LD Rasmus Dahlin (2018, 1st, BUF) Part 3

[1972]

I thought he was amazing tonight

 

[truthbluth]

I thought he was amazing tonight

Yes he was. I can't tell you how many times this season I've thought, "oh my god, it wasn't a dream, I really get to watch this guy play for the Sabres."


As to the debate that's overtaken this thread:
Heiskanen was my favorite D prospect since I started following the draft 11 years ago...until Dahlin.
I had Heiskanen atop my 2017 draft rankings, and I think he's a legit superstar in the making....but I like Dahlin better.
These guys will be perennially in the Norris conversation together and nobody else on the horizon makes me think they'll have company (eh, take it back, Hughes could get there) in the top tier of NHL defenders once the current group declines, which we are already seeing signs of....but I like Dahlin better.

This feels very much like the Matthews/Eichel debate (Including Dahlin, none of these players are in the McDavid stratosphere), where I just liked Matthews better, even though Jack is my guy. Matthews' game is better. He doesn't do everything better, but overall, I think he's the better player. Dahlin isn't better at everything, e.g. Heiskanen is definitely quicker than Dahlin, but overall, Dahlin is better.

 

[1972]

Before Dahlin I think Seth Jones was clearly the best D prospect since 2008. Agree or disagree?

 

[danyhabsfan]

Before Dahlin I think Seth Jones was clearly the best D prospect since 2008. Agree or disagree?

Maybe Ekblad

 

[BondraTime]

Hedman.

 

[1972]

Maybe Ekblad

Probably Hedman, Ekblad wasn’t viewed as having a huge ceiling, he was more of an Ed Jovanski type pick. Safe top pairing D man.

 

[danyhabsfan]

Probably Hedman, Ekblad wasn’t viewed as having a huge ceiling, he was more of an Ed Jovanski type pick. Safe top pairing D man.

He was the first defenseman with the exceptional status in the CHL. 23 goals as a defenseman on his draft year. He had plenty of ceiling.

 

[1972]

He was the first defenseman with the exceptional status in the CHL. 23 goals as a defenseman on his draft year. He had plenty of ceiling.

He was never a game breaking talent. Scouts viewed him as more of a steady top pairing guy then a legit franchise player. Go and watch draft rankings for his draft year...the appeal with Ekblad was that he could step into a top pairing role.

 

[bottomofthefoodchain]

He was never a game breaking talent. Scouts viewed him as more of a steady top pairing guy then a legit franchise player. Go and watch draft rankings for his draft year...the appeal with Ekblad was that he could step into a top pairing role.

I don't remember it like this. I also don't think a team would pick a potential steady top pairing guy #1 overall.
Seth Jones had way more hype though, iirc

 

[Killerjas]

Steal of the draft, can't believe Buffalo got him with their 1st overall pick

 

[truthbluth]

Before Dahlin I think Seth Jones was clearly the best D prospect since 2008. Agree or disagree?

By consensus yes. I thought Heiskanen was the smartest 17 yo D prospect I ever saw until I saw Dahlin.

 

[93LEAFS]

He was never a game breaking talent. Scouts viewed him as more of a steady top pairing guy then a legit franchise player. Go and watch draft rankings for his draft year...the appeal with Ekblad was that he could step into a top pairing role.

Doughty, Hedman and Jones, and to a slightly lesser extent Ekblad would be the top D prospects since the 2005 lockout. Noah Hanifin also had a lot of hype around him. If I had to pick one, it would be Hedman due to his tool-kit basically being unrivaled and he emerged as giants like Chara and Pronger were dominating the game.

 

[1972]

I don't remember it like this. I also don't think a team would pick a potential steady top pairing guy #1 overall.
Seth Jones had way more hype though, iirc

All the top 4 guys in that class had question marks. He was the safest of the bunch. He didn’t get picked over the likes of Nathan MacKinnon, he wouldn’t have even been a top 3 pick in a bunch of drafts.

 

[Samsonite23]

Kid was special tonight. A joy to watch.



Credit to @CrazyPsycho on the tweet.

 

[Artorius Horus T]

Here's my take on Dahlin; good and strong skater, top talent defensively, almost nothing to give offensively (at the moment).
Gotta remember, only 2 goals in almost 30 games and most of his 12 assists are secondary. So, not much of a threat
in the O-zone this season, its not like he has shown great abilities in the O, much ( i bet few Buffalo nerds will come running
and say; here here, here is one and another one with clips to show)

| i bet someone even mentions his ppg and his age and picks up few players to compare with, or such...
just to make a point, so that my post looks somewhat dumb because i mentioned that he has practically
nothing to give offensively|

Rasmus does many things right in his own end, some mistakes every now and then, but that was to be expected
he is still so young. Mostly his passing is crisp in d-zone, but like i mentioned, very little to offer in offensive zone plays,
doesn't produce breakout passes, not much, plays lot of pucks through the borders and through his d-pair,
those types of passes are usually really good by Dahlin, seems to disappear with in games after a solid start though,
needs more urgency in his game, more balls, so to speak (that hit was in the correct direction, but very poorly executed
and was an obvious penalty)

He has so much to learn thou, that's so easy to tell from his current game this season, loads of potential thou (like everyone knows),
in my mind he is 2-3 years away from reaching to his potential.

 

[Kcb12345]

Here's my take on Dahlin; good and strong skater, top talent defensively, almost nothing to give offensively (at the moment).
Gotta remember, only 2 goals in almost 30 games and most of his 12 assists are secondary. So, not much of a threat
in the O-zone this season, its not like he has shown great abilities in the O, much ( i bet few Buffalo nerds will come running
and say; here here, here is one and another one with clips to show)

| i bet someone even mentions his ppg and his age and picks up few players to compare with, or such...
just to make a point, so that my post looks somewhat dumb because i mentioned that he has practically
nothing to give offensively|

Rasmus does many things right in his own end, some mistakes every now and then, but that was to be expected
he is still so young. Mostly his passing is crisp in d-zone, but like i mentioned, very little to offer in offensive zone plays,
doesn't produce breakout passes, not much, plays lot of pucks through the borders and through his d-pair,
those types of passes are usually really good by Dahlin, seems to disappear with in games after a solid start though,
needs more urgency in his game, more balls, so to speak (that hit was in the correct direction, but very poorly executed
and was an obvious penalty)

He has so much to learn thou, that's so easy to tell from his current game this season, loads of potential thou (like everyone knows),
in my mind he is 2-3 years away from reaching to his potential.

I mean yeah he's still 2-3 years from reaching his potential lol. He's 18 so that's not surprising at all

 

[Panthaz89]

Here's my take on Dahlin; good and strong skater, top talent defensively, almost nothing to give offensively (at the moment).
Gotta remember, only 2 goals in almost 30 games and most of his 12 assists are secondary. So, not much of a threat
in the O-zone this season, its not like he has shown great abilities in the O, much ( i bet few Buffalo nerds will come running
and say; here here, here is one and another one with clips to show)

| i bet someone even mentions his ppg and his age and picks up few players to compare with, or such...
just to make a point, so that my post looks somewhat dumb because i mentioned that he has practically
nothing to give offensively|

Rasmus does many things right in his own end, some mistakes every now and then, but that was to be expected
he is still so young. Mostly his passing is crisp in d-zone, but like i mentioned, very little to offer in offensive zone plays,
doesn't produce breakout passes, not much, plays lot of pucks through the borders and through his d-pair,
those types of passes are usually really good by Dahlin, seems to disappear with in games after a solid start though,
needs more urgency in his game, more balls, so to speak (that hit was in the correct direction, but very poorly executed
and was an obvious penalty)

He has so much to learn thou, that's so easy to tell from his current game this season, loads of potential thou (like everyone knows),
in my mind he is 2-3 years away from reaching to his potential.

He's a bit better in the offensive zone in most games...just because he isn't much of a threat to score a goal doesn't mean he isn't generating a lot of chances with passes....i'm not one to find gifs but the play he made to Girgensons in the Leafs game is about as premier a pass as you can get from a D-Man in the O-zone that made it happen on his own while Girgs missed the net from 2 feet out.

 

[tellermine]

Not a good game for him.
Sloppy passing few turnovers. Though it is not like rest of the team had mutch better show.

Happens to all.

I do have a feeling he has been instructed to go steady and learn defence first and now he has permission to attack.
He and Ristolainen were active in rushes. Dahlin mutch more than I saw him earlier.

 

[Willy Stylez]

 

[Chainshot]

"The Shift" last night. He's so entertaining.

 

[Hasekperreault23]

Here's my take on Dahlin; good and strong skater, top talent defensively, almost nothing to give offensively (at the moment).
Gotta remember, only 2 goals in almost 30 games and most of his 12 assists are secondary. So, not much of a threat
in the O-zone this season, its not like he has shown great abilities in the O, much ( i bet few Buffalo nerds will come running
and say; here here, here is one and another one with clips to show)

| i bet someone even mentions his ppg and his age and picks up few players to compare with, or such...
just to make a point, so that my post looks somewhat dumb because i mentioned that he has practically
nothing to give offensively|

Rasmus does many things right in his own end, some mistakes every now and then, but that was to be expected
he is still so young. Mostly his passing is crisp in d-zone, but like i mentioned, very little to offer in offensive zone plays,
doesn't produce breakout passes, not much, plays lot of pucks through the borders and through his d-pair,
those types of passes are usually really good by Dahlin, seems to disappear with in games after a solid start though,
needs more urgency in his game, more balls, so to speak (that hit was in the correct direction, but very poorly executed
and was an obvious penalty)

He has so much to learn thou, that's so easy to tell from his current game this season, loads of potential thou (like everyone knows),
in my mind he is 2-3 years away from reaching to his potential.

So what your saying is you haven't watched him? The biggest weakness is obviously his shot.In two years it won't be an issue,his passing in both offensive zone and defensive zone is spectacular.He has set up teammates time and time again. Always has his head up.Unfortunately the teams will look for the pass because of his weak shot but last night he kept shooting so he is at least keeping everyone guessing what he will do

 

[VictoriaJetsFan]

How the hell did Hieskanen vs Dahlin become a debate?

Dahlin is miles better now and always will be...My God.....

 

[fsanford]

Kid was special tonight. A joy to watch.



Credit to @CrazyPsycho on the tweet.

So the next Drew Doughty. Sabres fans should be pretty happy about that.

Though on these boards people will tell you he is overrated, Doughty has been called that, he didn't deserve the Norris, he was awarded for years of service, its the Kings system, blah blah blah.

Lots of ignorance out there, he looked good last night, the one goal he probably did not play it well, but it happens to the best of them.

 

[MunaMara]

How the hell did Hieskanen vs Dahlin becomes debate?

Dahlin is miles better now and always will be...My God.....

Have you even watched Heiskanen play?

 

[BK]

Here's my take on Dahlin; good and strong skater, top talent defensively, almost nothing to give offensively (at the moment).
Gotta remember, only 2 goals in almost 30 games and most of his 12 assists are secondary. So, not much of a threat
in the O-zone this season, its not like he has shown great abilities in the O, much ( i bet few Buffalo nerds will come running
and say; here here, here is one and another one with clips to show)

| i bet someone even mentions his ppg and his age and picks up few players to compare with, or such...
just to make a point, so that my post looks somewhat dumb because i mentioned that he has practically
nothing to give offensively|

Rasmus does many things right in his own end, some mistakes every now and then, but that was to be expected
he is still so young. Mostly his passing is crisp in d-zone, but like i mentioned, very little to offer in offensive zone plays,
doesn't produce breakout passes, not much, plays lot of pucks through the borders and through his d-pair,
those types of passes are usually really good by Dahlin, seems to disappear with in games after a solid start though,
needs more urgency in his game, more balls, so to speak (that hit was in the correct direction, but very poorly executed
and was an obvious penalty)

He has so much to learn thou, that's so easy to tell from his current game this season, loads of potential thou (like everyone knows),
in my mind he is 2-3 years away from reaching to his potential.

He is close to a .5 ppg player as a 18 year old D.

Secondary assists? Are you joking?