Rasmus Dahlin has been terrific during the Buffalo Sabres' three-game winning streak since the conclusion of the NHL's break for the 2026 Winter Olympics, but some of his remarks after returning stateside apparently didn't go over well back home in Sweden.
Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, who called Dahlin the "best guy there" for the Swedes in the Milano Cortina Games, reported Monday on the 32 Thoughts podcast those close to the national team weren't happy with his statement about not seeing any ice time during the Three Crowns' overtime loss to Team USA in the Olympic quarterfinals.
"He came back and said he was OK for that overtime against the U.S. [following a hard fall after hit from Brady Tkachuk]. He didn't understand why he didn't play," Friedman said. "I heard those comments went over like a thunderbolt in Sweden. Like, they did not go over very well there."
Swedish coach Sam Hallam instead opted to lean heavily on the Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson late in regulation and overtime. Quinn Hughes scored the OT winter in the quarterfinals as the Americans went on to capture the gold medal in Italy.
Dahlin finished with five points (one goals and four assists) in five Olympic games.
Meanwhile, after a successful stint in Italy, he's helped push the Sabres closer to their first appearance in the NHL's postseason since 2011. It'd also mark his debut in the Stanley Cup Playoffs amid his eighth year with the long-suffering organization.
The 25-year-old blueliner has tallied 51 points (12 goals and 39 helpers) in 56 NHL contests during the current campaign.
For now, let's dive into our Sabres player grades series centered around Buffalo's 3-2 victory over the Florida Panthers on Friday night.
Alex Tuch, Alex Lyon guide Buffalo Sabres to a key Feb. 27 win over the Florida Panthers
Sabres player grades
Player | Grade (1-10) |
|---|---|
Alex Tuch | 9.5 |
Alex Lyon | 9 |
Ryan McLeod | 8.5 |
Mattias Samuelsson | 8.5 |
Peyton Krebs | 8.5 |
Bowen Byram | 8 |
Tage Thompson | 7.5 |
Beck Malenstyn | 7.5 |
Josh Doan | 7 |
Josh Norris | 7 |
Rasmus Dahlin | 7 |
Jack Quinn | 6.5 |
Owen Power | 6.5 |
Zach Metsa | 6 |
Noah Ostlund | 6 |
Josh Dunne | 5.5 |
Tyson Kozak | 5.5 |
Jason Zucker | 5 |
Michael Kesselring | 3 |
Buffalo Player of the Game: Alex Tuch
It appears Tuch, who was starting to look a little sluggish in the final few games before the Olympic break, benefited greatly from the three weeks off. He's been a force in all three phases to help solidify the Sabres as a likely playoff participant.
The 29-year-old power forward finished Friday's win over the two-time defending champion Panthers with a goal, an assist, six shots on goal, three blocked shots and a hit. He lit the lamp again in Saturday's 6-2 triumph over the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Tuch remains an impending unrestricted free agent, and it's unlikely the sides will reach an agreement on a long-term contract extension before Friday's NHL trade deadline. The Sabres will probably keep him as an "own rental" and let the chips fall where they may at season's end.
The Syracuse native probably won't be worth the reported $10.5 million annual salary he's seeking, especially as he heads toward his mid-30s and beyond, but there's no doubt he's an integral part of the puzzle for Buffalo right now. He's built for postseason hockey.
Sabres quick hits
- Alex Lyon kept a desperate Florida squad at bay for a vast majority of the contest to continue his tremendous run of play between the pipes. Lyon and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen are the main reason the Sabres have surged up the Eastern Conference standings. This level of elite goaltending was not expected coming into the season.
- Ryan McLeod dominated his 5-on-5 minutes against the Panthers and also saw more than six minutes of special teams action (two on the power play and four on the penalty kill). Only a rare off night in the faceoff circle (four of 13) kept him from an even higher grade.
- Beck Malenstyn doesn't score a ton of goals (five on the campaign), but when he does find the net it's usually quite impactful. His third-period tally put Buffalo ahead for good in the Atlantic Division clash.
- After a busy weekend, the Panthers' playoff chances are down to 8%, according to HockeyStats.com. It's going to take a miraculous stretch to earn an opportunity to defend their titles. The Sabres are up to an eye-popping 96%.