Rasmus Dahlin is the Buffalo Sabres MVP in first month of 2022
By Sion Fawkes
The Buffalo Sabres have one more game to play before they officially wrap up the 2022 season’s first full month, but we are ready to name an MVP.
Between October 13th and November 13th, Rasmus Dahlin has been virtually unstoppable in the 13 games he’s played. Defensemen don’t often score goals, and those that do are few and far in between, but Dahlin is easily in the latter, having scored seven in those 13 contests.
He has 17 points, a plus-minus of eight, a remarkable 13.0% shooting percentage, 28 blocks, 18 hits, and nine takeaways. If Dahlin does not miss another game this season, he is on pace for 106 points, 177 blocks, 114 hits, and 57 takeaways. He does have 10 giveaways, but his fearlessness with the puck is going to keep that number higher for the foreseeable future.
Overall, Dahlin, who snagged a spot in the NHL All-Star Game last season, is further on pace to receive First or Second Team All-Star Honors and serious contention for the Norris Trophy, barring anything unforeseen.
Rasmus Dahlin has been the Buffalo Sabres MVP
While Dahlin has great numbers, they are only part of the story. Even last season, we saw a rather timid, mild-mannered Dahlin, who brimmed with potential, yet was still not living up to it, despite his vast improvement on the ice.
In 2022-23, Dahlin has been arguably the Sabres most aggressive player, even rivaling sledgehammers like Ilya Lyubushkin and Mattias Samuelsson. He hasn’t been afraid to get into it with opponents, and best yet, he will bait them into going after him, effectively throwing the opposing team’s best players off their game.
He’s also not afraid to take penalties, even going as far as to make contact with opposing goaltenders following a play that will lead to a scrum every time. The psychological edge Dahlin adopted this season makes him the Sabres most complete player; one that will strike fear into the eyes of opponents for the foreseeable future.
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That said, Dahlin has been a playmaker and a game-changer. And the fact that he is just 22 years old, he hasn’t even hit his prime yet. What will the prime years look like? That’s a scary thought.
(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference)
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