Sweden’s Rasmus Dahlin says lack of overtime playing time was coach’s decision

Sweden’s top defenseman, Rasmus Dahlin, spoke out about being left on the bench during Team Sweden’s overtime in the men’s hockey quarterfinal loss to Team USA at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics.

Dahlin, captain of the Buffalo Sabres, led Sweden with the most ice time at 21:23 per game and recorded five points, including one goal and four assists, over five games. Despite being ready, he was not put on the ice for the decisive 3-on-3 overtime period.

Sweden lost 2-1 in overtime on Wednesday after Quinn Hughes scored the winning goal for the U.S., ending Sweden’s chance at a medal. Dahlin ran the top power-play unit but had to watch from the bench as coach Sam Hallam made lineup choices that drew criticism.

Back in Buffalo on Monday, Dahlin spoke to the reporters after his return.

“I was good to go. It’s not my decision. I wanted to be out there that’s for sure. It is what it is. I can’t do anything about it.”

The earlier Dahlin tweet about not playing in OT vs USA has really taken off in Sweden. Here’s the video of my questions with him and his answers. (Swedish media have permission to use — with credit given to @TheBuffaloNews) pic.twitter.com/Kh3qrUaZSf

— Mike Harrington (@ByMHarrington) February 23, 2026

Hallam’s decisions extended beyond Dahlin, with Oliver Ekman-Larsson dressed but seeing minimal ice time, and Elias Pettersson averaging under 11 minutes per game.

Sweden beat Italy and Slovakia in the group stage and advanced past Latvia in the Playoff Qualification, but losses to Finland in group play and the United States in the quarterfinals ended their run.

In both the Olympics and the 4 Nations Face-Off, Dahlin was one of Sweden’s top players. While he didn’t see ice time in overtime or on the penalty kill, he did play on the power play during the Olympics and contributed effectively.

Even without a medal, the Sabres captain remains confident in his abilities and is ready to use the Olympic experience to help Buffalo in their playoff push.

“Almost every game was a must-win for us, so I got a chance to work on handling emotions and handling pressure,” the 25-year-old said. “… I was able to work on my own game in terms of that, and I know what it takes to be on a big stage and play important games, so I think I can bring experience with that (to Buffalo).”

Sweden’s early exit leaves some lingering “what ifs,” but Rasmus Dahlin turns his focus back to the NHL, battle-tested despite the disappointment. Dahlin is set to return for the Sabres when they face the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday. Buffalo currently holds the top wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference as they continue their push toward the playoffs.

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