PuckSleuth
26Cap hit
$11M
10.6% of $104M cap
Term
6 yrs
Through 2031-32, then UFA
Clause
NMC
Surplus value
+$1.417M
vs. $12.417M market estimate
Confirmed by the public signing announcement · source
2026-27 regular season
GP
2
Goals
1
14.3% shooting
Assists
0
0 primary
Points
1
0.50 per game
TOI/GP
25:41
PP 3:41 · PK 0:00
Plus/minus
0
Hits
6
Blocks 0
PIM
0
Game Score
+0.86
per game
Game log
Last 5 games · NHL API
| Game | G | A | SOG | HIT | BLK | TOI | PP | PK | FO | OZS% | GV | TK | +/- | GS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 3 vs CHI · W 4-3 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 25:23 | 2:21 | 0:00 | — | 50 | 1 | 0 | +1 | +1.53 |
| Oct 1 @ CBJ · L 6-3 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 25:58 | 5:01 | 0:00 | — | 75 | 0 | 0 | -1 | +0.19 |
| May 18 vs MTL · OTL 3-2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 33:11 | 1:12 | 0:00 | — | 100 | 2 | 0 | 0 | +1.35 |
| May 16 @ MTL · W 8-3 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 19:56 | 3:23 | 0:00 | — | 60 | 1 | 0 | +2 | +3.95 |
| May 14 vs MTL · L 6-3 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 27:28 | 3:13 | 0:00 | — | 50 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +0.30 |
GS = our Game Score (credit for everything he did; goals and assists count most). FO = faceoffs won-lost. OZS% = share of his 5v5 offensive and defensive zone faceoff starts that were in the offensive zone. GV/TK = giveaways/takeaways.
Advanced metrics
5v5 unless noted · 2025-26 · 1,413 min · percentile vs. NHL defensemen
83rd percentile
94th percentile
80th percentile
73rd percentile
87th percentile
79th percentile
92nd percentile
82nd percentile
52nd percentile
99th percentile
88th percentile
98th percentile
84th percentile
43rd percentile
xGF% is his team's share of 5v5 expected goals while he was on the ice, from our own expected goals model; HDCF% counts only high-danger chances (xG of 0.15 or more). IPP is the share of his team's 5v5 goals while he was on the ice that he scored or assisted on. Relative stats compare him with his team when he was off the ice. Goals above expected and ixG/60 use his own shots at all strengths. PDO and OZS% describe luck and deployment, so their bars are grey.
Play styleOffensive playmaking defenseman
Trait percentiles vs. NHL defensemen · 2025-26
Dahlin is an elite shooter and playmaker who generates chances at an exceptional rate and controls play at five-on-five. He doesn't win many puck battles and struggles to create transition chances, limiting his defensive upside.
- Shooting volume
- 95
- Playmaking
- 95
- Zone entries(est.)
- 9
- Forechecking
- 56
- Physicality
- 13
- Defensive impact
- 64
- Puck management
- 26
- Speed
- 79
Where he shoots from
Slot 15% · Mid-range 36% · Perimeter 49%(284 unblocked shots)
Strengths
- 95th percentile shooting volume, recording 284 unblocked shots from distance
- 95th percentile playmaking with 55 assists, driving offensive production
- 79th percentile speed helps him position well and escape pressure
Watch-outs
- 9th percentile rush chances suggests limited transition play creation
- 13th percentile physicality means fewer puck recoveries in contested areas
- 26th percentile puck management occasionally leads to turnovers
Similar style: Zach Werenski (CBJ), Seth Jones (FLA)
Built from play-by-play, shift data, and NHL EDGE tracking. Zone entries is an estimate (rush chances while he is on the ice) until tracking data is added.
Career stats
From the NHL's player records
| Season | Team | GP | G | A | P | +/- | PIM | PPG | PPP | SHG | GWG | SOG | S% | TOI | FO% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | Buffalo Sabres | 13 | 4 | 10 | 14 | +4 | 20 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 46 | 8.7 | 23:58 | — |
| Career | 1 seasons | 13 | 4 | 10 | 14 | +4 | 20 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 46 | 8.7 | 23:58 | — |
Seasons traded mid-year show one row per team.
Latest news
Headlines from news outlets and team blogs
- Goal | Dahlin vs. CHI
NHL.com · Oct 4
- Dahlin | Postgame vs. CHI
NHL.com · Oct 4
- Sabres rally for late win against shorthanded Blackhawks
diebytheblade.com · Oct 4
- Will Rasmus Dahlin Score a Goal vs. the Chicago Blackhawks on October 3?
Bleacher Nation · Oct 3
- Dahlin | Practice
NHL.com · Sep 30
Sentiment & chatter
Fans
—
Beat writers
—
Media
—
Fan, beat writer, and media scores, the 14-day trade chatter chart, and the latest mentions appear once sentiment scoring is switched on. Mentions are already being collected.
Recent Game Scores
Last 10 games · goals above average
Average +1.25 per game over these 10.
Where his Game Score comes from
+0.93 per game
2025-26 · 77 GP
Season total +71.3, or +0.93 per game.
- Scoring
- +51.7
- Shooting
- +14.6
- 5-on-5 goals
- +4.0
- Defense
- +0.2
- Penalty kill
- +0.6
- Physical play
- +5.3
- Puck battles
- -4.2
- Penalties
- -0.9
Game Score gives credit for everything a player does in a game. Goals (1.0) and assists (0.7 primary, 0.5 secondary) count most; shots, blocks, hits, takeaways, penalties drawn, faceoff wins, killing penalties, and holding down the other team's chances add to it. Only mistakes subtract: goals against at 5-on-5, giveaways, penalties taken, faceoff losses, and allowing more chances than an average player would. A player who is there to defend or kill penalties is not marked down for not scoring. Goalies are measured by goals saved above expected.
Skating · NHL EDGE
2025-26, as of Oct 2
- Top speed
- 22.5 mph
- 81st pct
- 20+ mph bursts
- 61
- Hardest shot
- 96.2 mph
- 84th pct
- Distance
- 277.3 mi
- OZ time
- 45.5%
- 94th pct
- DZ time
- 36.6%
Usage
Last game: vs CHI, Oct 3
Pair 1 with Mattias Samuelsson (17:07 together at 5-on-5) · PP1
From the NHL's shift chart.
Age curve
At 26: 98% of peak
NHL defensemen · production index
At 26, defensemen typically produce 98% of their peak (age 24). His contract runs through age 31, when the typical level is 86%.
From 24 seasons of NHL results, adjusted for league scoring and save percentage in each era. Shaded bars are the seasons left on his contract.
Contract by season
6 seasons left
| Season | Team | Cap hit | % of cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | BUF | $11M | 10.6% |
| 2027-28 | BUF | $11M | 9.7% |
| 2028-29 | BUF | $11M | — |
| 2029-30 | BUF | $11M | — |
| 2030-31 | BUF | $11M | — |
| 2031-32 | BUF | $11M | — |
UFA after 2031-32. NMC. $66M in cap hits left. % of cap uses each season's ceiling where the league has set one ($104M this season, $113.5M in 2027-28).