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Buffalo Sabres: Rasmus Dahlin will earn Norris sooner than later

By Sion Fawkes

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 15: Rasmus Dahlin #26 of the Buffalo Sabres looks on against the Washington Capitals during the first period of the game at Capital One Arena on March 15, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 15: Rasmus Dahlin #26 of the Buffalo Sabres looks on against the Washington Capitals during the first period of the game at Capital One Arena on March 15, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) /
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Buffalo Sabres fans were shocked when Rasmus Dahlin was not a finalist to win the Norris Trophy after putting together a stellar 2022-23 season.

Going into last night’s NHL Awards, we knew Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin wasn’t winning the Norris Trophy. But when you look at the final tally, you can only shake your head.

Dahlin didn’t even finish in the top five. Instead, he took eighth in the voting, behind the likes of Hampus Lindholm, Josh Morrissey, Dougie Hamilton, and Miro Heiskanen, along with finalists Cale Makar, Adam Fox, and eventual winner, Erik Karlsson. Understandably, this irked a lot of Buffalo Sabres fans.

Statistically, Dahlin was one of the NHL’s best defensemen, with 73 points, 15 goals, and 58 assists in 78 contests. He also logged 25:48 of ice time, recorded 105 hits, and amassed a career high with 132 blocks. Dahlin also took the league by storm early in the year when he scored a goal in five straight contests.

Of course, there was the fact that Dahlin was playing through injury, which saw his productivity dip down the stretch. But overall, even if he wasn’t a finalist for the award, conventional wisdom states he’d at least be close, right? Clearly, that wasn’t the case this past season.

Expect the Buffalo Sabres defenseman to win the Norris soon

The good news? If Dahlin stays healthy for an entire season, he’s a shoo-in to win the Norris, or at least to become a perennial finalist for the award. Dahlin is only 23 and has barely scratched the surface of his prime, so if you thought this past season’s performance was worthy of the Norris, just wait until you see what he can do from here on out.

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Dahlin will also return with a new contract in hand as all signs point to him signing an extension to stay with the Buffalo Sabres for at least the next seven seasons following 2023-24, possibly longer. But trust me when I say: Rasmus Dahlin won’t need another seven-plus seasons to win the Norris. That will come in the not-so-distant future.

(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference)

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