Rasmus Dahlin was on fire leading up to the NHL's break for the 2026 Winter Olympics. The Buffalo Sabres defenseman is riding an active seven-game point streak and he recorded 19 points (seven goals and 12 assists) over the final 14 contests before the hiatus.
Sean McIndoe of The Athletic expects the 2018 first overall draft pick will continue that run of dominance for his home country in the Milano Cortina Games.
"The surprise for Team Sweden won't be Rasmus Dahlin leading the team in scoring, but how big the gap is between him and second place," McIndoe wrote.
That's a bold prediction considering the Three Crowns' roster also features high-scoring NHL players like the Detroit Red Wings' Lucas Raymond, New York Rangers' Mika Zibanejad and Toronto Maple Leafs' William Nylander, though Nylander is currently battling an injury.
It'll be a great sign for the rest of the Sabres season if Dahlin lives up to McIndoe's expectations and steals the international spotlight in Italy.
Rasmus Dahlin ticketed for a crucial high-volume role for Team Sweden in the 2026 Winter Games
Dahlin has frequently sat behind Victor Hedman (Tampa Bay Lightning) and Erik Karlsson (Pittsburgh Penguins) on the Swedes' defensive depth chart for the national team. That may finally be about to change, though.
Hedman only recently returned from a long-term injury absence and may not be ready to log massive minutes for Team Sweden and Karlsson is no longer at the peak of his offensive powers, scoring a modest (by his elite standards) 35 points in 51 appearances this season.
So, it'll likely be Dahlin who's asked to carry the load for Sweden on the blue line.
The 25-year-old three-time NHL All-Star is no stranger to that role, of course. He's filled it essentially since the moment he walked through the door in Buffalo and, after early growing pains on some terrible Sabres teams, he's developed into a Norris Trophy candidate.
Dahlin is making his second Olympic appearance for the Three Crowns, having previously played a small role while still a prospect back in 2018.
He's hoping to relish the experience a little bit more this time around.
"I did not enjoy it one bit," Dahlin told Stephen Whyno of the Associated Press about the 2018 Games. "I was just young and dumb. I didn't really realize I was at the Olympics."
Canada and the United States are the favorites to capture the gold medal in men's hockey, but Sweden sits among the group of dangerous sleepers, alongside rival Finland, with the ability to shock the world and finish atop the medal podium.
The Swedish squad opens Group B play Wednesday against the host nation of Italy. It'll also play Finland on Friday and Slovakia on Saturday to determine its placement in the knockout bracket. No teams are eliminated after pool play.
If Sweden does make a serious push toward the medal rounds, Dahlin will likely have played a key role in the run with his ability to make a high-end, three-zone impact.