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Rasmus Dahlin addition can be a franchise changer for Sabres

NHL Draft Hockey

Rasmus Dahlin, of Sweden, talks to the media in Dallas, Thursday, June 21, 2018. The NHL hockey draft takes place Friday and Saturday in Dallas. (AP Photo/Michael Ainsworth)

AP

DALLAS — The moment NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly flipped over the card to reveal the Buffalo Sabres logo, it was a done deal where Rasmus Dahlin would begin his professional hockey career.

But maybe out of superstition or not wanting to get ahead of things, the 18-year-old Dahlin isn’t assuming that the Sabres will call his name Friday night at American Airlines Center in Dallas during the NHL Draft (7:30 p.m. ET; NBCSN). He’s still in a wait-and-see mode until it’s time to announce the first overall selection.

“It feels crazy to me, actually,” Dahlin said on Thursday. “I can’t believe it. Sometime in the future I’ll be able to stop and think, ‘What am I going through?’ and all that kind of stuff. I’m just trying to enjoy this time as much as I can.”

For the past year, the YouTube videos and GIFs of Dahlin’s smooth skating and elite hockey skills have been on display for the world. His talents quickly had fans of downtrodden teams adopting the “Falling for Dahlin” mindset, hoping they could somehow manage to add this generational player to their roster.

The Sabres were the lucky ones to win the lottery and are hoping Dahlin’s presence is another building block — to go along with Jack Eichel and Casey Mittelstadt — that will lead to a turnaround of the franchise’s fortunes. It may take some time before that happens, but watching the Trollhättan, Sweden native sure sounds like it’s going to be fun.

“Between his puck skills and his skating speed and agility, he cuts through opposing defenses when he carries the puck up the ice like they were not even there,” writes McKeen’s Hockey in their NHL draft issue. “Once he has gained the zone, he can and will generate magic with almost every touch. He needs only the tiniest of gaps in coverage and he can skate deep into the zone or hit a teammate with a killer pass.”

“Impressive agility makes him a good one-on-one defender. He has fine passing ability, and although not a big-time bomber, he has an accurate shot from the point,” according to Erik Piri of Elite Prospects. “Not one to shy away from the physical game, Dahlin is an accomplished open-ice hitter.”

Just watch.

“You watch him on the ice and you’re very impressed with his hockey sense, his speed, his puck skills,” said Sabres general manager Jason Botterill. “But a very humble man off the ice. I was very impressed with his self-assessment and what he has to improve on and just the focus he has.”

After two years with Frolunda in the Swedish Hockey League, Dahlin’s jump to the NHL next fall will require some improvements, even as his flashy YouTube highlight reels garner thousands of views. He said that this past year he felt more comfortable playing at a higher level and that his defensive zone coverage was better..

“I have to get better in my overall game. To play in a higher level you have to be stronger also. Pretty much everything. I’m excited,” he said.

Dahlin has already gotten to know Buffalo as a city a little bit having spent time up there earlier this month for the NHL Draft Combine. He sees many similarities with his hometown of Trollhättan, which should make the move even more comfortable.

Once he arrives in Buffalo, the expectations that he can help a franchise turnaround will increase. The city is a hockey-mad market eagerly awaiting the day they get to watch a winning team on a regular basis again. But despite that incoming pressure, Dahlin won’t allow it to affect him.

“You can’t think that way,” he said. “You just have to try and play your game and to be the best that you can.”

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Sean Leahy is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @Sean_Leahy.