Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin, the first overall pick at the 2018 NHL Draft, has been named the NHL’s “Rookie of the Month” for November.
Dahlin becomes the first Sabres player to earn NHL "Rookie of the Month" honors since Marcus Foligno in March 2012.
Dahlin, 18, topped all first-year defensemen and ranked fourth among all rookies with 1 goal and 9 assists in 15 games played in November.
Dahlin bested the following rookies for NHL’s “Rookie of the Month” for recognition in November:
Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson (6G,6A in 14 games played)
Ottawa Senators forwards Brady Tkachuk (6 goals and 4 assists in 11 games played)
Colin White (5 goals and 5 assists in 14 games played)
LA Kings goaltender Cal Petersen (4-4-0, 2.41 GAA, .929 SV%, 1 SO in 9 GP)
Dahlin has scored 1 goal and 8 assists with a +8 rating in his last 10 games, averaging 21:37 TOI per game during that stretch.
Dahlin played third pair, protected minutes in October. Phil Houlsey then moved Dahlin up pto second pair TOI in November and the kid responded like the rock star his is. Dahlin averaged 19:54 TOI for Housley and the Sabres team that concluded November with an outstanding 11-3-1 record. Dahlin has played a vital role in Buffalo's rise from worst to first in terms of the NHL standings. In 2017-18, the Sabres finished dead last in the NHL standings and won the NHL Draft Lottery for the right to select the All-World puck mover extraordinaire Dahlin first overall. Today, the Sabres are tied for first place overall in the NHL and are tied for first place overall in the Eastern Conference standings.
Dahlin contributed in a big way in all three phases of the game during teh Sabres' 10-game winning streak from November 8-27, equaling a franchise record also achieved from January 4-23, 1984, and October 4-26, 2006.
Dahlin also ranked second among all rookies with a +9 rating, logging an even or positive plus/minus in 12 of his 15 November appearances.
Dahlin is just the third 18-year-old defenseman in NHL history to score at least 10 points in one of his first 2 rookie months.
The others 18 year old defensemen?
Bobby Orr (11GP, 4G,6A, 10 points) in November, 1966-67)
Phil Housley (9 GP 2G,8A,10 points) in October, 1982-83)
The Lidkoping, Sweden native has scored 2 goals and 12 assists for 14 points (44 SOG, 5 power play points) in his first 27 career games – joins Pettersson (October) as a Rookie of the Month winner in 2018-19.
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