Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin has been named one of three finalists for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, awarded to the NHL player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.
Dahlin has been named along with Winnipeg center Jonathan Toews and Colorado captain Gabriel Landeskog in voting by members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association. The winner will be announced in June.
Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin awaits his shift against the Bruins during the first period of Game 6 on Friday at TD Garden.
Harry Scull, Buffalo News
Dahlin had 19 goals and 55 assists for a career-high 74 points for the Sabres this season while also posting a career-best plus-18 rating. He captained the team to its first berth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs since 2011, and that continues when Buffalo's second-round series against the Montreal Canadiens opens at 7 p.m. Wednesday in KeyBank Center.
The backdrop to his season came when he was on a summer vacation in France, and his fiancée, Carolina Matovac, was stricken by an illness that quickly turned critical.
Matovac suffered heart failure and spent several weeks on life support before ultimately needing a heart transplant that required months of hospitalization and rehab. She revealed earlier this year that she had also lost the couple’s unborn child.
Dahlin twice took leaves of absence from the team to join Matovac for medical checkups, and got a huge ovation when he was shown on the jumbotron during the Sabres' March 25 game against Boston, which was her first in the building this season.
Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said Monday how impressed he has been by Dahlin's perseverance and commitment to the organization.
"He openly said that 'I’m a Buffalo Sabre, and I can help make this team better.' And he’s gone out and done it," Ruff said. " I think you see the smile on his face, and I’ve had conversations with him, I even hear him say, ‘These fans are crazy.’ It’s a new level of crazy in the playoffs, for sure. But for 'Dahls' and the year he’s had, the adversity he’s faced, I am so glad we’re right here, right now."
Dahlin, who spoke to reporters Monday before the NHL's announcement, is looking to become Buffalo's third Masterton winner. Don Luce won the award in 1975, and Pat LaFontaine took it in 1995.
Landeskog missed three full regular seasons with knee issues after playing through them during the Avalanche’s 2022 Stanley Cup run. After four procedures, he played 60 games this year, collecting 14 goals and 21 assists.
Toews, a three-time Cup winner in Chicago, returned to the game this year with his hometown team after a 2½-year absence due to health-related issues that included long Covid-19 and Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome. Toews played 82 games this season for the first time since 2018-19, notched 11 goals and 18 assists and led NHL centers in faceoff percentage at 62.1.
Carrick might be closing in on return
Center Sam Carrick (upper body) had been ruled out of the series by Ruff on Sunday while still on the mend from the injury he suffered in a fight with New York Islanders captain Anders Lee on March 31.But Ruff said Monday he was surprised to learn that Carrick was visiting team doctors for an update on his status.
"He thinks he's further along than maybe I portrayed (Sunday)," Ruff said. "So with good news, he could join our team back for practice (Tuesday), which is great news that would put him a little bit ahead of schedule."
Carrick would be a huge addition to the fourth line and to Buffalo's chances in the faceoff circle. The Sabres are just 15th out of the 16 playoff teams in faceoff percentage at 43.8, while Montreal is third at 55.6%.