Breakaway on SI

Bills QB Josh Allen Helps Unveil Sabres' New Captain

The Buffalo Sabres named their new captain with help from their football counterparts.

Jon Alfano

Sep 12, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) reacts after the game against the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Sep 12, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) reacts after the game against the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
In this story:

The NHL's Buffalo Sabres and NFL's Buffalo Bills have quite a lot in common, but most importantly their unwavering support for one another.

Players from one team frequently attend the other's games, and even help out on bigger projects. So when the Sabres announced star defenseman Rasmus Dahlin as their new captain, who better to turn to than another Buffalo captain?

Josh Allen, the Bills' star quarterback and a perennial MVP candidate, helped the Sabres out by narrating a video revealing Dahlin as captain. In said video, Allen perfectly describes what makes Dahlin the natural choice as captain.

"We followed you from 18, when you traveled 4,000 miles from your first home to your new home, and traded in one blue and gold for another," Allen said. "We followed you from unsure to undeniable, from inexperienced to inspiring, from learning to leading. We followed you over every hurdle, watched you push back, lay it all on the line. We know you. You're committed, creative, calculating, captivating, and you care like hell.

"And trust me, that's the only way to lead in Buffalo, because the people here, they're just as much. Now comes the next step, same home, same colors, and a new letter. And as always, we'll be following."

The No. 1 pick in the 2018 NHL Draft, Dahlin is among the top young defensemen in the league today. He's scored 66 goals and 292 points in 436 NHL games, and he's the rare blue-liner who can quarterback a power play while maintaining a strong two-way game.

That said, team success remains elusive for the Sabres, who haven't made the postseason since 2011 in the longest NHL playoff drought ever. Buffalo and its long-suffering fanbase desperately want to end the drought, and the hope is that Dahlin can lead the team back to prominence.

“He does everything right, first and foremost,” head coach Lindy Ruff said, per the Sabres' site. “His on-ice action has been incredible, and I think he’s a guy that leads in every category, from the way he prepares himself to the way he plays and the fact that he’s a guy who cares about winning hockey games.”

Make sure you bookmark Breakaway OnSI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, recruiting coverage, and more! 

Published
Jon Alfano
JON ALFANO

Home/News Feed Page