2024-25 Rick Martin Award finalists: Dahlin, Thompson, Tuch

Alex Tuch, Rasmus Dahlin, and Tage Thompson have been voted as finalists for the 2024-25 Rick Martin Memorial Award.

“The Rico” is presented annually to the player who best embodies what it means to be a Buffalo Sabre, as determined by a fan vote. Fans are encouraged to choose the player who best demonstrates on-ice excellence, resilience, and dedication to the community.

Fans can vote for the winner through April 11 at Sabres.com/Rico. The winning player will be announced on April 17, which will also be Fan Appreciation Night at KeyBank Center.

The award is presented by the Sabres' Gold Ring Partners: KeyBank, Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of Western New York, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, and LECOM.

The Rick Martin Memorial Award originated during the 2020-21 season in memory of the late Sabres legend, who remained an active member of the community and a proud ambassador of the organization following the conclusion of his prolific playing career until his passing in 2011.

Here’s more on each of the three finalists.

Alex Tuch

Tuch, who has won the Rico Award each of the past two seasons, continued to donate a suite to various charitable organizations at select home games and once again hosted his annual AT9 Foundation Holiday Toy Drive, which supported over 60 families.

Tuch also teamed up with Dahlin to introduce the Captains’ Crew, a youth Learn to Play program that benefited both players’ foundations and ended with Tuch and Dahlin joining the participants for a group skate.

On the ice, Tuch has continued to stand out on a nightly basis for his tireless two-way work ethic. He ranks second on the Sabres with 33 goals and first among team forwards in time on ice. He leads all NHL forwards in blocked shots and takeaways since the start of last season.

Rasmus Dahlin

Dahlin was named captain of the Sabres in September, formalizing a leadership role he had already embraced. Two months earlier, the 23-year-old sent an open invite for teammates to join him for a summer training camp in Switzerland.

The defenseman’s leadership extended off the ice with the establishment of the Rasmus Dahlin Foundation, which exists to help children in need in Western New York. The foundation’s early work included the Captains’ Crew initiative with Tuch and a fundraiser benefitting GiGi’s Playhouse, which offered special Sabres-themed socks for donations in honor of World Down Syndrome Day.

Dahlin leads the Sabres in assists (47) and average ice time (24:12). His 62 points are tied for second and his 95 blocked shots rank fifth on the team.

Tage Thompson

Thompson sponsors the Tickets for Troops program, which provides veterans with tickets to a Sabres game, an autographed jersey, and recognition on the videoboard.

The forward continued to rank among the game’s elite scorers, becoming the eighth player in Sabres history with multiple 40-goal seasons on his resume. He joins an illustrious list that includes Dave Andreychuk, Danny Gare, Pat LaFontaine, Gilbert Perreault, Rene Robert, and Thomas Vanek – along with Rick Martin himself, who accomplished the feat a franchise-record five times.