"Wanted Tuch, but OK" "Yikes": NHL fans left divided over Rasmus Dahlin's appointment as Sabres captain

The Buffalo Sabres made a major announcement this afternoon, naming Swedish defenseman Rasmus Dahlin the 21st captain in team history. He succeeds former captain Kyle Okposo in the role vacated by his trade to the Florida Panthers at last season's NHL Trade Deadline.

Buffalo also announced that Alex Tuch, Dylan Cozens, Mattias Samuelsson and Tage Thompson would be alternate captains on a rotating basis.

While Sabres coach Lindy Ruff and general manager Kevyn Adams were full of praise for the new captain, Buffalo fans have offered more of a mixed bag of reactions.

Some Sabres fans expressed their approval of Dahlin being named the new captain, while others felt that someone else should have been given the responsibility.

"Wanted Tuch, but OK," one fan said.

"Dahlin was the clear cut choice, there was a never a second thought that this wasnt happening. Worst kept secret lol," another fan said.

Here are some more reactions from fans.

"There were better choices for Captaincy, but all of those players are likely gone in a year or so, such as Tuch, so this makes sense," one fan said.

"Could have been Alex Tuch but still a great choice," wrote another fan. "Dahlin is a stud."

"We have a captain who hasn't been to the playoffs in his career, in a league where half the teams make the postseason. hmm? @alextuch89 has been to a CUP final, and is a born and raised #Sabres fan. This is a joke," an unhappy fan wrote.

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Sabres players have fully endorsed Dahlin's promotion to the captaincy

While the fans may have been divided on the announcement, Sabres players appear to have fully embraced the decision to name Dahlin team captain. Assistant captain Alex Tuch, who was acquired by Buffalo in the blockbuster trade for former captain Jack Eichel, fully endorsed the move.

“First and foremost, that guy is a gamechanger each and every night,” Tuch said (per NHL). “His consistency on the compete factor has been incredible ever since I got into town, and I’ve seen it grow and just blossom into the player that he’s become. He’s an incredible player, but he’s also an incredible individual."

“To be able to go along into battle beside him has been a great honor, honestly, ever since I got in. And he’s raised my level of compete and he’s made me want to be a better player, and that’s what he does to each and every guy.”

Additionally, assistant captain Mattias Samuelsson detailed Dahlin's work ethic and intense attitude, even in practice sessions:

“Ras is obviously a world-class player, has world-class work ethic,” Samuelsson, explained. “In the gym, on the ice, everything, he was leading the way. He’s obviously super competitive, so it made skates pretty intense.”

Dahlin and the Sabres continue their exhibition schedule on Thursday night with a matchup against the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre.