Buffalo Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin tallied two more assists on Sunday night as the team's four-game West Coast trip concluded with a 6-5 overtime loss to the Anaheim Ducks.
Dahlin has now recorded 45 points (13 goals and 32 assists) across 41 appearances since the Sabres started their unbelievable turnaround with a Dec. 9 win over the Edmonton Oilers. He's also compiled 44 blocked shots, 38 hits and a plus-26 rating over that span.
On Monday, the 25-year-old Sabres defenseman cracked the top 10 on the list of chief candidates for the Hart Trophy as the NHL's Most Valuable Player from Dom Luszczyszyn of The Athletic. He was No. 9 in the Hart rankings as well as No. 6 in the race for the Norris Trophy.
Dahlin got off to a sluggish start, at least by his elite standards, which kept him out of the Hart and Norris conversations for most of the campaign. His individual success combined with the club's rise toward the top of the Eastern Conference has changed the outlook, though.
It's impossible to overstate the blueliner's importance to Buffalo. He sees the ice in all situations, does a lot of heavy lifting in the team's up-tempo transition approach and he's come a long way in terms of protecting the front of his own net over the past few years.
The 2018 first overall draft pick also deserves special recognition for sticking with the Sabres through some incredibly difficult years. Last year, when speculation started to emerge about his future, the defender angrily refuted any suggestion he wanted a trade away from Western New York.
"I have never said I want out of here," Dahlin told reporters in March 2025. "I'm not happy where we're at. I don't want to lose. We have to get better. I've never said I want out of here. I thought that was pretty clear. That bugs me, actually. I get [ticked] off by that. I haven't even mentioned the word 'leave.' That's just how it is."
One year later, the Sabres are set to bring a long-awaited end to the franchise's 14-year playoff drought and they're still in the race for the top seed in the East.
Few people saw that type of turnaround coming for an organization that had become a laughingstock, and Dahlin is the main driving force that made it happen.
Sure, he may not win the Hart Trophy — Nikita Kucherov (Tampa Bay Lightning), Nathan MacKinnon (Colorado Avalanche) and Connor McDavid (Oilers) remain the top contenders — but he's certainly earned a place in the discussion with his outstanding play as of late.
As Dahlin climbs the award rankings, let's dive into the newest installment of our Sabres player grades series centered on Sunday's entertaining defeat at the hands of the Ducks.
Owen Power, Zach Benson help Buffalo Sabres storm back to earn a point in March 22 loss to the Anaheim Ducks
Sabres player grades
Player | Grade (1-10) |
|---|---|
Owen Power | 9.5 |
Zach Benson | 9 |
Rasmus Dahlin | 8.5 |
Beck Malenstyn | 8 |
Noah Ostlund | 8 |
Josh Doan | 8 |
Ryan McLeod | 7.5 |
Bowen Byram | 7 |
Josh Norris | 6.5 |
Jack Quinn | 6.5 |
Sam Carrick | 6 |
Alex Tuch | 5.5 |
Mattias Samuelsson | 5 |
Logan Stanley | 5 |
Zach Metsa | 4.5 |
Jason Zucker | 4 |
Tage Thompson | 3.5 |
Alex Lyon | 3 |
Peyton Krebs | 2.5 |
Buffalo Player of the Game: Owen Power
While defense partner Bowen Byram's offensive contributions have faded as of late, Power has done more than enough to pick up the slack. He's tallied nine points in his past 12 games, including a goal and assist in Sunday's loss to the Ducks.
The 23-year-old Canadian, who joined Buffalo as the No. 1 overall selection in the 2021 NHL Draft, is never going to become the physical presence you'd typically expect from a 6-foot-6 defense. He's still emerging as a high-end two-way contributor, though.
It's also a promising sign Power is starting to become more noticeable offensively without much (if any) power-play time during his hot streak. The ability to generate scoring chances in 5-on-5 situations will be vital come playoff time.
In turn, the defenseman could be putting himself in line for a breakout run in the postseason.
Sabres quick hits
- It was a rare off night between the pipes for Alex Lyon, who consistently looked like he was fighting the puck and taking inefficient angles. It was his worst start since a Nov. 28 loss to the New Jersey Devils, but he still came up with some key saves in the third to help Buffalo get a point.
- Zach Benson's relentlessness allows him to make a meaningful impact, no matter what line he's skating on.
- Noah Ostlund missed a point-blank chance at the side of the net. He's made serious positive strides throughout the season, but he's still searching for that consistent finishing touch around the crease.
- It'll be interesting to see whether the Sabres get a few games in for Conor Timmins and Michael Kesselring after they return home. Or is Lindy Ruff ready to move forward with Logan Stanley and Zach Metsa for the playoffs?
- Tage Thompson appeared tired as Buffalo wrapped up four games in six days on the road. He lost several puck battles, including one leading to Anaheim game-winning goal in overtime.
- The Sabres (44-20-7) will be back on home ice at the KeyBank Center on Wednesday night (7:30 p.m. ET) when they face the Atlantic Division rival Boston Bruins (39-23-8).