Dahlin - It’s time to take a stand

[Pimlach]

I don’t start many threads, at the risk of sounding like an old man, I think this needs to be said and it can be a discussion.  
 

Until Rasmus Dahlin decides he has taken enough crap, he is going to continue to get throttled, miss minutes, and inevitably lose confidence.  
 

I saw Marchand get his stick up on him early in the game. Then late in the third, they were going for a loose puck in the corner, and Marchand took his hand off his stick and slammed him into the boards with delight, before Marchand left the ice.   Dahlin did not have a good game in NJ.  Back to back games or not, we need him to be better.  
 

I am tired of seeing him get blasted and then do nothing.  Last year in a big win against Philly he was crosschecked in the mouth.  The next game he was terrible and we lost to the same team.  The Lightning take liberties with him all the time.  We don’t have a team that stands up, so he needs to do it for himself.   He is now big enough and strong enough to fight back.  If he ever does decide to set a different tone he will get more room to play his game.  

[bunomatic]

But, this league has changed. Lol

[Pimlach]

Yes, the league changed.  Now guys like Marchand can do what they want.  

[bunomatic]

Just now, Pimlach said:

Yes, the league changed.  Now guys like Marchand can do what they want.  

Exactly. If people don’t think this is still a league of intimidation they aren’t watching the games. So you draft players with skill who are capable of looking after themselves not shrinking violets. Not picking on Dahlin here. He will eventually figure it out. 

[Sabres Fan in NS]

Ummm ...

Rasmus will be fine.  He is still a boy.

I think the better idea is to have someone else do the same to the likes of Marchand and not burden Rasmus with that nonsense.

Rasmus will be fine.

[ubkev]

You either have it or you don't.

[Pimlach]

27 minutes ago, The Ghost of Doohickie said:

Ummm ...

Rasmus will be fine.  He is still a boy.

I think the better idea is to have someone else do the same to the likes of Marchand and not burden Rasmus with that nonsense.

Rasmus will be fine.

He is not a boy anymore. This is year 4.  He is 6’3” and pushing 210 pounds.  

I want him to be fine.  I want him to help himself.  This crap has been going on too long.  
 

See last year.   

 

 

[Zamboni]

If the player is not built that way… They are not going to play the way you expect them to.

Tyler Myers could’ve been as physical as prime Chara… And dominate. He’s just not built that way. He’s not a physical player in the way Chara was. Granted Dahlin needs to stick up for himself a little more… But I don’t think he’s ever going to be a physical specimen that is knocking people into the boards heavily. He’s more of a finesse than physical. That’s what we have in Dahlin. 

[Pimlach]

5 minutes ago, Zamboni said:

If the player is not built that way… They are not going to play the way you expect them to.

Tyler Myers could’ve been as physical as prime Chara… And dominate. He’s just not built that way. He’s not a physical player in the way Chara was. Granted Dahlin needs to stick up for himself a little more… But I don’t think he’s ever going to be a physical specimen that is knocking people into the boards heavily. He’s more of a finesse than physical. That’s what we have in Dahlin. 

 I don’t expect him to drastically change.  I think he needs to defend himself and he will get the room he needs be great.  
 

1970 - Perreault was a rookie, started at 18 years old.  He was getting pushed around. Dan Maloney pushed very hard on him in the back.  Gil clocked him and broke his nose.  Gil had room to play after that.  He never fought again, but he was big enough to not be ambushed or checked in the face.   There were guys like Marchand on every team.  Even worse. 
 

All I want to see is Dahlin make that statement and then be able to play his game.  
 

[LabattBlue]

I know miracles can occur, but between his mediocre skating, and play in the d-zone, my expectations for Dahlin are not very high.   Is he still not killing penalties?

[LGR4GM]

6 minutes ago, LabattBlue said:

I know miracles can occur, but between his mediocre skating, and play in the d-zone, my expectations for Dahlin are not very high.   Is he still not killing penalties?

Mediocre skating? 

Lol lol lol lol lol

Lol

Hahaha

That's just not true

[Archie Lee]

29 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

He is not a boy anymore. This is year 4.  He is 6’3” and pushing 210 pounds.  

I want him to be fine.  I want him to help himself.  This crap has been going on too long.  
 

See last year.   

 

 

Dahlin can be sneaky dirty at times.  The video posted here shows it.  That scrum started with Dahlin cross-checking both Pastrnak and Marchand. He throws the occasional reverse body check as well.

I thought that game last year had showed he was ready to cross the line and fend for himself.  I was a little disappointed in the recent Boston game when he allowed Marchand to own him a couple of times and never responded.  I wonder if the puck to the mouth the game before had an impact; he may not have wanted to get punched in the mouth if his mouth was already sore.

On a side note, it is hard not to like Tokarski.  I forgot how he jumped in on that and how Pastrnak backed down as soon as it looked like he might get a blocker in the face.  

 

[Pimlach]

25 minutes ago, LabattBlue said:

I know miracles can occur, but between his mediocre skating, and play in the d-zone, my expectations for Dahlin are not very high.   Is he still not killing penalties?

I see skating, puck control, and passing as a strength.  He excels in these areas.   I want him to shoot more too.  Handling the rough stuff is his Achilles heel still.

Edited October 24, 2021 by Pimlach

[Digger]

@Pimlach yes that's a great observation and I agree a good discussion point.  It would be nice to see him show some more passion with fighting back when he gets abused on the ice.  I imagine that he tries pretty hard to not show his frustration or to take a bad retaliation penalty in response.  I do wonder if he would play better with a more physical D partner.  Not necessarily to fight his fights but really to help give him some more confidence to push back and know that he has a D partner that will step in and help if things escalate (example Pastrnak and Marchant clip shown above in the thread).  He did look good with Borgen last season for the few games they played together.  Could try him with Mathias Samuelson but I'm not sure he's ready for the minutes that Dahlin plays yet.

It's always been the case with skills guys to figure out how to get them off their game.  The Bruins know what they are doing when they target him.  How do the Sabres respond and how does Dahlin adapt?

[Pimlach]

5 minutes ago, Digger said:

@Pimlach yes that's a great observation and I agree a good discussion point.  It would be nice to see him show some more passion with fighting back when he gets abused on the ice.  I imagine that he tries pretty hard to not show his frustration or to take a bad retaliation penalty in response.  I do wonder if he would play better with a more physical D partner.  Not necessarily to fight his fights but really to help give him some more confidence to push back and know that he has a D partner that will step in and help if things escalate (example Pastrnak and Marchant clip shown above in the thread).  He did look good with Borgen last season for the few games they played together.  Could try him with Mathias Samuelson but I'm not sure he's ready for the minutes that Dahlin plays yet.

It's always been the case with skills guys to figure out how to get them off their game.  The Bruins know what they are doing when they target him.  How do the Sabres respond and how does Dahlin adapt?

You get my point.  The Bruins and Lightning, teams in our division, need to be countered when they do this.   It must stop if we ever make ground in our division.  
 

Ideally you pair him with a physical guy with skills, but we don’t have one that is worthy of Dahlin minutes.   Not yet anyway. 

Edited October 24, 2021 by Pimlach

[LabattBlue]

4 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

I see skating, puck control, and passing as a strength.  He excels in these areas.   I want him to shoot more too.  Handling the rough stuff is his Achilles heel still.

I still think his acceleration from a stop or gliding needs work.  It takes him more than a few strides to get going.   That being said, I have watched very little this year, maybe he has improved in this regard 

[Broken Ankles]

6 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

I see skating, puck control, and passing as a strength.  He excels in these areas.   I want him to shoot more too.  Handling the rough stuff is his Achilles heel still.

Shoot more?  He needs to be able to get pucks through before he increases his attempts.  Too often blocked. 

[Pimlach]

Just now, Broken Ankles said:

Shoot more?  He needs to be able to get pucks through before he increases his attempts.  Too often blocked. 

Yes shoot more.  We lack scorers/finisher.  Yesterday he passed up shots to look for others.   We didn’t test their goalie nearly enough.  

[dudacek]

Would I like him to make other players afraid? Sure. Would I like having a Brad May around to make the Marchand’s pay? Sure.

But I dont see a significant problem here. So far this season, Dahlin has not bailed out or played scared in the face of thuggery. On the contrary, he’s pushed back, kept skating, kept moving the puck and kept being good on stopping rushes and elite in transition.

He’s been the  Sabres best player.

[Pimlach]

3 minutes ago, LabattBlue said:

I still think his acceleration from a stop or gliding needs work.  It takes him more than a few strides to get going.   That being said, I have watched very little this year, maybe he has improved in this regard 

I’ll be watching for this and I ask you to watch closer as well.   I see that he skates effortlessly and he accelerates without much effort at all.  You don’t usually see him doing what we used to call “digging” like when I tried to play (a slight squat, head lowered a bit,  and arms pumping).  He is a natural skater, fluid, and he can change directions with ease.  

[darksabre]

Dahlin is playing the best hockey of his career so far this season. Everyone go get some fresh air.

[Pimlach]

8 minutes ago, dudacek said:

Would I like him to make other players afraid? Sure. Would I like having a Brad May around to make the Marchand’s pay? Sure.

But I dont see a significant problem here. So far this season, Dahlin has not bailed out or played scared in the face of thuggery. On the contrary, he’s pushed back, kept skating, kept moving the puck and kept being good on stopping rushes and elite in transition.

He’s been the  Sabres best player.

Hard to argue with most of it.  Seeing that Bruins game, and that little Toucan run him just bothers me.  

[Pimlach]

2 minutes ago, darksabre said:

Dahlin is playing the best hockey of his career so far this season. Everyone go get some fresh air.

OK.  Tampa on Monday.  After these last two “lesser games”, let’s see him play his best game for the home town crowd.  

[nfreeman]

13 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

I’ll be watching for this and I ask you to watch closer as well.   I see that he skates effortlessly and he accelerates without much effort at all.  You don’t usually see him doing what we used to call “digging” like when I tried to play (a slight squat, head lowered a bit,  and arms pumping).  He is a natural skater, fluid, and he can change directions with ease.  

I generally agree with this, but I also think Dahlin's top speed is a bit lower than I would like and is clearly lower than guys like Makar and Hughes.

[Zamboni]

Are people mixing “good smooth skater” with “fast speedy skater”?

 

It seems it ….