The Sabres captain and defenseman has grown into a leadership role with Team Sweden, which entered the Winter Olympics full of expectations.
BUFFALO, N.Y. — Rasmus Dahlin’s first Olympic point came at the 2018 Winter Olympics, when he had one assist in two games as Team Sweden’s youngest player at age 17.
This time around, his role is much different. The Buffalo Sabres captain and defenseman is years older and now in a leadership role with Team Sweden, which entered the 2026 Winter Olympics full of expectations.
Here’s how Dahlin and, by extension, Team Sweden are doing during the Milano Cortina Games in Italy.
Feb. 11: Sweden 5, Italy 2 — Dahlin recorded two assists to help lift Sweden in its preliminary play opener. Dahlin joined elite company in his country’s history. Only one Swedish player recorded as many assists during an Olympic game involving NHL players: Daniel Alfredsson, who had three on Feb. 22, 2006.
Feb. 13: Finland 4, Sweden 1 — Dahlin scored the lone goal for Sweden, on the power play, cutting the second-period deficit to 2-1. He played more than 21 points and took seven shots on goal, both team highs.
Feb. 14: Sweden 5, Slovakia 3 — Dahlin had an assist as Sweden stayed alive in the tournament. He finished the round with a goal with three assists in three games as Sweden advanced to a single-elimination playoff qualifying round on Tuesday after Sweden, Finland, and Slovakia all finished with six points.
Dahlin has 11 goals and 37 assists in 53 games for the Sabres this season.
“It’s definitely a dream come true, especially being from Sweden,” Dahlin said told 2 On Your Side sports director Jon Scott before heading overseas to compete in the Olympic tournament. “It’s probably the biggest thing you can win back home.
“You always look at Olympics when I was a kid and I looked up to all the Swedish stars. It’s for sure a dream come true.”