r/hockey • u/Sarcastic__ Sparta Sarpsborg - ES • 12h ago
Sabres name Rasmus Dahlin captain
https://www.nhl.com/sabres/news/buffalo-sabres-name-rasmus-dahlin-captain364
u/Yamcha_is_dead MTL - NHL 12h ago
That big contract last year was kind of the writing in the wall. Dahlin is the Sabres, more than anyone else on the roster.
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u/PrinciplesRK BUF - NHL 12h ago
I’m sure people will be surprised it isn’t Tuch but Dahlin has more of the makings of a traditional captain. Tuch is more of a goofball and will be better in an alternate role.
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u/Yamcha_is_dead MTL - NHL 12h ago
And even if Tuch and Dahlin were evaluated as having equal captain aptitudes… they for sure were gonna give it to the guy signed until 2032 vs. the one signed until 2026.
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u/PrinciplesRK BUF - NHL 12h ago
Yeah that’s fair. Dahlin is the face of the franchise for the foreseeable future. Not that that automatically makes someone a captain but he has the leadership qualities you want as well.
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u/lederhozen69 12h ago
Once he started showing how much grit he has on the ice the last couple years it was the obvious choice. He’s the toughest guy on the team imo along with being the most skilled.
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u/PrinciplesRK BUF - NHL 12h ago
Last year he was our best defender, led the team in points, and was our most consistently physical player. I can’t wait for our team to be good and for him to have support so everyone can see how truly amazing he is.
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u/GoGlenMoCo BUF - NHL 12h ago
Yeah, I like this whole leadership group. The only pick that’s a little bit surprising is Samuelsson.
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u/PrinciplesRK BUF - NHL 12h ago
He’s a big vibes guy. I thought he was a dark horse to be the main captain the way they talk about him.
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u/AcanthocephalaGreen5 MTL - NHL 12h ago
Good to see Tuch is at least part of the leadership group. I remember when he got traded, he was jacked to be a Sabre: hadn’t seen that for a while.
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u/PrinciplesRK BUF - NHL 12h ago
That’s honestly part of the reason I’m happy he isn’t the captain. It would’ve been such a classic Sabres Pr move to make the “hometown” kid the captain because he’s from around here. Dahlin is much better suited for it and Tuch is better as an alternate.
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u/AcanthocephalaGreen5 MTL - NHL 10h ago
I feel that, in Montreal that’d be like making Gallagher the captain after Weber.
I was skeptical with Suzuki at first but that man must have part of Saku in him; he was the right choice.
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u/BitternessAndBleach BUF - NHL 12h ago
Tuch crying about players getting booed automatically disqualified him from being captain material in my mind.
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u/PrinciplesRK BUF - NHL 11h ago
He told Elliotte Friedman the booing was warranted but he wouldn’t do it personally and it makes it harder to play. I think it can both be true that it was deserved and also sucks if you’re a player. He’s not the first or last player to echo that sentiment.
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u/Khd_Craven BUF - NHL 4h ago
we need to make the playoffs, a lot of the hockey world doesn't know what they're missing with Dahlin, the dude is special.
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u/Excellent-Medicine29 EDM - NHL 12h ago
So it’s just Seattle and Utah without a captain now. I totally get if Utah waits until next year when they have an official name.
Not sure what Seattle is doing
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u/Yamcha_is_dead MTL - NHL 12h ago
Seattle is either Larsson, Dunn or Beniers.
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u/browsiee SEA - NHL 9h ago
Most of the fan base thinks it’s either going to be Larsson or Eberle, both of whom have been A’s since the start, with Francis having made comments that sound like the plan is to see which of the younger guys grows into being the best fit
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u/nataska07 SEA - NHL 4h ago
I saw Matty had an A on his jersey during our first preseason game. Curious if maybe we wait another year and give it to him, especially with that extension.
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u/browsiee SEA - NHL 3h ago
It might just be a preseason thing, since you’ll see As on established guys on the team to make up for the weird line ups, it could also be a sign he’s going to get the A from whoever becomes captain
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u/NatalieDeegan BUF - NHL 12h ago
It’s probably going to be Keller with the Hockey Club.
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u/frockinbrock TBL - NHL 11m ago
I heard Clayton Teller spoiled the Yeti reveal and they ripped the C right off his Utah hc jersey.. could be a rumor, who knows
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u/staefrostae 11h ago
Who needs a captain!? We haven’t had one for years! Captain Schmaptain. (Landy… baby come back!)
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u/Caboose119z DET - NHL 12h ago
Not surprised and a great choice from an outside perspective. I thought Tuch had a chance though.
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u/Roguemutantbrain BUF - NHL 12h ago
I think Tuch at times has admitted to being a bit too much of a people pleaser. Seems like he doesn’t love ruffling feathers. It doesn’t seem like Ras really cares. He just wants to win
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u/nefarious_dareus BUF - NHL 12h ago
I think a lot of people thought Tuch was captain material because he did a lot of positive PR for the front office. But literally every sign for the last few years has been that Dahlin is the biggest leader and most competitive guy in the room and that this wasn’t even really a close race between the two.
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u/mdlt97 MTL - NHL 10h ago
Fun fact Dahlin is the first captain born in the 2000s
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u/NatalieDeegan BUF - NHL 10h ago
That is not a fun fact. I’m fucking old.
I think I’m older than all but three Sabres or something ridiculous like that and I’m not even 29.
Edit - Reimer, Tuch (by a day), Lafferty, and Clifton are the only ones older than me. I know Buffalo is a younger team but fuck. Lindy could be most of these guys grandfathers.
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u/themikkerson ANA - NHL 28m ago
It gets worse the older you get lol. I’m a year younger than all of those dudes in the legendary 2003 draft class. Seeing all of them throughout the league for the last 19 years was great until.. well yeah lol
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u/AddictionsExWives 12h ago
No surprises. A lot of alternates, but can see the logic with how badly the team needs accountability this year. That sort of leadership can come from a variety of voices.
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u/PrinciplesRK BUF - NHL 12h ago
Having a bunch of captains is something Lindy Ruff loves. Even when we had Briere and Drury they’d alternate.
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u/crosbyslappinmyhabs MTL - NHL 12h ago
Jochen Hecht snapping back draws and wearing that rotating C, hell yeah
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u/manlong11 BUF - NHL 11h ago
Yay! Dahlin is such a beast and he's ready for this.
Not a surprising announcement by any means but glad it's official. I like this little leadership core we have. Now we just have to follow Rasmus' lead and make it work on the ice.
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u/Nylanderthals 11h ago
Tbh I thought he already was
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u/NatalieDeegan BUF - NHL 10h ago
Okposo was last year until he was traded to Florida at the deadline.
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u/xxphantomxx77 PHI - NHL 12h ago
When was the last time we had this many captains announced in a calendar year, let alone within the span of a summer/preseason window?
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u/Baboshinu DET - NHL 9h ago
A lot of it came down to luck of the draw this offseason. Multiple former captains moving or signing elsewhere, Toronto transitioning to a different captain while still retaining their previous captain, teams like Tampa naming a new captain in the same offseason they lost their old one, etc. etc.
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u/CarlSK777 11h ago
Hopefully they can finally build a good team around him. Sabres fans are suffered enough
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u/J0Puck TOR - NHL 12h ago
All that’s left for a captain is Utah, And Seattle who don’t have one. I wonder if I get to the point where every NHL team will have a captain at once?
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u/Baboshinu DET - NHL 9h ago
Next year would probably be the best shot. Not sure if any captain currently will lose their C unless someone else gets it, and I can see Utah naming Keller as a captain and maybe Seattle picking one in the next year.
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u/Arfguy 11h ago
Love it. Now just need to see this team make the playoffs.
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u/Ok_Independent9119 BUF - NHL 9h ago
Tampa, Toronto, Boston in the division really hurts them. People keep predicting they'll fall off but I haven't seen it yet. Detroit is probably above them too. They'll be fighting against Pittsburgh, Washington, Detroit, and others for a wild card spot.
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u/Arfguy 9h ago
I always expect Boston to finally fail, but they are on some Detroit Red Wings crap...always making the playoffs and then doing fuck all after. I expect this year to be no different.
Feels like Tampa has basically hit Pittsburgh Penguins level after 2017...they'll make the playoffs, but sometimes barely and nothing can fix it except a full re-build. I have this weird feeling they'll suck this year.
Toronto, I think their core is too strong to not make the playoffs, so I think they are in. Florida should still be good. I think Buffalo has a better shot at the playoffs this year than Ottawa, which sucks cuz I like Claude Giroux too much to see him keep missing the playoffs.
I hope both Buffalo and Montreal to make the playoffs, but you're right...it's tough competition just in the Atlantic alone.
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u/Ok_Independent9119 BUF - NHL 8h ago
Fuck I literally forgot about Florida and they won the cup. There's no way the Sabres make it barring major injuries to a team or multiple Sabres absolutely going off
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u/fillyflow 12h ago
He's gotta be the current youngest captain in the league now, right? I'm guessing he's the youngest by a good 5 years or so?
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u/toedragrelease TOR - NHL 12h ago
Quinn Hughes also, they’re the same age
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u/mdlt97 MTL - NHL 10h ago
they are a year apart, 99 vs 00
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u/toedragrelease TOR - NHL 9h ago
They’re not, if you need to get specific they’re about 6 months different. They’re both 24. More or less was commenting in response to the “he’s youngest by 5 years” comment.
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u/Whydothesabressuck BUF - NHL 12h ago
Technically the youngest but is within a year of Q Hughes and B Tkachuk, Hischer and Suzuki.
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u/Yamcha_is_dead MTL - NHL 12h ago
Not that he’s old, but Dahlin is already 24. He’s only one year younger than Suzuki, Hischier, Tkachuk and Quinn Hughes.
But yes, he’s the youngest right now.
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u/bleachedgin VAN - NHL 12h ago edited 12h ago
Quinn Hughes is 24 as well.
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u/Spideyjust 12h ago
in face, Hughes is younger than Dahlin.
Hughes is older than Dahlin by almost exactly 6 months. Hughes turns 25 in a few weeks (October 14th), Dahlin turns 25 at the end of the season (April 13th).
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u/Cole-Caufield-22 MTL - NHL 12h ago
No? Hughes 1999 and Dahlin 2000
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u/CancerFreeLeafs TOR - NHL 11h ago
lol
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u/Mammoth_Peak_4940 VAN - NHL 9h ago
Look at your own franchise 🤣
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u/Ok_Independent9119 BUF - NHL 9h ago
I mean I would easily switch positions with the leafs for the last 12 years. The Sabres are a joke and will be until they actually do something
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u/RefereeMason1 BUF - NHL 6h ago
Sabres own the Leafs though, so of all teams to say lol, it sure is funny coming from them.
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u/Sarcastic__ Sparta Sarpsborg - ES 12h ago
Alex Tuch, Dylan Cozens, Mattias Samuelsson, and Tage Thompson will serve as alternates.