Buffalo Sabres team captain Rasmus Dahlin battled injury early in the season, but finished with the second-most points in his seven-year NHL career, and earned him numerous votes for the Norris Trophy, for the “defensive player who demonstrates throughout the season the greatest all-round ability in the position.”
The 25-year-old blueliner finished sixth in voting after posting 68 points (17 goals, 51 assists) in 73 games, behind two-time winner Cale Makar. Makar, who had a career-high 92 points (30 goals, 62 points) in 80 games, earned 176 of 191 first place votes. Zach Werenski of the Columbus Blue Jackets earned 13 first place votes and finished 595 points behind Makar.
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Quinn Hughes of the Vancouver Canucks was third and earned the two remaining first place votes. Winnipeg’s Josh Morrissey was fourth, and Tampa Bay’s Victor Hedman was fifth, 145 points ahead of his Swedish countryman, who had four third-place votes, 26 fourth-place votes, and 22 fifth-place votes.
Dahlin sixth-place is the highest finish in Norris voting in his career. The Sabres defenseman finished 15th last season after scoring 20 goals for the first time, and finished eighth in 2023, after scoring a career-high 73 points.
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