Buffalo Sabres: Rasmus Dahlin must embrace supervillain role

The Buffalo Sabres were a team who let many opponents bully them over the past few seasons. But one Sabre has been putting a stop to it this year.

There are several types of villains in sports. You have lawful evil, who despite the fact opposing fans can’t stand them, they often keep things civil enough that they avoid major incidents. Then there is neutral evil, whose players will keep things lawful, but when push comes to shove, will do what it takes to win a game.

Finally, there is chaotic evil, and you can argue that, in an opponent’s and fans’ eyes, is where Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin falls. Chaotic evil players do what it takes to win, even if it means making nothing but enemies along the way.

Now in this context, I’m using chaotic evil as a compliment, not criticism, to Dahlin. Also in this context, chaotic evil is not necessarily synonymous with dirty. Instead, your chaotic evil player is going to run into you on the ice, then rightfully blame you for skating (or standing) in their way.

Something Dahlin has done on several occasions this season, once earning a 10-minute penalty in the process when he skated through a horde of celebrating Chicago Blackhawks following their goal. It’s also something that everyone, from himself, to head coach Don Granato, to the fans, should appreciate.

Buffalo Sabres, fans, also need to embrace the villain in Dahlin

Every team needs a fan favorite, even if they adopt a villainous role. And it’s something you see across all landscapes in sports. During the first part of NASCAR’s Golden Era, that villain was Dale Earnhardt. In the NFL, former Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison filled that role.

And while Dahlin has admitted he’s trying to balance his physicality and even skirmishes with opponents on the ice with limiting his penalty minutes and, at times, steering clear of on-ice confrontations, he also needs to keep up the tempo not just this season, but well into the future. Keep up the hard-hitting ways, strike fear in opponents, and let them know you’re coming.

Overall, if there is a player on your team not well liked by other players in the NHL, or by fans of those opposing teams, you’re doing something right. Sure, Dahlin should limit those altercations so he doesn’t hurt the team, but this hitter’s mentality must also keep paying its dividends.

He’s invading minds when on the ice, striking fear in some, anger in others, and hopefully, throwing opponents off their game. And if doesn’t, he’ll get in their faces and ensure that, at some point, it will. That’s the kind of hockey player every NHL team needs. So embrace Rasmus Dahlin’s role as NHL supervillain, as the Buffalo Sabres were in dire need of one.

Source: Rasmus Dahlin embracing and learning from pressure of Sabres’ playoff push by Lance Lysowski, BuffaloNews.com