NHL Season Resumes After Winter Olympics Break
The National Hockey League is set to resume its regular season tonight following the conclusion of the Winter Olympics, where Team USA secured multiple gold medals. Among the teams returning to action are the Buffalo Sabres, who are eager to hit the ice after a 19-day hiatus without any games.
Buffalo Sabres Prepare for Crucial Matchup Against New Jersey Devils
The Sabres will face off against the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center in their first game back. The extended Olympic break provided Buffalo with valuable preparation time as they strive to maintain their hold on the first Eastern Conference wild-card spot. To shake off any rust from the layoff, the team conducted five lengthy practices over the past week.
Head Coach Lindy Ruff expressed confidence ahead of the return game, spending Monday's session reviewing Buffalo's 3-1 road victory over New Jersey from December 21. "We got back to some video and just showed some of our stuff from the last game playing New Jersey, some of the stuff we did well inside that game that allowed us to play a really good game," Ruff said. "Got back to the tendencies that we've been good at, and I think it reflected in practice."
Playoff Mentality Takes Center Stage
That December victory was part of Buffalo's season-saving 10-game winning streak, and the team has since stabilized with an 11-4-2 record. With intense competition threatening their playoff berth, the Sabres remain vigilant. Veteran player Jason Zucker emphasized the urgency required down the stretch, with 25 games remaining in the regular season. He stressed that every point matters as teams battle for postseason positioning.
"The mindset now is we're already in the playoffs, in the sense that playoff games start when we play New Jersey," Zucker said. "Every team has that same mindset and mentality coming into these last 25 games, and then it's just a sprint here all the way out. We're in playoff mode, and that's gonna help us get there."
Player Updates and Injuries
Buffalo's Tage Thompson remains uncertain for the game after returning from Milano Cortina 2026, where he captured Olympic gold with Team USA. The 30-goal scorer had posted 15 points in his last 12 games before the break. Additionally, Zach Benson will miss the game due to an upper-body injury.
On a positive note, Josh Norris, Josh Dunne, and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen are all available to return from injured reserve after missing extended time. Buffalo also recalled 20-year-old Anton Wahlberg from Rochester. The former second-round pick has collected 25 points in his first professional season with the Amerks but has yet to make his NHL debut.
New Jersey Devils Desperate for Points
Meanwhile, the New Jersey Devils enter Wednesday's game desperate for points, having fallen 11 points out of playoff positions. Their recent slide includes an 8-13-1 record following that December 21 loss to Buffalo. Key player Jack Hughes may miss the game after his absence from Tuesday's practice. The golden goal scorer from Team USA's Olympic victory could be unavailable alongside Swiss Olympians Timo Meier and Jonas Siegenthaler.
As the final playoff push begins at the Prudential Center, Buffalo holds a five-point cushion over Columbus for the first wild-card spot, setting the stage for a high-stakes matchup in the NHL's post-Olympics return.
