Sports

New NHL ranking shows Rasmus Dahlin's immense value for Buffalo Sabres

Sabre Noise · Jul 22, 2026 14:00 · 4 min read

New NHL ranking shows Rasmus Dahlin's immense value for Buffalo Sabres — Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Rasmus Dahlin has established himself as one of the NHL's best defensemen, and he'll be asked to carry an even bigger offensive load during the 2026-27 season.

There were moments early in the career of Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin, mostly during his third NHL season when he finished with just 23 points and a minus-36 rating, when it looked like he'd never become a true franchise cornerstone.

Those concerns are now firmly in the rearview mirror for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NHL Draft.

Dahlin is coming off an outstanding 2025-26 campaign where he posted 74 points (19 goals and 55 assists) across 77 appearances while helping lead the Sabres to their first berth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs since 2011. He was a finalist for both the Norris Trophy and the Masterson Trophy.

On Wednesday, Dom Luszczyszyn of The Athletic selected Buffalo's three-time All-Star as one of the league's best contracts, coming in at No. 9 in the annual ranking.

"If Dahlin were to hit UFA this summer, it wouldn't be difficult to imagine him commanding something close to [Kirill] Kaprizov's current AAV ($17 million)," Luszczyszyn wrote. "It's in line with what Cale Makar and Quinn Hughes will no doubt ask for, and he's risen into that company. That he's signed for six more seasons at just $11 million is a huge discount for Buffalo."

The NHL analytics writer projects there's a 95% chance Dahlin's on-ice performance outperforms his current contract, and estimates he'll deliver $37 million in overall surplus value.

That's important for a Sabres organization that faced a salary-cap crunch early this summer, and also has young players like Jack Quinn, Noah Ostlund, Jiri Kulich and Konsta Helenius who are going to need new contracts in the coming years.

Dahlin, based on current market conditions, is saving the Blue and Gold about $6 million per year, which is the equivalent to a pretty strong secondary contributor.

That extra cap space will come in handy as Buffalo attempt to emerge as a legitimate Stanley Cup threat out of an absolutely loaded Atlantic Division over the next few years.

Rasmus Dahlin may carry an even larger offensive burden for the Sabres in 2026-27

Dahlin was a first-pairing defenseman and No. 1 power-play quarterback for Buffalo last season, but he finished a modest 20th in the NHL in average time on ice (24:11 per game). He played 3.5 minutes less per contest than league leader Quinn Hughes of the Minnesota Wild.

A lot of that was due to the Sabres' well-rounded top-four defense group, which also featured breakout star Mattias Samuelsson, fellow No. 1 overall pick Owen Power and Bowen Byram, who was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks ahead of the 2026 NHL Draft.

Byram's departure leaves some uncertainty about whether the Blue and Gold will be able to replicate their puck-moving and offensive-zone success by their defensemen next season.

It's no guarantee Samuelsson, whose previous career-high point total was 14, will be able to post over 40 points again and Power hasn't taken a leap forward offensively yet. They acquired Olen Zellweger, but it's unclear if he's ready for the high-volume role Byram handled in Buffalo.

So, there will probably be situations, especially late in close games, where Dahlin is asked to play an even bigger role. It could move him closer to the 25-plus minutes per game most of the league's other top blueliners see on a nightly basis.

As it stands, here's how the Sabres' defense pairs are shaping up, though there are a few caveats:

Left Defense	Right Defense
Mattias Samuelsson	Rasmus Dahlin
Owen Power	Conor Timmins
Olen Zellweger	Louis Crevier

Dennis Gilbert and Zach Metsa will compete in training camp for the No. 7 defenseman reserve role.

Buffalo isn't likely to use three standard pairs for the entirety of games, though. The spot next to Power will likely be a rotation. Conor Timmins may get the first crack in defensive situations, though the club probably hopes the newly acquired Louis Crevier can grow into that role. Zellweger will then join Power on the ice in more offensively focused moments.

It's the best way for the Sabres to replace Byram in the aggregate while waiting to see whether Zellweger or Crevier can emerge as a true top-four option. Daxon Rudolph, the No. 4 selection in the 2026 draft, may arrive to Western New York as early as 2027 to join the conversation.

Ultimately, Buffalo is still in a strong position in terms of its organizational depth chart on the blue line, but there may be some extra pressure on Dahlin's shoulders to carry the load next season.