BUFFALO, NY. (WKBW) — Rasmus Dahlin has become a leader inside this Sabres locker room not because of his status as one of the best defenseman in the NHL. But because of the way he carries himself on and off the ice.
“He 100% is the big time leader in this room. Everyday on the ice he’s the first one working on stuff, doing little drills," says fellow defenseman Mattias Samuelsson. "If you see the best defenseman in the world going out there and doing extra, makes you think you should be out there too.”
"As a goalie I see the whole play behind him. So I should be seeing more than he sees. But he happens to find a play that wasn’t there a second ago,” rookie goaltender Devon Levi added.
Dahlin’s plans for the offseason include going back to Sweden and working on getting even better for next season. But knowing there was so much left on the table, just added fuel to his fire.
“It still bugs me. We’re so close and I know this team can play in a playoff series. I don’t want to go home to Sweden. I want to be in Buffalo playing for a (Stanley) Cup," Dahlin told reporters during locker room cleanout.
One thing that’s helped Dahlin grow the most as a leader is feeling like he can be himself and not have the weight of the franchise on his shoulders.
"More than anything as a leader he’s become so comfortable in the room and being himself," friend and teammate Casey Mittelstadt said. "I don’t think he gets enough credit for how good of a guy he is in the room. And how he cares about this team.
