Rasmus Dahlin made his feelings about Buffalo clear when asked about his contract situation at the start of training camp last month.
“I love the city. I love the team. I love everything,” Dahlen said.
The Sabers solidified his future with the organization on Monday. Dallin signed an eight-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $11 million, starting in the 2024-25 season.
Dahlin, 23, joins forwards Taj Thompson and Dylan Cousins and defenseman Mattias Samuelsson — who have all signed seven-year contracts — as key members of the Sabers who have signed long-term extensions since the start of last season.
Dahlen enjoyed a career year in 2022-23 while serving as an alternate captain for the first time. He tied for fifth among NHL defensemen with 73 points, the third-highest mark by a defenseman in Sabres history. He ranked fourth among all NHL players in ice time despite missing four games.
His offensive skill — the trademark that helped earn him the No. 1 pick in the 2018 NHL Draft — was matched by his defensive tenacity. He led the Sabers in blocked shots and ranked second on the team in blocked shots. His competitiveness was praised by his teammates as a tone-setting quality.
“Alcohol enthusiast. Twitter ninja. Tv lover. Falls down a lot. Hipster-friendly coffee geek.”