Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin can be out there for Friday’s matchup in opposition to the Maple Leafs, head coach Lindy Ruff stated Thursday, by way of Mike Harrington of The Buffalo News. He’ll want to come back off injured reserve after lacking over two weeks with again spasms. Heart Sam Lafferty additionally informed reporters that he’s wholesome and can be out there in opposition to Toronto. Nonetheless, it’s unsure whether or not he’ll enter the lineup, per Paul Hamilton of WGR Sports Radio 550.
Buffalo solely has one open roster spot and should make a corresponding transaction to take each off IR. That may doubtless imply changing Lafferty on IR with winger Jordan Greenway, who Ruff stated requires surgical procedure to handle a mid-body harm and can be sidelined long-term, by way of Lance Lysowski of The Buffalo News.
He’s out indefinitely however is anticipated again “in some unspecified time in the future this season,” Ruff stated. Pivot Ryan McLeod can be banged up and can be a game-time choice in opposition to the Leafs with an undisclosed harm, Hamilton reports. His absence would necessitate Lafferty’s return except Ruff clothes 11 forwards and 7 defensemen within the hopes of breaking their 11-game winless streak.
Dahlin’s absence is likely one of the chief the explanation why Buffalo hasn’t managed a victory since Nov. 23, though it’s not the one one. Their winless streak was already 4 video games deep when Dahlin took a success within the third interval of a sport in opposition to the Avalanche that aggravated a again subject he’d been coping with since coaching camp. Buffalo’s chief in common time on ice at 24:42 per sport additionally has 19 factors in 25 contests, exceeding his level tempo from final season.
The 2018 first-overall choose has emerged as one of many league’s premier blue-liners, ending top-15 in Norris Trophy voting two years in a row and at present checking in at thirteenth amongst defenders with 0.76 factors per sport. He additionally has a +4 score to steer Sabres defenders and has been their finest two-way participant, controlling 59.5% of shot makes an attempt at even energy. In distinction, Buffalo has solely managed to regulate 47.8% of shot makes an attempt with out Dahlin on the ice. Solely the Rangers’ Adam Fox and the Canucks’ Quinn Hughes have had a extra vital affect on their groups’ even-strength possession this season amongst defensemen.
Friday will mark the Sabres’ first sport with a wholesome blue line since November 11. Mattias Samuelsson missed prolonged time with a lower-body harm suffered in that sport, and Dahlin exited the lineup earlier than Samuelsson managed to return.
It gained’t be a shock if Lafferty is activated however sits as an additional ahead in opposition to Toronto, assuming McLeod can play. The 29-year-old hasn’t had the affect the Sabres hoped after signing him to a two-year, $4M pact in free company. He has only one objective by 22 video games and has solely occasionally appeared on the group’s penalty kill, averaging 9:48 per sport in all conditions. He’s been a web damaging in practically each space of the sport, posting a -2 score, profitable 43.8% of his faceoffs and controlling 46.6% of shot makes an attempt at even energy.
Surgical procedure is a harsh end result for Greenway, who’s been one of many few Sabres forwards outperforming expectations this season. The New York native has seven factors by 20 video games and averages a career-high 15:55 per sport, including 54 hits. The checking winger has averaged practically full three minutes per sport whereas shorthanded and controls 51.2% of shot makes an attempt at even energy regardless of 60.2% of his zone begins occurring within the defensive zone.
His mid-body subject has restricted him to 4 appearances in Buffalo’s final 15 video games, although. He missed 10 video games with the issue earlier than trying to return earlier in December, re-exiting the lineup for Tuesday’s 6-1 drubbing by the hands of the Canadiens.
In the meantime, the Sabres and McLeod doubtless hope his undisclosed harm is only a blip in season for the middle-six heart. He has six targets and 15 factors by 32 video games, and he’s on tempo to interrupt the career-high of 12 targets and 30 factors he set with the Oilers final yr.
