It is 8:46 a.m. ET on Monday and Dahlin, 18, is boarding a bus with six other top prospects of the 2018 NHL Draft, which will be held in Dallas on June 22-23. They are headed from their Washington hotel to the practice facility of the Washington Capitals in Arlington, Virginia, to watch the morning skate.

Dahlin (6-foot-2, 181 pounds), who is the No. 1 ranked International skater by NHL Central Scouting, is the consensus No. 1 prospect available after playing the past two seasons as a 16- and 17-year-old for Frolunda of the Swedish Hockey League.

Dahlin said he's never played against a Sweden-born player with the skill of the man he's going to meet for the first time: Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom.

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"I can't wait," Dahlin said, who at this moment is more interested in talking about Backstrom than looking out the window at the White House.

Dahlin said he can't believe all the attention he is getting. He was caught off guard when there were autograph seekers waiting for him at the airport when his plane from the 2018 NHL Scouting Combine in Buffalo landed in Washington on Sunday.

"Our flight was about six hours late," he said. "It was kind of weird. We weren't expecting that."

In the next 12 hours, Dahlin will meet Backstrom, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, Coach's Corner star Don Cherry and actress Lynda Carter, the original Wonder Woman; pose on an outdoor stage with the Stanley Cup in front of thousands of fans; do more interviews than he can count; and attend his first NHL game, Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final, a 6-2 victory by the Capitals against the Vegas Golden Knights.

It will be, he'll say later, one of the most memorable days of his life.

10:07 a.m., Kettler Capitals Iceplex

Dahlin and the prospects were led into the Washington locker room, where they were greeted by Backstrom and Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin.

"I was starstruck," Dahlin said.

For his part, Backstrom said he enjoyed the experience.

"It was fun meeting him," Backstrom said. "Seems like a great kid. We just talked about this will be his first NHL game tonight. Couldn't be any better place. Stanley Cup Final. Watching these two teams. It should be a great thrill."

The Buffalo Sabres hold the No. 1 pick. Dahlin could be the first Sweden-born player to be picked No. 1 since the Quebec Nordiques selected Mats Sundin in 1989.

"That would be great," Backstrom said. "I think he proved to all the guys too that he deserves to go No. 1. It's going to be great for the city of Buffalo."

When told on the bus ride back to Washington that Backstrom was a fan, Dahlin blushed.

"He's joking," he said.

11:03 a.m., Capital One Arena, Washington

During a visit to Canada as a boy, Dahlin's parents bought him several of Don Cherry's "Rock 'Em Sock 'Em" videos.

As such, he was in disbelief that he and his fellow prospects were led to the upper-deck stands of the arena to be interviewed by Cherry.

"I wonder what his suit will look like," Dahlin said.

The answer: a light green and white jacket and multicolored tie.

When the interview was over, Dahlin had a request of Cherry: "Could I get my photo taken with you?" he asked.

Cherry was more than happy to comply. Dahlin's grin stretched from ear to ear.

It will be like that for most of the day.

12:32 p.m., Outside the Golden Knights locker room, Capital One Arena

Fellow Swede William Karlsson was on his way to the team bus after the Golden Knights morning skate when he spotted Dahlin standing outside the Vegas locker room. The two exchanged handshakes and a quick laugh.

"It's the first time I met him," Karlsson said. "But yes, I've seen the highlights and he's pretty sick.

"It's pretty cool that he could go No. 1. Obviously he can play hockey and he's going to have a very successful NHL career."

12:55 p.m., Interview area, Capital One Arena

For 25 minutes, Dahlin met with the media, first with the North American contingent, then the Swedish. He said his English has gotten much better.

"I took five years of English in school back in Sweden," he said. "But I think I've learned more than that just in the past 10 days, starting with the [combine].

Asked by a reporter from The Buffalo News what he ate at the combine, Dahlin said chicken wings.

"I had medium, but they were spicy," he said with a laugh. "From now on, mild."

6:22 p.m., Smithsonian American Art Museum and the National Portrait Gallery

After finishing an interview with NHL Network outside Capital One Arena, Dahlin joined his fellow prospects for an outdoor concert by Fall Out Boy in front of about 5,000 screaming fans. Once the band had completed its set, Dahlin was interviewed on the stage with the Stanley Cup perched on a table just a couple of feet away.

On his way back to the arena, he was stopped at least a half-dozen times to pose for photos or to sign autographs.

"I'm starting to realize how big this all is," he said on the walk back to the arena. "I mean, we're just prospects but so many people know who we are.

"This is all just starting to sink in."

Video: Rasmus Dahlin talks Combine, NHL Draft

7:35 p.m., Event level corridor, Capital One Arena

The prospects were waiting to meet Commissioner Bettman when they are greeted by Carter, who is wearing a Capitals jersey. She invited Dahlin and his friends to pose for a photo, and they gladly obliged.

Five minutes later, they are shaking hands with Commissioner Bettman.

"Enjoy the next few weeks," Bettman told them. "You are the future of our league."

8:01 p.m., Section 113, Capital One Arena

Dahlin's eyes are glued to the players as the teams were on the ice for warmup. He said it's hard to believe he could out there in four months.

"I've never been to an NHL game before," he said. "To think I could be playing in one down the road …"

He shook his head in disbelief.

"This entire day has been incredible."