BUFFALO – In his last outing on Feb. 2, Mattias Samuelsson blocked a shot, something he has done 55 times this season. This time, however, the puck hit the oft-injured Sabres defenseman in just the right spot, breaking a bone in his foot.
“So the foot just blew up,” Samuelsson said following Tuesday’s practice in KeyBank Center, his first session since going down. “I couldn’t really put it in my skate.”
The 6-foot-4, 227-pound Samuelsson missed the Sabres’ final two games before the NHL began its break for the 4 Nations Face-Off. He expects to play when they resume their schedule Saturday afternoon against the New York Rangers.
Compared to some of his other recent injuries, the broken bone was just a blip during a long campaign. He has missed a whopping 86 games since the start of 2022-23, including 41 last year, when he underwent season-ending shoulder surgery.
“I’ve kind of been through the ringer with some stuff,” Samuelsson said.
Prior to missing 12 games with a knee injury earlier this season, Sabres coach Lindy Ruff scratched him three times.
The injuries and ineffectiveness threatened to derail a career that looked so promising the Sabres awarded him a seven-year, $33 million contract in 2022. But following his return in December, he began rebuilding his game and resembling the shutdown defender from previous seasons.
While he’s not quite showcasing the form that earned him a long-term commitment from the Sabres, he’s starting to resemble that player again.
“I thought he was gaining some traction just being that big, physical defenseman (moving) the puck well,” Ruff said. “He was skating well. I thought there was games he had skated extremely well.”
Ruff said he wants Samuelsson to “add a physical tone” to his game and “kind of use that as a base for the end of the year.”
Samuelsson appears to be refreshed for the stretch run following the break.
After watching his hometown Philadelphia Eagles win the Super Bowl at a party in Nashville with most of the Sabres – “I was pretty fired up,” he said – he and five teammates traveled to Turks and Caicos for a short vacation with their girlfriends.
“It’s a nice mental reset, and you come back and you’re ready to go,” Samuelsson said. “You’re really excited to see everyone again. You get a practice like (Tuesday’s) in and you get right back in the swing of things. It’s fun.”
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The Sabres, of course, have earned just 49 points this season, the Eastern Conference’s lowest total. Their chances of ending their 13-year playoff drought are, well, pretty slim.
Still, Ruff wants to see urgency from his players.
“We discussed that this morning and really tried to turn this into our playoffs right now, where (we) break it down into every five games, get a minimum of seven points every five games, which would put us at 84 (points) with three games left,” said Ruff, whose Sabres haven’t played since Feb. 8, a 6-4 road loss to the Nashville Predators. “Win those three games, get you to 90.
“I know it’s hard. I know it’s a difficult task, but I think you have to set goals. If you look at the previous five, it was 4-1. Set goals and try to achieve your goals. Make this your playoff push.”
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The Sabres practiced for a little more than an hour Tuesday without the three players who participated in the 4 Nations Face-Off before their respective countries were eliminated: captain Rasmus Dahlin, goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and defenseman Henri Jokiharju.
Ruff expects them to return to the team Thursday.
Meanwhile, Ruff said winger Beck Malenstyn, who has missed the last two games battling back spasms, skated on his own Tuesday and will practice today.
Ruff also said that winger Jordan Greenway, who has missed the last 23 games after undergoing surgery to repair a mid-body injury, is still on track to return Saturday.
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The Rochester Americans have given goalie Felix Sandstrom, who spent the final days before the break with the Sabres, a leave of absence to return to Sweden for personal matters.
Trade him.
Re; Buffalo & trades ❓
I think— We Know we have to trade on power of the $8.3 million defenceman for a real right defenceman to play in the top four pairing. We also need a physical hard-hitting stay at home defenceman for the third pairing.
Regarding the NHL draft looks like gonna pick top 4- 5 they should be able to get Porter Malone the fourth pic if he’s still there or they for the Misa with the fourth pic unless somebody picks that European guy to be a centre for the fourth pick or third pick But if you could get him, he’s a Big scoring right Winger Porter, Missing
They may have to trade one of there young forwards for the prospect…❓❓
Agree 100% on trading Power.
Grabbing Porter Martone in the draft would be a great selection
I read on social media for last month everyone wanted Petersson. Now seeing their much wanted game changing trade at 4 nations tourney, reality hits and he is basically an overpaid perimeter player with good shot and declining skating speed. Who got minimal minutes for Sweden. So switch back to Sammy and Power to trade? Both are young and big and learning the NHL game. Both have more skills and upside. Arguably more than Team Canada’s Harley in my opinion. Power does for certain albeit a different personality more like a future Dougie Hamilton ( who was traded 4 times for slow development from Boston, Carolina, Calgary and now has matured into Devils backline as a top dman ) Any trade Buffalo makes should be for an experience forward with some physical edge like Zucker. On defense, a good solid vet is hard to find unless is in free agency. You can’t give up your best assets for question marks and hope to take next step. NHL teams are not trading important leaders and good dman like Aaron Ekbad, Pietrangelo, McAvoy. So you bundle all players who you don’t think contribute to future core ( Jokiharu, Bryson, Peyton Krebbs, Lafferty, Zack Benson, Jack Quinn and one of AHL rookies either Rosen or Ostlund and include Devon Levi and chat up all teams out of playoffs about some of their best players knowing you can give them an attractive package of youngsters. To his credit, Kevin Adams did identify right forward in summer with Necas and almost had him but Necas refused. That is exactly type of player that would help Buffalo improve. Trading for sake of trading is risky game and some of results as in Reinhardt, Eichel, O’Reilly are painful.