Player Discussion Rasmus Dahlin Part 2- D (1st Overall, 2018, Frölunda HC, SHL)

[Aladyyn]

could it be Dahlin is not as good as we think he is?

His point totals have been historic for an 18 year old. However, he has been Ristoish in his own zone the second half of the season. That is what has hurt him. I think this is the long season though. He should be significantly improved in that regard next year.

I'd like to see him put up 50-55 points next year and play solid D throughout the entire season

Do not ever liken Dahlin to Risto again. They're not in the same stratosphere in any aspect of the game.

 

[sabremike]

Yeah the difference between 79 games and 82 is huge...

Think there would be a difference for a soccer player playing 38 MLS games and playing 38 La Liga games? One is incredibly harder and more taxing on the body.

 

[MrMaster]

They usually play like 1 or 2 games a week, i think it's closer to 1 than 2 games.
Look at Pettersson, he had the same kind of schedule in the SHL, same drop off during the season now.
It cannot be underestimated how tough it must be for an 18-year-old to jump from this kind of schedule to an NHL schedule, not to mention the difference in quality of opponents, speed.

 

[Nedo801]

If you gonna compare to SHL..at least have a clue about the league

 

[Der Jaeger]

Bag on Toronto, and you get dropped by the media. Sucks, but it's how it works.

 

[joshjull]

As @dotcommunism said in another thread

.....That's a big mark in the good column in a season that's been pretty lacking there.....​

 

[sabremike]

Bag on Toronto, and you get dropped by the media. Sucks, but it's how it works.

Which is why it was so beautiful when they all got run over by this car on 2/28:

 

[HaNotsri]

Think there would be a difference for a soccer player playing 38 MLS games and playing 38 La Liga games? One is incredibly harder and more taxing on the body.

Astro turf makes it a lot more taxing on the body in the MLS. La Liga players are partying a lot in general.

If you compare the SHL to NA hockey there’s less focus on upper body strength and more on cardio/work rate.
AHL players that come over almost always need a transition year if they aren’t very good skaters. The low work rate is probably part of why they never make it to the NHL.
The game is less physical but you have plenty of broken bones, especially since it’s pretty much ok to cross check during the playoffs.

Besides the Sabres playing style is pretty pedestrian and chill. So 79 games with actuall playoff hockey and 82 games on a team full of lazy bums can’t be a huge difference.

 

[OkimLom]

Astro turf makes it a lot more taxing on the body in the MLS. La Liga players are partying a lot in general.

If you compare the SHL to NA hockey there’s less focus on upper body strength and more on cardio/work rate.
AHL players that come over almost always need a transition year if they aren’t very good skaters. The low work rate is probably part of why they never make it to the NHL.
The game is less physical but you have plenty of broken bones, especially since it’s pretty much ok to cross check during the playoffs.

Besides the Sabres playing style is pretty pedestrian and chill. So 79 games with actuall playoff hockey and 82 games on a team full of lazy bums can’t be a huge difference.

Why are you saying 79 games + playoffs when the season is much shorter than that? Or are you combining the two seasons? If so, playing 79 games + playoffs where there is a few months off between the seasons is a lot different than the travel and less time off the NHL players receive in their 82 + playoff schedule.

 

[MrMaster]

I think if you compare, players in Europe would still be able to go about their lives, have lots of spare time and chill with friends. Instead, the NHL schedule is much stricter and tighter in that sense, with more travel and road trips in between.
I can imagine some players even refrain from having off times, and focus on hockey only. I think of such 'geek' players as Tavares for example. I'm not sure though.

Teams have a mix of back to backs, games every other day, and practice sessions in between. Players have to take care of their bodies, and rest as much as possible.

It reminds me a bit of those orgies in Olympic villages. Why? Because athletes have to live their profession, and in preparation for contest have to follow a strict practice regime, and once they are done with that, they can let go and make up for what they've missed out. Same goes for some players in the offseason, at least from what we can hear and read about.

 

[Dirty Dog]

I think the Dahlin isn’t getting his due narrative is a bit of our Buffalo complex. Seems to get near universal praise as amazing.

 

[HaNotsri]

Why are you saying 79 games + playoffs when the season is much shorter than that? Or are you combining the two seasons? If so, playing 79 games + playoffs where there is a few months off between the seasons is a lot different than the travel and less time off the NHL players receive in their 82 + playoff schedule.

With, not +. Not combining seasons. Travel is obviously much more time consuming in the US, I think about 940 miles is the maximum one way trip in Sweden but then you have the games played in europe+international camps that demands travel to Russia and southern europe but those are pretty isolated events.
He was exhausted after last season so I bet he’s pretty tired after this one while adjusting his body.

FYI Season ends in april in the SHL, pre-season starts in may for Frölunda (Dahlin+Olofssons ex team) so you normally get weeks, not months off but it’s not as intense. The amount of practice is different but mostly 8-10 sessions per week and then it ramps up in july. Unless you’re playing for the teams up north, they bloody torture the players for months.

 

[tsujimoto74]

I think the Dahlin isn’t getting his due narrative is a bit of our Buffalo complex. Seems to get near universal praise as amazing.

I have no doubt in my mind he'd be getting a lot more press hype if he played for a Canadian team or even a larger American market. But if other people want to sleep on him, that's their business. I don't really care that much, because, at the end of the day, we've still got the best young defenseman to come into the league in ages.

 

[Phil McKraken]

Be able to skate better? LOL WHAT? I mean, I guess he could do some work on his power?

He's agile and moves intelligently, but he could still use more explosiveness in his first few strides. I've actually thought about that a lot every time I've watched Buffalo this season, how his skating is still more adapted for the big rink than the small one, so I think I understand exactly what he's getting at.

 

[Ace]

He had an unparalleled rookie season at his age and position.

Nhl.com writer listed him behind a goalie the same age as Girgensons and a forward who had one more point in their Calder ranking.

It’s not a complex. It’s real.

 

[enthusiast]

Dahlin is smooth as silk but he could definitely improve his acceleration and top speed

 

[Artemis Clyde Frog]

Dahlin is smooth as silk but he could definitely improve his acceleration and top speed

And his shot. Sure, sometimes he manages to rip it but mostly it's just too soft.

 

[Matt Ress]

Got beat to the outside a few times. Gotta swivel the hips a bit quicker. Should be an easy technical fix.

 

[Dubi Doo]

Dahlin is smooth as silk but he could definitely improve his acceleration and top speed

And less defensive lapses, which I believe is in part do to him not having the strength or stamina yet.

 

[jBuds]

Got beat to the outside a few times. Gotta swivel the hips a bit quicker. Should be an easy technical fix.

I viewed that to be mental. He knows he’s good - I thought he cut it too close on many of those occasions in terms of timing the pivot - relying on his natural skill like he had done all his life prior.

Agree that it’s an easy fix, though.

And I’ve said it several times: I was unimpressed with his top speed and how long it took him to get to it.

His edge work, his angling, his lateral movement, his cutting...that’s all bordering on elite, if not already there. But he needs to get faster on his straight-line sprints and work on achieving top speed quicker when going north/south.

 

[joshjull]

 

[DON VITO]

Rasmus Dahlin (#26) ● ALL 9 Goals 2018-19 Season (HD)

 

[Chainshot]

f***ing amazing.

And thus it begins to slag him. I remember how both Sportsnet and TSN would shit on Myers prior to the trade to the Jets and then all of a sudden he became this good 2-way defenseman.... without changing a thing about how he played. Just wasn't in B'lo any more, that was all.

 

[debaser66]

F u SN for picking Heiskanen over Dahlin

 

[Ralonzo]

****ing amazing.

And thus it begins to slag him. I remember how both Sportsnet and TSN would **** on Myers prior to the trade to the Jets and then all of a sudden he became this good 2-way defenseman.... without changing a thing about how he played. Just wasn't in B'lo any more, that was all.

I'd be surprised if Iddiotte had 31 thoughts in his life.