Rasmus Dahlin's evolution into one of the top defenseman in the world earned the Buffalo Sabres' captain a spot on Sweden for the NHL's 4 Nations Face-off in February.
Dahlin won't be the only player representing the Sabres.
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, their starting goalie, was selected to play for Finland. A few of the Sabres' candidates didn't make their respective teams, though. Team USA didn't pick Tage Thompson or Alex Tuch, and Henri Jokiharju was expected to join Luukkonen on Finland's roster.
The tournament, organized by the NHL and NHL Players' Association, will include seven games across nine days in February. Montreal's Bell Centre will host four games, beginning with Canada versus Sweden on Feb. 12 at 8 p.m., then Boston's TD Garden will host three games, capped by the championship on Feb. 20 at 8 p.m.
It is NHL players' first opportunity to play in a best-on-best tournament since the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. The 4 Nations Face-off will serve as a tune-up for their next appearance at the Olympics in 2026, when the NHL has agreed to allow them to play in Italy.
"It's a lead up to the Olympics, and you get to play for your nation in a tournament where the best are playing," Luukkonen said. "It's every player's dream to represent your home country, represent where you're from and give back to the country that helped you get here. Where you played your junior years and where your family's from. And it's the best against the best. Everyone wants to be a part of that."
Dahlin's selection was a foregone conclusion when he elected to play for Sweden at the IIHF Men's World Championship in May. Dahlin, 24, wanted to use the tournament to work with Sweden's new coach, Sam Hallam, and get a head start on learning the systems that the country planned to use at the inaugural 4 Nations Face-off.
Since entering the NHL at 18 years old in 2018-19, Dahlin ranks second among Swedish defensemen in goals (72), and he's third in points (311). Only Victor Hedman has more power-play points (131) during that span. He was a finalist for the Calder Trophy as a rookie and received the eighth-most votes for the Norris Trophy in 2022-23, when he had a career-high 73 points as the Sabres finished one win short of reaching the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Dahlin scored a career-high 20 goals last season, and he was named an NHL All-Star for a third year in a row. The Sabres named Dahlin their captain during a team dinner in Munich, eight days before their season opened in Prague, Czechia. He has six goals with 19 points through 25 games under the Sabres' new coach, Lindy Ruff, this season. Dahlin missed most of training camp with what Ruff described as a middle-body injury and played only one shift in the third period Tuesday because of back spasms.
The Sabres canceled practice Wednesday, so there won't be an update on Dahlin's status until Thursday morning before the Sabres host the Winnipeg Jets.
Luukkonen is expected to backup Nashville Predators goalie Juuse Saros for Finland, continuing the Sabres starter's meteoric rise over the past 11 months. Only two NHL goalies have a better save percentage than Luukkonen's .913 since Jan. 11, 2024. His 2.46 goals-against average is also second during that span, and his five shutouts are tied for second-most.
Luukkonen, 25, led Finland to gold at the IIHF World Junior Championship in January 2019, less than two years after the Sabres selected him in the second round of the NHL draft. He signed a five-year contract with the team in July after beginning last season as the No. 3 behind Devon Levi and Eric Comrie.
Thompson was a shoe-in if Team USA general manager Bill Guerin picked the best players. None of these general managers treated this like an All-Star game. It's not simply a one-off tournament. Each country is preparing for the Olympics. The rosters are filled with NHL superstars, but they also chose role players.
Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby and Nathan MacKinnon are representing Canada. Auston Matthews, former Sabres captain Jack Eichel, Adam Fox, Connor Hellebuyck and the Tkachuk brothers are on Team USA. Dahlin's going to be teammates with Victor Hedman, William Nylander, Elias Lindholm, Lucas Raymond and former Sabres goalie Linus Ullmark. Finland has one of the best defensemen in the NHL, Dallas' Miro Heiskanen, and two exceptional centers: Sebastian Aho of the Hurricanes and Aleksander Barkov of the Panthers.
Team USA GM Bill Guerin chose two of his Minnesota Wild players prioritized penalty-killing forwards who play shut down defense and block shots. He selected the Islanders' Brock Nelson and the Rangers' Vincent Trocheck. Tuch could have filled one of those roles.
His 97 takeaways since the start of last season second-most among NHL forwards. Only eight have played more on the penalty kill than he has while playing in every game this season. He's averaging 20:12 of ice time and 23 points in 25 games. He's blocked 39 shots and scored eight goals. The 28-year-old played for Team USA at the world championships in 2023.
Thompson's 127 goals since the start of the 2021-22 season are third-most among U.S.-born players. Only Matthews and Chris Kreider have scored more during that span. Thompson's 238 points are 11th-most. The Sabres' No. 1 center has 13 goals and 20 points in 20 games this season. He missed five games last month with a lower-body injury and scored twice in their 5-4 loss Tuesday night. Canadiens winger Cole Caufield, a 52-goal scorer last season, also got left off the roster.
Seven of Team USA's forwards are centers with their NHL team: Matthews, Trocheck, Nelson, Eichel, Jack Hughes, Dylan Larkin and J.T. Miller. Guerin chose two of his players, winger Matt Boldy and defenseman Brock Faber, and Tkachuk brothers are their power forwards with skill. Helleybuck, a two-time Vezina Trophy winner, is the best goalie at the tournament.
A full schedule of the 4 Nations Face-off games:
Wednesday, Feb 12: Canada vs. Sweden, 8 p.m. (TNT)
Thursday, Feb. 13: USA vs. Finland, 8 p.m. (ESPN)
Saturday, Feb. 15: Finland vs. Sweden, 1 p.m. (ABC)
Saturday, Feb. 15: USA vs. Canada, 8 p.m. (ABC)
Monday, Feb. 17: Canada vs. Finland, 1 p.m. (TNT)
Monday, Feb. 17: USA vs. Sweden, 8 p.m. (TNT)
Thursday, Feb. 20: Championship game, 8 p.m. (ESPN)
