Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin is taking a leave of absence and returning to Sweden

Sabres Captain Rasmus Dahlin Takes Leave of Absence

Buffalo Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin is taking a leave of absence to return to Sweden to handle a personal matter.

Coach’s Statement

“I will say this: he said everything is OK,” Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said Friday. “He’s got full support by our team.”

Ruff confirmed there is no set timetable for Dahlin’s return to the team.

Personal Challenges

In September, Dahlin shared that his fiancée, Carolina Matovac, required a lifesaving heart transplant during the summer. She became ill during a vacation in France, leading to heart failure.

Dahlin explained that his fiancée needed CPR multiple times, with some sessions lasting up to a couple of hours. She then spent weeks on life support before receiving the transplant.

Currently, Matovac is recovering and rehabilitating in Sweden, on track for a full recovery before being able to travel and reunite with Dahlin in Buffalo.

Player Background and Performance

Dahlin, 25, is in his eighth NHL season since being the first overall pick in the 2018 draft.
He has scored over 50 points in each of the last four seasons.
Dahlin was chosen to represent Sweden at the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics.
This season, he has nine points in 14 games.

Coach on Dahlin’s Focus

“I think it’s been incredibly hard. I fully understand what this young man is going through. I don’t think you can describe it, and I don’t think you can feel what he’s feeling.”

Author’s summary: Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin is taking time off to support his fiancée's recovery from a critical heart transplant, with his team fully backing his absence.

iNFOnews.ca — 2025-11-07

Sabres Captain Rasmus Dahlin Takes Leave of Absence

Coach’s Statement

Personal Challenges

Player Background and Performance

Coach on Dahlin’s Focus

More News