Sabres Captain Rasmus Dahlin Opens Up About Fiancée’s Miraculous Heart Transplant and a Future Rewritten by Fate

Buffalo Sabres’ captain Rasmus Dahlin opened up about a harrowing ordeal his fiancée, Carolina Matovac, bravely faced this past summer—a life-threatening heart transplant that almost didn’t make it. Imagine vacationing in France, feeling under the weather, only to suddenly confront a heart failure so severe that CPR was performed multiple times, stretching on for hours. It’s the sort of nightmare no one expects, yet Matovac endured weeks on life support before a new heart gave her a second chance. Now, as she steadily moves toward recovery in Sweden, Dahlin’s reflections shine a powerful light on the critical nature of CPR, organ donation, and heart health awareness worldwide—a message wrapped in gratitude, resilience, and hope. Balancing both the personal pain and public platform, Dahlin’s story isn’t just about survival; it’s a testament to the human spirit and the precious bonds we hold dear. LEARN MORE

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Buffalo Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin revealed Friday that his fiancée, Carolina Matovac, needed a lifesaving heart transplant over the summer.

In a message Dahlin and Matovac posted on the Sabres website on Friday, the defenseman outlined how his fiancée felt sick for several days during a vacation in France before her heart failed. He wrote that Matovac required CPR on “multiple occasions and up to a couple of hours at a time,” and then spent weeks on life support before receiving a new heart.

Dahlin said Matovac is “on the path to a full recovery” and is rehabilitating in Sweden before she can be cleared to travel and join him in Buffalo.

“Without her receiving lifesaving CPR, the result would have been unimaginable. It is hard to even think about the worst-case scenario,” wrote Dahlin, who is in Buffalo for training camp, which opened Thursday.

“We want to spotlight the importance of CPR treatment, CPR training, organ donation and heart-related issues that impact so many people and families around the world,” the message said. “We cannot say thank you enough to all organ donors, and are appreciative beyond words for the new life that organ donation has provided to Carolina.”

The two credited doctors and staff at several hospitals in France and Sweden where Matovac was treated, as well as the Hogsbo Rehabilitation Center in Sweden.

Dahlin also expressed gratitude to the NHL and NHL Players’ Association, the Sabres and his agent, Craig Oster, for their support. He thanked NHLPA physician Scott Delaney for overseeing plans on Matovac’s medical treatment and offering comfort to relatives of the couple.

The 25-year-old Dahlin is entering his eighth NHL season after being selected first overall by Buffalo in the 2018 draft. The Swede has topped 50 points in each of his past four seasons and was selected to represent his country at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.

”(Matovac) has demonstrated an incredible determination, spirit, positivity and resilience that I am in awe of,” Dahlin wrote.

“This has undoubtedly been the most challenging chapter of our lives. However it is something that we have learned so much from,” he added. “We hope that we can all reflect on how fortunate we are to have the people and experiences that we share together every single day.”