Sabres Captain Rasmus Dahlin on Sabres Improvement | The Jeremy and Joe Show

Sabres Captain Rasmus Dahlin on Sabres Improvement | The Jeremy and Joe Show

Sabres play tonight. They’re home for a game with the Utah Mammoth. It is also NFL trade deadline day. We’re tracking the latest rumblings, rumors, all that. And uh 4:00 today. We’ll see if the Bills make any moves. They did make some uh financial stuff to wiggle get some wiggle room with a restructuring of Taran Johnson’s deal. So they created a little more space. Many think uh of course that’ll lead to a trade or that’s a precursor to some sort of trade. So we’ll keep you updated on that. But for the Sabres tonight, a face off at Key Bank Center against the Utah Mammoth. And joining us on the Wester hotline is Sabres captain Rasmus Dalene ahead of the game. Rasmus, good morning. It’s Jeremy and Joe. Thanks for uh taking some time here on a game day. Good morning. Yeah, of course. We were talking last segment kind of looking at the Eastern Conference standings and I don’t know how how much you’re doing that or you guys are doing that, but uh the whole thing kind of looks like the season is uh barely started. We haven’t seen teams really separate at this point. And for you guys, eight points in nine games has meant that you’re uh you know, you’d like to maybe be a little higher, but you’re right in the thick of it because the East is still, I guess, mostly just the thick of it. Yeah, it’s a it’s a very tight division. Uh I think it’s going to be that way all year. So, uh every point matter right now and it’s it’s fun. Uh it’s it’s tight. What is it like to get the overtime losses? I mean, this format is not new, Rasmus, but when you you know, they they go on the standings as losses, but the points do matter just the same. How is it when there are a bunch of those in a row? Yeah, I mean, obviously you want to win those. Uh but to to get a point out of those games, it’s it’s very important, too, because one point matters so much in this league. Uh you remember a couple years back, we lost uh we we lost by one point to get in the playoffs. So, every single point matter. Uh, obviously you want to win those games, but like I said, one point matters. Yeah. Do you feel like I mean, it’s kind of coincidentally we’re talking after four straight overtime games. So, maybe you feel like this is true, but do you feel like the way you guys play now, there’s going to be tighter games. You’re going to stay in games more and there could be more overtime games this year than maybe you’ve seen in the past. I think so. Uh, we play a more solid game. Uh we have a defense defense first type mentality this year and um we don’t take any chances really. So uh you know we’re we’re happy to to win a game with the 2-1 32 you know games like that. Um that’s the type of games I think you guys will see this year if there are more overtime games. By the way, do do you do you or players like like playing threeon-ree overtime? Is it more stressful? Do you feel like as a skilled player it’s good for you? like how do you how do you think about it? Um I like it. Uh you have a lot of t time and space but uh the league has evolved too. So uh you kind of know how how to play three and three as a def as a as defense and it it’s not easy out there. It’s uh there’s a car honking at me, so I got uh No, but yeah, it’s uh it’s tight, too, but it’s fun. I mean, if you make one mistake, it’s it’s in the back of the net. So, um it matters a lot. Do let’s just speak on that overtime. If you make a mistake, it’s why we see teams play so much possession, right, in overtime, and it’s almost like it kind of becomes like lacrosse, passing it around and making sure you don’t give up the ball. Um, is it do you feel like that is I don’t know. Is that a positive evolution of what’s happened to overtime? Uh, I mean, it’s not really exciting to see for the fans, but that’s that’s how it is right now. And guys are smart on the ice. So, you got to keep the puck and not try try to go too much one-on-one. Um, you know, it’s like I said, it’s it’s tight. It’s uh you got to do what you got to do. Yeah. How about your game right now, Rasmus? I mean, you’ve been in the league for quite some time. Um, personal goals this year. Did you coming into this year, was there anything you had on your your personal plate or is it more just about, you know, whatever it takes to get this team to finally get into the playoffs? Yeah. Um, honestly, uh, my game I I don’t really, obviously, I want to become the best. I want I’m not satisfied till I’m number one. Um, but here and now, I all I want is to get to the playoffs. That’s That’s all it is right now. You say you want to be like number one, your game at your best. Where do you feel it is right now? Um I got I got I got way more to give. I uh I got more in me for sure. Rasmus Dalene with us. You you spoke a little bit about how the team’s been playing this year so far. It is kind of funny that the standings I mean you still are again like right in the pack. I feel like fans are mostly happy with the way that the team has looked. Again, like the drought and not making the playoffs so long, people can be on edge. Do you feel like you’re seeing a team that maybe fans are that like, okay, this is going to be it could be close, but that that you see a team that’ll be in the mix all the way to the very end. Yeah, for sure. Um, I do think so, for sure. We uh we have been taking steps since since the past, I don’t know, three three years here. uh or more honestly. Uh so I think we we are in a better position and we are a better team. Um and we play a more of a a solid game. Uh we know we know what NHL is about now. We’re we’re older mentally. Um and we kind of know what it takes. One thing that has been better this year so far is the power play. At least the results have looked better. Did you guys change anything from the last two seasons to this year? Is there anything that comes to your mind for why the goals are going in more this season? Yeah. Uh, we’ve been working hard with the power play. Uh, there’s some things we have tweaked. Um, but I think it’s the easy fundamentals we’ve got better at. We um we win 50/50 battles, we get pucks back and uh we win the rebounds and uh it’s it’s those little things that adds up. How much of that’s Benson and Don? I’m not sure those were two players people were expecting to play big roles on the power play, but you mentioned puck retrievalss and I immediately thought of them. Yeah, the you you you got it. Th those two guys are unbelievable at that and uh they are a huge part of their success on that power play. Are those guys beyond just the power play? It feels like Rasp is watching this team. There’s a little bit of an infusion of um I don’t know, a little bit more feisty play up and down the lineup. Yeah, I’d say so. Uh we we take pride in that too. We talked a lot about it uh coming into this season that um we have a word for it. We call it grab a guy. So, um you know, you got to do what you got to do. You said you call it grab a guy. Grab a guy. Yeah. Rasmus Alene with us from your perspective going to your position what Owen Power this year are you seeing growth from him what when you watch his game feel like sometimes he could be tough to understand the value of when he’s out there on the ice because he’s not always the flashiest player but what when as someone that plays the same position as him what do you see from power when you’re either watching him from the bench or whether you’re out there on the ice with him? I mean, he that guy could play uh 40 minutes a night. They wouldn’t affect him. He He just play a rock solid game and um he reads the game so well and um he creates offensive chances. He’s such a good uh two-way defenseman. Rasmus, I just wanted to ask you about the goalending on the team this year. It seems like you guys are getting a few more timely saves than you did in years past. Do you guys feel that on the bench? Do you feel more confidence in your goalenders both with Lion playing the way he has and the performance we saw with UPPL last game? For sure. Um, you know, they have both of those have had good starts and I uh we you just know those guys are going to take the first puck and it’s up to us to to take the rebound away. Um, uh, we we play we play a little bit of of a different style. in the def B zone too and um we we really want to help the goalies uh too. So uh but yeah, obviously they’re they’re doing an unbelievable job and uh they are a huge piece of this too. You know, we talked about how feisty the team has looked so far this year. Do you uh I don’t know, do you take pride in being a player that it seems like other players can’t stand playing against, whether it’s during the ice or after a whistle, or does it just kind of happen once the game starts? Uh, I mean, it’s it’s part of my game. It’s uh when I’m at my best, it’s when I’m a little bit feisty out there. Um, do I care that kayak guys can’t really stand me sometimes? No. Um, it’s fun. It’s a part of the game. I like to compete. I like to uh I like to be in the game. What’ll be like seeing JJ tonight? JJ Purka making his uh return. That’ll be fun. Um I’m I’m excited to play against him. Uh I’m going to try to shut him down all game. The results at home also have been coming. That’s been something I’m not sure maybe this was two years ago. There have been there have been stages Rasmus of this team where home didn’t always mean the best results. So far though, that has started well this year. I don’t know if that’s something you guys think consciously of, but how have you felt about your guys performance at home specifically? Yeah, I mean since the wind starting to uh to come or the points starting to come, the the the crowd has been unbelievable. Uh and it helps us so much. Uh last game was unbelievable. It was sold out and uh that was that was honestly the reason why we won. Um so it’s uh it’s so much fun when when we are at Key Bank and Key Bank is buzzing. It’s there’s no other better place honestly. Rasmus Delene ahead of tonight’s Sabres and uh Utah game. Rasmus, thanks for the time and uh best of luck tonight and uh a successful season. Thank you. Rasmus Dalene. Saberson in Utah.

Jeremy White and Joe DiBiase are joined by Buffalo Sabres defenseman and captain Rasmus Dahlin for a chat on the Sabres season so far. The guys discuss the Sabres improved play as of late, and Dahlin lays out some of the biggest factors that have led to the teams success. They also touch on how tight the Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference as a whole are right now, as the Sabres are last in the division, but only 2 points back of the third place Leafs. They also discuss the changes to the power play, the improved goaltending play, and more!

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