Rasmus Dahlin enters the star-studded Olympic tournament in Milan in great shape.
His strong play in Buffalo, where he is team captain, has meant that the previously notorious bottom-ranked team is now in a playoff spot.
“Make me proud”
He recently scored the first hat trick of his NHL career and has averaged almost a point per game, 48 points (11 goals, 37 assists) in 53 games.
Incredible numbers, considering what happened off the ice.
Actually, it's thanks to her. Seeing her struggle like she does every day, how hard she works, how she recovers, how positive she is - it gives me incredible energy every day, Rasmus Dahlin says as he stands in the mixed zone after Tre Kronor's training.
Being her boyfriend, soon her husband, makes me proud, he adds.
It was this summer that his fiancée suffered sudden heart failure during a vacation and needed CPR. She was on life support for several weeks before undergoing a heart transplant.
In November, Dahlin took an indefinite break - it was just over a week - to travel home to Sweden and spend time with Caroline Matovac.
“Too many people here”
On the way to Milan, he did not travel with the rest of his national team, but went via Sweden for a day.
Rasmus Dahlin's girlfriend will not be present in Milan.
No, unfortunately, she has to watch at home on TV. There are too many people here, he says.
Tre Kronor play their Olympic opener against host nation Italy late on Wednesday evening.
