Practice Report | Dahlin's hockey sense on full display through first 7 games

Rasmus Dahlin signed an eight-year contract extension on Oct. 9 ahead of the 2023-24 season and has since performed consistently well for the Sabres, tallying seven points (0+7) in seven games and riding a six-game point streak to match the longest streak of his career.

Sabres coach Don Granato believes that having the contract done and out of the way has allowed Dahlin to play “free” on both ends of the ice.

“Well, I’m happy the contract is done. I think that was a lot for him and Owen Power. You can say what you want, it’s a lot to think about. He wanted to have his future here. So, when that contract got done right at the start of the season, we saw a different guy than we saw in training camp, and more free,” Granato said following the team’s practice Thursday at KeyBank Center.

“… When he’s free, his hockey sense combined with his compete, are the two striking attributes that factor into his good start. He’s got incredible hockey sense. … So, you see both hockey sense and compete and he’s in the flow now. He’s in a groove now and I don’t think he was in that through training camp.”

Although Dahlin has been the one setting up the goals, he credits his early offensive success to the team’s skilled forwards and his defensive partner, Mattias Samuelsson.

“We have a good chemistry going on,” Dahlin said. “I always kind of know where he’s at and I can jump into the play since I know he backs me up. He can jump into it and create some chances also.”

Buffalo currently holds a 3-4 record through the group’s first seven games of the season. Dahlin says the Sabres will continue to find success if the team continues to play how it did in its win over Ottawa on Tuesday.

“We got off to a back-to-back and we kept it simple, but it works,” Dahlin said. “We had a lot of net-front goals, some tipped goals because we kept it simple. Low to high and then get the puck to the net, and we played solid D.”

The Sabres visit the New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center on Friday. Coverage on MSG begins at 6:30 p.m. with faceoff scheduled for 7 on MSG/MSG+ and WGR 550.

Here are more notes from practice.

1. Granato provided an update on goaltender Devon Levi, who remains day to day with a lower-body injury.

Levi started in Buffalo’s first four games of the season, including a 32-save performance against Calgary on Oct. 19, before being sidelined with soreness. While Levi’s condition hasn’t regressed, the coaching staff has given him time to fully recover with two other goalies on the roster in Eric Comrie and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen.

“…The soreness has not resolved to the point that – under our situation with three goaltenders and Comrie and Upie playing well in their last two games – we’re not pushing it based on all of that. There is no need to push it,” Granato said. “We have three goalies and that’s the luxury when it comes to this. But we’re waiting for some more soreness to resolve for him.”

2. Casey Mittelstadt has picked up where he left off at the end of last season, recording six points (1+5) in seven games and a plus-2 rating.

Following practice, Granato reflected on a play Mittelstadt made in the defensive zone against the Senators to lead Alex Tuch and Jeff Skinner on a 2-on-1 in the other direction for the game’s first goal.

“That play came because Casey Mittelstadt recognized there was a kill opportunity in the defensive zone and he jumped a guy that was isolated, broke the play up,” Granato said. “They thought they were on offense, and we go down on a 2-on-1. So, really nice play by Casey there.”

The forward has looked comfortable creating chances for his teammates by initiating plays in the offensive zone. His five assists so far rank second on the team behind Dahlin’s seven.

“Mittelstadt’s progress is a significant help in adding depth, which really challenges the opposition,” Granato said. “You see what these guys are capable of in practice, even weeks or months before that translates into a game. So, you know, we have a little bit more hindsight, a little bit more scope into the potential of each of these guys. As we’re seeing that come to actuality, it’s pretty impressive with Casey.”

3. Through the first seven games, Tage Thompson has made an impact on the defensive side of the game and penalty kill, logging 17:13 of shorthanded minutes as a forward.

Granato attributed this success to maturity in his game and a greater focus on the defensive aspects of his game.

“He is recognizing the impact of getting pucks back faster, of getting off of defense faster or spending less time on defense,” Granato said. “He’s looking and studying the game more in that way than he had in the past, which will benefit him and his linemates even more. And the penalty kill – he’s been much more in-tune with that position and positional responsibilities which will also bleed into his 5-on-5 game.”

4. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made his season debut in net against Ottawa on Tuesday, posting 34 saves in a 6-4 win at Canadian Tire Centre.

While the 24-year-old had to wait for his first start, he remained focused and ready for his name to be called.

"He kept himself very prepared. We could tell that,” Granato said. “So, we went into the games with confidence that the process for Upie was right on target. He never lost focus; he never hung his head. And again, very good, very nice to see him then perform very well.”