Rasmus Dahlin dominates for Buffalo Sabres in prospect game debut

Rasmus Dahlin lived up to the hype in his first appearance as a Buffalo Sabre, posting two goals and a bone-crunching hit to put the hype at an all-time high.

Is it too early to say that Rasmus Dahlin is going to be a superstar in the NHL? Yes? Nevertheless, the 2018 first overall pick looked sensation in his first outing as a Buffalo Sabres at the Prospects Challenge, one of the several preseason rookie tournaments happening around the league.

The 18-year-old rookie recorded two goals and an assist in Fridays 6-4 win against the New Jersey Devils, along with a bone-crunching hit early on that set the tone for the game.

Dahlin’s presence alone had the venue sold out for a game that hardly receives any attention, and he brought that crowd to their feet with a magnificent hit against Ryan Schmelzer in the first period. While Dahlin’s pure skill and hockey IQ receive all the attention, his physical prowess should be feared as well.

Dahlin, later in the game, Dahlin continued to be the best player on the ice and buried his first goal of the game and his first point in a Sabres uniform with a shot that goes off a Devil and into the net.

Dahlin didn’t stop there, however, and he followed up with his second of the night on the rebound after an amazing zone entry pass, showing casing his incredible awareness and IQ to be in the right spots every moment

To top off his night, Dahlin recorded his third point of the game with a breakout pass to Tage Thompson after a great defensive play to start a chance the other way.

Now obviously a prospects game before the preseason even starts is not a fair evaluation of a prospect’s future, and Dahlin did make his share of mistakes during the game like everybody else did, but these are the games that Dahlin is supposed to dominate in and he did, and then some. He exceeded expectations when it didn’t matter if he even met those expectations. Regardless of his competition, you better believe that this kid is going to be something special.

After last years 62 point season, the Buffalo Sabres have hope well on the way for the upcoming year with one of the most exciting young lineups in the league. With Jack Eichel leading the way, he’s now supported by future star Dahlin, Casey Mittelstadt, Alex Nylander, and Sam Reinhart. When you add the addition of Jeff Skinner, you’re looking at a team that is bound to break the door off of the league basement and make some noise.