One of the NHL’s top defensemen is headed to the All-Star Game.
The NHL announced that defenseman Rasmus Dahlin will replace Tage Thompson in the All-Star activities in Florida, taking place this Friday and Saturday.
Thompson left Buffalo’s game on Wednesday against Carolina with an upper-body injury. No details about the severity are known right now.
Thompson is having the best season of his career, tying his previous career-high of 68 points after just 50 games. He’s on pace for 112 points in a full 82-game season, which would make him the first Buffalo Sabres player to break the 100-point barrier in the 21st century. Thompson has a legitimate shot at the Hart Trophy, even if Connor McDavid looks to be the runaway favorite right now, so, hopefully, it’s just a short-term issue.
Dahlin is also having a career season, tallying 14 goals and 55 points in 49 games. He’s one of three defensemen to break the 50-point barrier this year, joining Erik Karlsson (66) and Josh Morrissey (53). Dahlin recently surpassed his career-best of 53 points that he set last season, and is on pace to record 90 this season.
This will be Dahlin’s second all-star team after playing in the tournament last year.
By all accounts, Dahlin deserved to be named to the roster in the first place. So, it’s fitting that he gets to replace his teammate.
The NHL All-Star Game will have a shortage of defensemen this year. Karlsson is the lone Pacific Division representative, Morrissey, Cale Makar and Seth Jones will play for the Central, Adam Fox will be the only blueliner on the Metropolitan squad and Dahlin will be the only rearguard on the Atlantic. Like in previous years, the tournament-style format will feature a team from every division, with two teams eventually making it to the final for all the marbles.
