The outlook in Western New York is mixed as the Buffalo Sabres are close to getting a key forward back, but might be losing a key defenseman. Significantly, the Sabres' blue line could be in danger of missing its best player. Rasmus Dahlin will be out of the Sabres' lineup indefinitely due to personal reasons, according to head coach Lindy Ruff.

“Rasmus will be taking a temporary leave of absence to deal with a personal matter back in Sweden. I will say this. He said everything is okay, and through this, he's got full support of our team,” Ruff informed the Sabres' media team.

This is a major loss for Buffalo. After the Sabres got off to a slow start, going 0-3 in their first three games, they have gone 5-2-4 since. Significantly, Dahlin was having a productive season, tallying one goal and eight assists in 14 games for the Sabres. With his absence, Ruff will have to shuffle the Sabres' blue line and plug in another player on the top pairing with Mattias Samuelsson.

Dahlin has been a consistent force for the Sabres' blue line since the team drafted him with the first pick in the 2018 NHL Draft. Last season, he was excellent, putting up dominating numbers, with 17 goals and 51 assists.

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Sabres columnist Mike Harrington provided more details on the reasons for Dahlin's absence and why he was taking time away from the team.

“Lindy Ruff announced a leave of absence for Rasmus Dahlin, who is returning to Sweden to be with [fiancée] after her heart transplant. Ruff said things are going well for her. No timetable for return,” Harrington wrote on X.

While there is no timetable for Dahlin's return, he has the support of the entire locker room as he tends to his fiancée, caring for her until she is better. In the meantime, the Sabres will prepare for their next game without him, as they travel to Raleigh to face the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday.