Dahlin signs 8-year, $88 million contract with Sabres
Defenseman had NHL career-high 73 points last season; deal starts in 2024-25
https://www.nhl.com/news/rasmus-dahlin-signs-8-year-deal-with-buffalo
Rasmus Dahlin signed an eight-year, $88 million contract with the Buffalo Sabres on Monday. The contract, which has an average annual value of $11 million, begins next season. The 23-year-old defenseman is entering his sixth NHL season. The No. 1 pick in the 2018 NHL Draft had an NHL career-high 73 points (15 goals, 58 assists) in 78 games for Buffalo last season. "I know I'm biased, but I look at him as one of the top in the world at what he does," Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams said of Dahlin last season. "He's taken huge steps. I couldn't be more proud of him, but I also know how much work he's put into this. I still think he's going to get better. You hear me say that a lot. He's a player I believe will keep getting better."
A native of Lidkoping, Sweden, Dahlin has 233 points (46 goals, 187 assists) in 355 games through his first five seasons. He is one of 12 defensemen to get 200 points in the NHL prior to his 23rd birthday. "He's so competitive," Sabres captain Kyle Okposo said. "That's probably his best leadership quality, how competitive he is. He just wants to win all the time. He wants to be the best. He wants to be on the ice in every situation. He's been incredible." Dahlin is a key member of a young, talented core in Buffalo, which also includes forwards Tage Thompson, 25, Dylan Cozens, 22, Casey Mittelstadt, 24, Jack Quinn, 22, and JJ Peterka, 21, and defenseman Owen Power, 20.
Buffalo was fifth in the Atlantic Division last season (42-33-7) and finished one point behind the Florida Panthers for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference. The Sabres host the New York Rangers (7 p.m. ET, MSG-B, MSG, SN360) at KeyBank Center on Thursday to open the 2023-24 season. "I love the city. I love the team. I love everything," Dahlin said at the start of training camp. "It's important that Buffalo is [represented]. We're gaining some respect now. ... It's awesome to represent my club."