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Sabres select Swedish defenseman Rasmus Dahlin first overall in NHL draft

Dallas • The Buffalo Sabres have selected defenseman Rasmus Dahlin with the first overall pick in the NHL draft, giving them a dynamic player who should spark their rebuilding process.

Dahlin is the second Swedish player to be taken No. 1 and the first since Mats Sundin in 1989. The smooth-skating playmaker has been considered the consensus first pick for more than a year.

After putting on a Sabres jersey Friday night, the 18-year-old will jump to the NHL right away and should help the club’s league-worst offense that contributed to its last-place finish. He had six assists in seven games at the world junior championships in Buffalo and put up 20 points in 41 games in Sweden’s top pro league this season.