet, there will be little doubt coming from either himself or the team.
With the liberty to play the game his way and his ability to lead, it is easy look for Dahlin to thrive in Year 2 of the Don Granato era. It wouldn’t surprise me if he logged a 15-20 goal season with another 45 to 50 assists, and perhaps contention for the Norris Trophy.
What may keep Dahlin from emulating his 2021-22 success
There is no doubt in my mind that Dahlin will remain arguably one of the best players on the Buffalo Sabres, even if he does not emulate his success from 2021-22. But, we also need to consider the possibility that he may not end the season as the team’s best defenseman.
Mattias Samuelsson will most likely pair with Dahlin. And we need to remember that the former’s potential is limitless, given his efficacy in playing in the defensive zone well and throwing opponents off their game. Samuelsson is not a two-way player, so he may never reach the same level as Dahlin, but he does have the potential to grow rapidly as a player and perhaps contribute more on offense as a result.
Owen Power, however, is a two-way player who could supplant Dahlin as the top defenseman this season. While the idea is far-fetched since Power has experience in just eight NHL games, the idea is at least worth running by. Power proved he could score, block shots, take away the puck, and force opponents into making contingency plans.
As mentioned, I highly doubt Power or Samuelsson would substantially cut into the production Dahlin enjoyed in 2021-22. But the possibility is there, and it could, in turn, lead to Dahlin becoming a less effective player.
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Overall, my projection is that Dahlin will see his first 60-point season while his defensive skills continue to come into their own. 100-plus blocks and over 150 hits are likely, and if he can register a high number of takeaways, look for Dahlin to evolve into one of the league’s best defensemen in 2022-23. If he hasn’t already done so.
(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference)