Buffalo Sabres: Rasmus Dahlin starting to settle in nicely
By Paul Taylor
Buffalo Sabres 2018 first overall draft pick Rasmus Dahlin attended the Bisons’ home game on Saturday and threw out the ceremonial first pitch.
Buffalo Sabres‘ 2018 first round draft pick Rasmus Dahlin is coming off an eventful week. And in the process, he appears to be settling in nicely in the Western New York area.
First, as reported by The Buffalo News, Dahlin made a surprise appearance in the Fattey League playoffs last Monday night at HarborCenter. The league was formed in 2005 and now has 10 teams.
The 18-year-old has been described as a franchise-changing defenseman. However, it was his offense which caught the eye during his appearance, as he scored two goals.
This appearance was followed by another one on Saturday night, at the Buffalo Bisons’ home game against the Toledo Mud Hens. It was Superhero Theme night at Coca Cola Field and Dahlin was there to throw out the ceremonial first pitch.
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The Trollhättan, Sweden native made a point of arriving early, to get in some practice. And the end result was a pretty decent effort.
Dahlin was asked about the pitch afterwards. As reported by Jenna Callari of WKBW Buffalo, he said: “I was pretty nervous. I didn’t want it to bounce. It went good.”
The blue-liner also got the opportunity to meet Toronto Blue Jays prospect Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Like Dahlin, Guerrero is considered to be one of the hottest young talents in his sport, with a long and productive career ahead of him.
Dahlin discussed his meeting with the third baseman. As per Callari, he said: “It was awesome. I’ve heard a lot of great things about him. He’s a great player so it was fun.”
Of course, while the appearance was enjoyable for everyone involved, Buffalo Sabres fans are more concerned with what the Swedish international will do for their team. In that respect, he advised he’s been working hard and getting ready for training camp.
And there is every chance Dahlin will be an immediate contributor for the Sabres. Early projections have him being part of the second pairing, alongside Zach Bogosian.
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What are your early projections for Dahlin? What kind of impact do you predict he will have for the Buffalo Sabres during the 2018-19 season? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.