NHL announces 2018-19 All-Rookie Team; Buffalo Sabres Rasmus Dahlin tops D votegetters

The National Hockey League announced the 2018-19 NHL All-Rookie Team, including the three players voted as finalists for the Calder Memorial Trophy as the league’s top rookie: goaltender Jordan Binnington of the St. Louis Blues, defenseman Rasmus Dahlin of the Buffalo Sabres and forward Elias Pettersson of the Vancouver Canucks.

Also named to the 2018-19 NHL All-Rookie Team are defenseman Miro Heiskanen of the Dallas Stars as well as forwards Anthony Cirelli of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Brady Tkachuk of the Ottawa Senators.

Voting was conducted by the Professional Hockey Writers Association at the end of the regular season.

Dahlin (171 points), the first overall pick in the 2018 NHL Draft, led first-year defensemen and ranked third among all rookies in points (9 goals, 35 assists – 44 points in 82 games). His 35 assists placed second among rookies, as did his time on ice per game (21:09).

With an assist March 20 vs. Toronto, Dahlin passed Bobby Orr (38 points in 1966-67) for the second-most points by an NHL defenseman before his 19th birthday. The Lidkoping, Sweden, native notched eight multi-point games this season, tied with Orr for the second-most by an 18-year-old blueliner in League history.

Dahlin – also a unanimous selection – is the Sabres’ first All-Rookie Team honoree since forward Jack Eichel in 2015-16 and the first Buffalo defenseman to make the team since Tyler Myers in 2009-10.