Rasmus Dahlin Named Buffalo Sabres Captain

The Buffalo Sabres announced Thursday that defenseman Rasmus Dahlin is the team’s new captain. He was the favorite to assume the captaincy since the Sabres traded former captain Kyle Okposo at the trade deadline. Dahlin becomes the 33rd player in Sabres history to don the “C” on his jersey, following the likes of Gilbert Perreault, Pat LaFontaine, Chris Drury, Daniel Briere, and current head coach Lindy Ruff.

Alex Tuch, Dylan Cozens, Mattias Samuelsson, and Tage Thompson will serve as alternate captains on a rotational basis per the team. In the past, Ruff has liked to deem “home” and “away” captains, which will likely be the case this season.

When asked how much thought he has given to potentially being named captain, Dahlin dismissed the notion. “I just try to be myself, try to work as hard as I can,” Dahlin said Tuesday. “We’re a bunch of great guys in the locker room. A lot of guys can be captains, so I haven’t focused on that at all.”

Dahlin not only has leadership qualities on the ice, but he is the center of team activities off of it as well. In July, he organized a private get-together for teammates and other hockey players in Switzerland. He referred to it as “summer camp”, with workouts, team activities, and a little fun mixed in.

“I wanted a good summer,” Dahlin said. “I wanted to work really hard, and I found some ice down in Lausanne, and I wanted good players. So it was an easy choice to ask my teammates.”

The summer camp is one example of how much influence and respect Dahlin garners from his teammates. He’s not the most outspoken player on the team, but, when he speaks, everyone listens.

Related: Former Sabres Captain Announces Retirement From NHL

Dahlin Wins Sabres Captain Fan Vote

In a fan vote earlier this month, 67% would’ve chosen Dahlin as captain. Cozens (17%), Tuch (8%), and Thompson (8%) also received votes for the captaincy. The fan vote also requested Tuch the most as an alternate captain at 75%. Cozens (42%), Thompson (42%), and Dahlin (25%) also received the secondary votes.

Mattias Samuelsson did not receive votes in the poll, although the structure only allowed two alternates to be named, not four. The vote closely mirrors the actual results of the Sabres captaincy, suggesting that Sabres fans should be pleased with the outcome.