There was an open competition for Captain. Dahlin has been being vetted/groomed for years. He is the face of the Sabres and by all accounts the Sabres best player. Unless traded, which is not likely, he will be in Buffalo through 2032. He leads by example. The Sabres don't need a "loud" captain. They have a coach that does that. If you are questioning the leadership of a person after 12 games, you probably don't understand leadership.