Buffalo Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin is taking a temporary leave of absence to return to Sweden for a personal matter, coach Lindy Ruff announced on Friday. Dahlin's fiancée underwent a heart transplant over the summer following a severe health scare. The team has offered full support, with no timetable for his return.
Rasmus Dahlin, the Buffalo Sabres' captain and top defenseman, will step away from the team to address a personal issue in Sweden. The announcement came after Friday's practice at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, where head coach Lindy Ruff confirmed the news. "Rasmus will be taking a temporary leave of absence to deal with a personal matter back in Sweden," Ruff said. "He said everything is OK, and through this, he’s got the full support by our team."
This leave follows a challenging summer for Dahlin and his fiancée, Carolina Matovac. In a letter shared on September 19, Dahlin revealed that she suffered major heart failure while the couple vacationed in France. She required CPR on multiple occasions and spent several weeks on life support before receiving a heart transplant in France. Dahlin wrote, "This has undoubtedly been the most challenging chapter of our lives, however it is something that we have learned so much from. We will continue to grow from these experiences and are so grateful for all the love and support we have received."
Ruff emphasized the difficulty Dahlin has faced in maintaining focus amid the ordeal. "I think it’s been incredibly hard. Not easy," Ruff said. "I fully understand what this young man is going through. I don’t think you can describe it, and I don’t think you can feel what he’s feeling. I’m pretty passionate about the fact that no one would want to walk in his shoes and have to deal with what he dealt with. He has undoubtedly got the support of everybody on this. This is larger than hockey."
Dahlin, selected first overall by Buffalo in the 2018 NHL Draft, has recorded nine points (one goal, eight assists) in 14 games this season. Over his career, the 25-year-old Swede has amassed 369 points (84 goals, 285 assists) in 523 games. The Sabres, with a 5-5-4 record, face the Carolina Hurricanes on the road Saturday.
