Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin will be taking a temporary leave of absence to address personal matters in Sweden, as announced by coach Lindy Ruff on Friday. No specific date has been set for his return. A report from The Athletic revealed that Dahlin will be heading back to support his fiancée, Karolina Matback, who is recovering from a heart transplant.
Ruff mentioned that Dahlin assured everything was fine and confirmed the team’s full support for him. Back in September, it was disclosed that Matback had suffered severe heart failure during a summer vacation in France. She received life-saving CPR for several hours, was hospitalized, and remained on life support for weeks while awaiting a heart transplant. Eventually, she underwent the transplant and has since returned to Sweden to continue her recovery.
Ruff emphasized the difficulty of the situation, expressing deep empathy for Dahlin’s experience and highlighting that this is more important than hockey. Dahlin played the first 14 games of the NHL season amid this challenging time, maintaining impressive performance as a key player in Sabres’ defense, averaging nine points with over 24 minutes on ice per game.
“Family and individuals come first, more than hockey,” Ruff stated, reassuring that while hockey is critical, personal life takes precedence. Dahlin, the Sabres’ first overall pick in the 2018 NHL Draft, is a three-time NHL All-Star and is currently serving his second year as team captain. The Sabres will have to manage without their core defenseman for an uncertain period.
Fan Take: This news highlights the human side of professional athletes, reminding fans that players face real-life challenges beyond the rink. Dahlin’s absence could impact the Sabres’ defense dynamics, but it also underscores the importance of compassion and support within the hockey community.
