Sabres Announce Leave of Absence for Rasmus Dahlin

Ruff stated that Dahlin didn’t want to draw too much attention to the matter, saying everything was under control. At the same time, everyone is feeling for Dahlin and his family as they deal with her health concerns.

Dahlin wrote a letter to fans in September, noting: “While on vacation in France early this summer, Carolina began to feel sick for a few days, which quickly turned into her experiencing major heart failure. Fortunately, she received CPR on multiple occasions, and up to a couple of hours at a time to keep her alive, which ultimately saved her life. Without her receiving lifesaving CPR, the result would have been unimaginable. It is hard to even think about the worst-case scenario.” He added, “She was transferred to a hospital where she remained on life support for weeks before she was a beneficiary of a heart transplant while still in France.”

The Athletic’s Matthew Fairburn reports that the defenceman will be with his fiancée during his time away from the team after she received a heart transplant following health complications over the summer.

Dahlin has been a standout for the Sabres despite team struggles, posting 68 points last season—his best since 73 in 2022-23. In 523 career games, he has 84 goals and 285 assists. Dahlin is in year two of his $11 million, eight-year extension with a no-move clause.