Highly touted prospect Rasmus Dahlin was welcomed to the Buffalo Sabres with open arms. The talented defenseman was projected to go first-overall for months. The well-rounded gameplay he possessed made selecting Dahlin a no-brainer.
Dahlin’s skillset involves him being able to do pretty much anything. He can defend the best players or be an offensive threat, but there is one thing Dahlin is hesitant about adding to his repertoire.
During an AMA (Ask Me Anything) on Reddit, Dahlin answered questions from fans about the sport, about him personally, among other things.
When asked about fighting, it’s evident Dahlin wasn’t prepared to come to the NHL and be a guy who routinely dropped the gloves.
“I hate to practice fights,” Dahlin said. “If I have to join fights I am a bit reluctant. I love everything about hockey but I’m not good at the fights. Not sure what I’d do if someone punched me.”
With the way the NHL has changed, it makes sense that rookies aren’t looking to drop the mitts anytime soon. The sport is slowly ticking away from fights and it isn’t something rookies are specializing in.
Still, it’s funny to hear Dahlin’s reaction to fighting. Something many of us grew up watching (or may have even participated in), is just another part of the game. But for players who strayed away from dropping the gloves, it can certainly be intimidating having to fight at the sport’s highest level.
