BUFFALO – In Tage Thompson’s absence, the Sabres have done well, going 4-1-0 and winning all three stops last week in California without their top center.
By the end of the trip, Thompson, who said he’s “ready to go” for tonight’s home game against the Minnesota Wild, told the Sabres he would play if they needed him.
Still, they held him out of Friday’s 3-2 overtime win against the Anaheim Ducks and Saturday’s 4-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks, giving him extra time to rest the lower-body injury he suffered Nov. 11.
“I would have liked to play, but I think it’s smart, for sure, to take an extra few days, especially where our team was at, hot on the road and feeling good about the game,” Thompson said following Tuesday’s 60-minute practice in KeyBank Center. “So why change it up while we’re heading into a back to back?
“I think it was just more of a precautionary thing, making sure I was 100 percent ready to go and not stepping in too early and reaggravating it.”
Thompson practiced Tuesday in his usual spot between JJ Peterka and Alex Tuch and also on the left flank on the power play.
Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said Thompson wanted “a couple really good practices” before returning. They did not practice Thursday.
“You go into that last couple games and you’re not practicing as a team, you didn’t practice in between, it was going to be hard to evaluate really where he was at,” Ruff said.
Thompson said the injury “was kind of nagging” him.
“Thought I was close and still feel it every once in a while, so just better off making sure I’m ready to go,” he said.
Thompson has scored a team-leading 11 goals and 18 points in 16 games this season. If he plays against the Wild, winger Jack Quinn, who has scored just one goal in 20 games this season, could be scratched to make room.
Quinn shared reps with Jiri Kulich on a line with Ryan McLeod and Jason Zucker. Meanwhile, rookie winger Isak Rosen and Nicolas Aube-Kubel shared shared reps alongside Sam Lafferty and Beck Malenstyn.
To create a roster spot and activate Thompson from injured reserve, the Sabres sent Rosen back to the Rochester Americans following practice.