Rasmus Dahlin helps Sabres crush Maple Leafs with massive career first

The Buffalo Sabres have made an amazing turnaround this season. Earlier in the campaign, the team was in last place, leading to the Sabres firing GM Kevyn Adams. Now the club has won nine of its last 12, is in a position to make the playoffs, and just defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 7-4. In that victory, Rasmus Dahlin had a career first.

The Sabres captain, in his eighth year with the franchise, recorded his first NHL hat trick against the Maple Leafs.

That's our Captain.

Congratulations to Rasmus Dahlin on his first-career hat trick tonight! pic.twitter.com/LIesJDq3jI

— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) January 28, 2026

Dahlin was the first overall selection of the 2018 NHL Draft by the Sabres. He broke into the NHL in 2018-19, playing in 557 regular-season games, finding the back of the net 94 times in his career, but this is the first time he has lit the lamp three times in one game.

The star blueliner scored mid-way through the first period, tying the game at one goal each. He got an assist late in the period as Josh Doan tied the game at two. His second goal of the game came late in the second period, making it 4-3 in favor of Buffalo. In the third period, he added his second assist of the game, making it 6-3. Max Domi scored to make it 6-4, leading the Leafs to pull their goaltender late in the game.

Chants of “Let’s go, Buffalo!” and “We want seven!” echoed from the upper level of Scotiabank Arena as Sabres fans in Toronto cheered their team. Dahlin got them number seven, hitting the empty net and securing the hat trick. Adding to the moment is what Dahlin has been dealing with in his personal life. He has returned to Sweden twice after his fiancée, Carolina Matovac, experienced heart failure that required a transplant. She also announced earlier this week that the couple lost their first child due to her medical event.

“The fact that he’s here playing hockey competing for us means the world to us. I think that just speaks to his character, how much he loves the team, how much he wants to win. He’s not just playing. He’s leading by example. I can’t say enough good things about him and the mental strength you have to have to be able to do what he’s doing is pretty impressive,” teammate Tage Thompson told the media after the game, per Matthew Fairburn of The Athletic.

Dahlin has been instrumental in the team’s turnaround. The Sabres are now 30-17-5, which places them tied for third in the Atlantic Division. They return to the ice on Thursday, hosting the Los Angeles Kings.

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