(WGR Sports Radio 550) - It was Thursday night in Munich, Germany when the Buffalo Sabres got together for a team dinner. That's where head coach Lindy Ruff surprised defenseman Rasmus Dahlin with his Sabres jersey with a "C" sown on the front, naming him the youngest captain in the NHL.
"It was an emotional moment for me," said Dahlin on Friday during a Zoom call with the media. "I think I had thousands of emotions when they called my name, but to get to do it with this team and where we are at, where I am in my career and what we are capable of and what we can do, just to be a part of that is special. And to be able to do it with this group was cool, so it was very nice to do it in front of the team."
When Dahlin thinks about good captains, a pair of former players come to his mind: One during his playing days in Sweden, and one he played with in Buffalo.
"The main guy that pops up in my head was Joel Lundqvist. He was my captain back in Frolunda, and he is part of me in many ways," Dahlin said. "He’s such a good person, but he works so unbelievably hard. A couple of years back, he was the oldest guy on the team, but he still worked the hardest. He had the best fitness results, and he was always the guy that worked the hardest. That’s what I love about him as a leader.
“And then Kyle [Okposo], I’ve learned so many things about him. How to handle himself at the NHL level, how he was as a person with the team, how he treated everybody. It was a lot of respect around him, so I learned a lot from him also."
Tage Thompson has been very vocal since April, talking about how this team has to stop worrying about holding teammates accountable. He said they all have to realize it's not personal, and it's done to make the team better.
I’ve seen Dahlin in practice let a teammate know if he doesn’t like what he’s doing on the ice.
"I think you’ve got to have good timing with that stuff," Dahlin said. "The day-to-day stuff you can work really hard, and I show by actions. But being a vocal leader, you definitely need it sometimes, and we have a lot of great guys in the room that are also vocal. So it’s not just me."
The alternate captains for the Sabres will rotate this upcoming season. They are forwards Alex Tuch, Tage Thompson and Dylan Cozens, as well as defenseman Mattias Samuelsson. Dahlin says he’s glad to be joined by that group of players as part of the leadership core.
"That’s an unbelievable group," he said. "All those guys are unbelievable people, and great hockey players. But what I’m most excited about is how hard they work, and how much they want to have success in Buffalo.
"All those guys absolutely love Buffalo, and they want to do something special. We’re ready to go to war for each other."
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Not only has Ruff been a longtime coach for this team, he also played 10 seasons with the Sabres, and was captain for two-and-a-half of those years in Buffalo. It means something to Dahlin that someone with his resume in Buffalo chose him.
"For him believing in me means a lot," Dahlin said. "He’s been in my position, so he knows what to do. I’m very happy I can ask him any questions, and he knows what to do in situations."
Being a leader is nothing new to Dahlin.
"I’ve always seen myself as a leader, even as a kid. So I’ve always tried to be one in the situation I’m in, and that’s just how I am as a person," Dahlin said. "But it’s weird when it actually happens, so I think it’s been a part of me for my whole career."
Dahlin says this has been a great team bonding trip. They spend the mornings and afternoons together both on and off the ice.
Ruff has been very clear since training camp started on how he feels about Dahlin as a player. He’s gotten to get to know him even more since then.
"His actions speak volumes with the way he plays, the way he practices, the way he prepares, and the respect he has from his teammates. All those qualities are something that’s very important, if you’re really going to be the leader of the club," said Ruff following Friday's morning skate.
Ruff knows what it’s like to be a leader in a locker room, and says there’s one thing he’d tell Dahlin.
"The only advice is to be yourself. That’s the most important thing. Be the person you are, and the people around you have to help lead," he said.
The Sabres play EHC Red Bull München on Friday afternoon. Join Brian Koziol for the pregame starting at 2:00 on The Bet 1520