What has happened to Rasmus Dahlin?

[nfreeman]

OK, so there are slumps, and there are injuries, but Dahln is 24 and this stretch of 7 games -- almost 10% of an NHL season -- is by far the worst he's ever played. 

From the Athletic after the win over Chicago, to which Dahlin contributed zero:

Quote

Dahlin only has 2 points through seven games and is the quarterback of the team’s league-worst power play. The Blackhawks also had almost 90 percent of the expected goals when Dahlin was on the ice at five-on-five, according to Natural Stat Trick. The Sabres were outshot 15-6 when Dahlin was on the ice. Buffalo needs its captain to be a lot better.

 

He's gone from "the next Bobby Orr" to "15% better than Bryson."  WTF is going on?

 

[PerreaultForever]

There are many possible explanations. Doesn't like the demands Ruff is making of them maybe? That could hold for several of them. We might have a bunch of Pierre Luc DuBois types. Hard to say. 

I can't help but think though that things have gone on so long that these guys watch everyone who leaves winning cups and doing great and they think, can't wait to get traded. wtfk.

[Kristian]

Curse of the “C”.

[triumph_communes]

He’s been asked to carry the load of 1D with Jokiharju as his partner when Jokiharju was a player many were willing to kick off the roster last year 

 

plus he’s hurt 

Edited October 21 by triumph_communes

[French Collection]

22 minutes ago, triumph_communes said:

He’s been asked to carry the load of 1D with Jokiharju as his partner when Jokiharju was a player many were willing to kick off the roster last year 

 

plus he’s hurt 

Jokiharju looks better than Dahlin at the moment.

I went with injury, no way he goes from all-star to this level in a few months. He’s not skating properly, barely shooting and his passing has no zip.

[Night Train]

Signs new deal. Press the cruise control button. Business decisions.  

[Idemo Buffalo]

Dahlin is the Sabres version of Josh Allen. When elite players have a rough couple weeks everyone asks what is wrong. It is almost always injury related.  They don't magically lose their talent overnight. Guys like Allen and Dahlin play through some serious injuries. Dahlin and Allen have both looked much better over the last couple games.  I think Dahlin will benefit a ton from being home for 2 weeks and getting the rest the team has not gotten due to the overseas trip.

[JohnC]

Dahlin's play is a shadow of what it was not long ago. I'm starting to have suspicions that he is hurt. Compared to how freewheeling he used to play, he seems to be unable to cut it loose and make plays. Maybe he is having difficulty adapting to Lindy's tighter approach to playing defense, resulting in him thinking too much rather than reacting? We should get a better sense of what the problem is, if there is a problem, after a few more games. I suspect he is dealing with an injury that is inhibiting his play. 

[JoeSchmoe]

His 5 on 5 expected goal % 58.5. That's really good... Means he's playing strong defensively and creating chances

Problem is #1 D get a lot of their points on the PP, and we all know that's going.

[kas23]

People keep saying he has an injury. Is there anything documented to support this? Did you strain his arm lifting a beer in Cabo?

[Pimlach]

39 minutes ago, kas23 said:

People keep saying he has an injury. Is there anything documented to support this? Did you strain his arm lifting a beer in Cabo?

He was injured in camp and in preseason games. 
 

He looks injured to me.  He is playing at half speed. 

Edited October 21 by Pimlach

[#freejame]

Rasmus Dahlin is very good at puck skills and lateral movement on the offensive blue line. Those are flashy plays and require a ton of confidence in your ability to not mess up. That’s why he was drafted 1st, because if you have that and the rest of your skills develop, you’re going to be very, very good. Dahlin hasn’t developed new skills since being drafted. That isn’t to say he hasn’t improved (he has) but he hasn’t become dynamic in other aspects of the game. 

[bg17]

6 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

There are many possible explanations. Doesn't like the demands Ruff is making of them maybe? That could hold for several of them. We might have a bunch of Pierre Luc DuBois types. Hard to say. 

I can't help but think though that things have gone on so long that these guys watch everyone who leaves winning cups and doing great and they think, can't wait to get traded. wtfk.

Of all the possible explanations does this make the most sense to you?

[inkman]

1 hour ago, Idemo Buffalo said:

Dahlin is the Sabres version of Josh Allen. When elite players have a rough couple weeks everyone asks what is wrong. It is almost always injury related.  They don't magically lose their talent overnight. Guys like Allen and Dahlin play through some serious injuries. Dahlin and Allen have both looked much better over the last couple games.  I think Dahlin will benefit a ton from being home for 2 weeks and getting the rest the team has not gotten due to the overseas trip.

Josh Allen is a superstar top 3 at his position in the midst of a HoF career.  Dahlin isn’t even the best defenseman on his own team. 

[Pimlach]

15 minutes ago, inkman said:

Josh Allen is a superstar top 3 at his position in the midst of a HoF career.  Dahlin isn’t even the best defenseman on his own team. 

Who is the best defenseman on the Sabres if not Dahlin?   

[#freejame]

7 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

Who is the best defenseman on the Sabres if not Dahlin?   

This year I think Byram has been our most solid. It would take several seasons at a higher level than now to fetch more than Dahlin in a trade though. 

[Mustache of God]

I have to believe the injury he had on day 1 of camp is lingering and is a big factor in what we're seeing of him on the ice. It's clear somethings not right.

If I'm the coaches I take him off #1 PP unit for now, anything for a spark.

[Pimlach]

6 minutes ago, #freejame said:

This year I think Byram has been our most solid. It would take several seasons at a higher level than now to fetch more than Dahlin in a trade though. 

I can't believe this is even a discussion.  

You can see that Dahlin is skating with his back and shoulders way too upright.  He has no bend, and it seems to translate to less power and explosiveness. 

I think he is playing hurt.  Happens all the time.  

 

[mjd1001]

33 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

I can't believe this is even a discussion.  

You can see that Dahlin is skating with his back and shoulders way too upright.  He has no bend, and it seems to translate to less power and explosiveness. 

I think he is playing hurt.  Happens all the time.  

 

I haven't watched his style of skating, but I still think its injury related:

1.)  He got an injury in camp. That happened. Those thing can get 'better' but 'linger' for some time.

2.) He simply isn't moving that well. And I don't mean...he had a bad game he must not be moving that well. I mean when you watch him, he LITERALLY is not moving side to side as much, he's not shifting his stick as much when he is carrying the puck. All of that is true compared to last year. I don't think that just happens when you are named Captain and can't handle the stress.

Stats back this up. 2 His 'hardest shot' (which would be impacted by a back or abdominal or groin injury for sure), 2 years ago it was 98.2mph. Last year it was 100.7. This year only 85.2. that is a big difference.

[sabremike]

I have no idea how anyone can fail to see he is playing hurt. It's fascinating that some people can't pick up on something so obvious.

[Weave]

10 minutes ago, sabremike said:

I have no idea how anyone can fail to see he is playing hurt. It's fascinating that some people can't pick up on something so obvious.

What I find fascinating is the coaching staff preferring to keep a presumably hurt player on the top pair, and on the #1 PP unit despite his obvious lack of performance.  
 

Maybe he’s not hurt and the coach is trying to let him play his way back into form.

Or maybe he is hurt and the coach won’t switch in a better performing player.

Regardless, neither is a good look in a supposed playoffs or bust season.

[mjd1001]

25 minutes ago, Weave said:

What I find fascinating is the coaching staff preferring to keep a presumably hurt player on the top pair, and on the #1 PP unit despite his obvious lack of performance.  
 

Maybe he’s not hurt and the coach is trying to let him play his way back into form.

Or maybe he is hurt and the coach won’t switch in a better performing player.

Regardless, neither is a good look in a supposed playoffs or bust season.

If he has an injury, it may be BECAUSE this is a 'playoffs or bust' season that they keep playing him those minutes:

1.) They may think Dahlin at 85% is still better than most other guys who are playing at 95%-100%

2.) The injury he has may not heal any better with less minutes, maybe its one of those things that the only way to get him back to 100% is to not play him at all. He would need to rest for 2-3 weeks (no play, no practice) to not re-aggravate what he has (as many of us know with many strains and pulls, that is how it works)

3.) if #2 above IS true, then it takes you back to #1.

 

[SwampD]

6 hours ago, Kristian said:

Curse of the “C”.

Our Cs do get traded.

47 minutes ago, sabremike said:

I have no idea how anyone can fail to see he is playing hurt. It's fascinating that some people can't pick up on something so obvious.

Injured or not, His issues look exactly the same as before he got "injured". When he stands up tall and looks real pretty, he makes a mistake. when his knees are bent and he is down low digging, he's unbeatable. Someone needs to remind him of the old saw, "bend your knees as low as you can go, your half way there."

It worked for Mittelstadt. Once he stopped getting knocked down, he became really good along the boards.

[#freejame]

1 hour ago, Pimlach said:

I can't believe this is even a discussion.  

You can see that Dahlin is skating with his back and shoulders way too upright.  He has no bend, and it seems to translate to less power and explosiveness. 

I think he is playing hurt.  Happens all the time.  

 

I’m confused what you can’t believe. If Dahlin is hurt then it makes sense why Byram has been more solid. If it’s the trade part, then I’m more confused because I’m not sure how any GM would take one season of Byram better than Dahlin over their career body of work. It wouldn’t surprise me if Dahlin is our best dman at the end of the season, but that’s not how I read your question. Could be on me. 

Edited October 21 by #freejame

[Idemo Buffalo]

2 hours ago, inkman said:

Josh Allen is a superstar top 3 at his position in the midst of a HoF career.  Dahlin isn’t even the best defenseman on his own team. 

lol.  Dahlin is the best player on the Sabres, by a mile.