Each day over the last month leading up to the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, held tomorrow night in Dallas, we have taken a look at the top 31 prospects available, starting with the 31st and leading up to number one.
Finally in the series of prospect profiles is our top-ranked prospect, defenseman Rasmus Dahlin.
Rasmus Dahlin
2017–18 Team: Frolunda (Sweden)
Date of Birth: April 13, 2000
Place of Birth: Trollhattan, Sweden
Height: 6’3”
Weight: 185 lbs
Shoots: Left
Position: D
NHL Central Scouting Final Ranking: 1 (European Skaters)
NHL Central Scouting Midterm Ranking: 1 (European Skaters)
NHL Comparable: A hybrid between Erik Karlsson and Victor Hedman
Elite. Franchise-altering. Generational. When the skating ability of Erik Karlsson, the physical command on the ice of Victor Hedman and the smarts of Nicklas Lidstrom are combined into one player, people tend to take notice, especially when that player possesses those traits at just 18 years of age. Such is the case with the undisputed top prospect of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, Swedish defenseman Rasmus Dahlin.
Dahlin is everything anyone could ask for and more. He is the complete package. He is unquestionably the best the 2018 draft class has to offer, period. Dahlin is the type of player teams dream of. For the Buffalo Sabres, who hold the first overall pick in this year’s draft, that dream will become a reality tomorrow night.
Skating is arguably Dahlin’s biggest strength. He has outstanding speed, acceleration, edgework and agility. Dahlin makes skating look easy. He seamlessly transitions from forward to backward and vice versa with ease and can get up to his top speed in either direction in the matter of a couple of strides. Dahlin has good leg strength, which allows him to be stable on his feet and to generate power, helping him create separation from opponents. His edgework allows him to weave in and out of defenders at top speed, making him very difficult to contain. Dahlin has an uncanny ability to cut to the middle of the ice in the offensive zone to create high-quality scoring chances.
Dahlin has excellent offensive skills. He has an accurate shot with a quick release, though not incredibly powerful. He is not afraid to use any of his shots, as his wrist shot, snapshot, slap shot, one-timer and backhand are all good. Dahlin has a knack for getting the puck through traffic and on goal. Dahlin has great patience with the puck, which he regularly uses to create better shooting lanes for himself.
Dahlin is an excellent passer as well. He can make quick, hard, accurate breakout passes and can also make tape-to-tape stretch passes. Dahlin’s excellent vision helps him find his teammates. Dahlin’s hockey sense also helps him identify the best decision to make with the puck, which he is then able to execute.
Stickhandling is another big strength for Dahlin. He is very comfortable putting the puck through and around defenders, seemingly with ease. Dahlin is very capable of making even the best defenders look bad. His hands allow him to make plays at high speed as well. Dahlin’s awareness helps him with maneuvering the puck on the rush, as he is able to identify openings and potential threats.
Dahlin is very good defensively. He uses his big body to get in the way of opponents on the rush and forecheck. Dahlin’s skating ability allows him to cover a ton of ice and cover up mistakes made by himself or teammates. Dahlin’s skating, passing and hockey sense allow him to be deadly in transition, as he can either make a quick breakout pass or carry the puck himself. Dahlin’s ability to play on either side is the cherry on top.
If there is anything Dahlin could improve on, it would be his strength. At 6’3”, he has a big frame, but at only 185 pounds, he has plenty of room to grow. Adding strength would improve his shot, making him even more dangerous offensively. Adding bulk would also help his defensive game, making it easier for him to clear the front of the net and win board battles. Additionally, Dahlin does not mind throwing his body around to make hits, and if he wants to do that in the NHL, he will need to add some more muscle.
Overall, Dahlin is an incredibly special player who boasts as complete a package as any defenseman in the draft in a long time. He is a can’t-miss prospect who will become a household name among hockey fans almost immediately. Scouts and analysts are often very hesitant to use superlatives with prospects and compare them to current or past NHL players, but with Dahlin, he is fully deserving of the praise and more. For Sabres fans, sit back, relax and enjoy tomorrow night, because your franchise’s future is about to change.
Implications for the Blackhawks
Simply put, get used to seeing him two times each year when the Hawks play Buffalo. The trio of Dahlin, Jack Eichel and Casey Mittelstadt are the foundation for a lengthy rebuild in Buffalo that should finally be coming into the daylight. The trio in some ways could remind people of Duncan Keith, Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane, respectively, and how they brought the Blackhawks to the NHL’s pinnacle. Buffalo still needs to add some other pieces, but the foundation is in place.
Timeline
Dahlin is already NHL-ready. He will step right into Buffalo’s lineup and be a dynamic defenseman from the get-go. He should be in contention for the Calder Trophy, awarded to the NHL’s Rookie of the Year.
Projection
The sky is the limit for Dahlin. He will be an elite, franchise-altering number one defenseman for Buffalo. He has the ability to become one of, if not the best defenseman in the game. He has already been touted as the best defensive prospect in a long time and has regularly been compared to the likes of Karlsson, Hedman and Lidstrom. That says all that one needs to know. Currently, that group plus Borje Salming is likely the Mount Rushmore of Swedish defensemen. But, that very well may need to be reconsidered in the future…Dahlin has the ability to be that good.
What others are saying
“Dahlin has the skating, skills and elite hockey sense that can dictate the style of play and the pace of a game with or without the puck. He finds ways to contribute in all situations, is ultra-competitive and a high-character person who leads by example.”
— Dan Marr/NHL Central Scouting
“The NHL defenseman now needs to combine skill and skating as primary attributes over size and Dahlin combines all these attributes like no other player in the draft. He has size and strength…and continues to gain mass and fill out. Dahlin has exceptional vision and anticipation and seems to see plays well ahead of his competition. His agility and skating combined with his hockey sense makes him near impossible to check or stop at the level he is currently playing in; which is pro hockey in the SHL. With the puck on his stick, he has…the ability to control the puck while at speed and under duress and has a bag full of tricks and dekes to beat defenders. His shot is the one aspect of his game he wants to improve as it isn’t overly powerful but is very accurate and often finds the net through traffic from the point. His passing ability is excellent, he makes long stretch passes and has an uncanny ability to find open teammates, perhaps lending to the Erik Karlsson comparisons.”
— Peter Harling/Dobber Prospects
“An electrifying defenseman with ankle-breaking moves, Dahlin is ready to show the NHL what he’s made of. He’s been called the Swedish Bobby Orr, but Dahlin’s passing ability and puck control techniques are quite unique for a defender from any era.”
— Steve Kournianos/Sporting News
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYeR8TbloyY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WeMHXRdbU8