Practice Report | Thompson week to week with upper-body injury, other injury updates

Tage Thompson is week to week with an upper-body injury, Sabres coach Don Granato announced following the team’s practice at KeyBank Center on Wednesday.

Thompson exited Tuesday’s game against the Boston Bruins with 8:55 remaining in the second period after taking a shot by Charlie McAvoy off his wrist while on the penalty kill. He did not return to the game and was ruled out for the third period.

“… It’s more week to week. I don’t have a target date for him yet, but I think I mentioned this morning we don’t expect it to be two months, if that helps,” Granato said. “But I don’t think I have the specifics [from] the doctors and the exact recovery date on it, but it should be less than that.”

Granato explained what the team will miss in Thompson, who led the Sabres in goals and points last season. 

“Obviously, we will miss him because of not only the player but the person," Granato said. "... He has a real good perspective on things. He’s an ultra-competitive guy that responds with compete and work ethic to any adversity."

“Obviously, you cannot have enough of that at the professional level, at the NHL level. The more compete you get, the better you feel about everything as a coach and players, and he has been a big, big part of that, a big driver in that area. So, other guys will have to step up and I think they recognize that.”

The Sabres were also without forward Alex Tuch (upper body) and defenseman Henri Jokiharju (illness) on Tuesday. Both players were absent from practice Wednesday, but Granato shared good news regarding Tuch’s recovery.

“He should be full-go in practice tomorrow based on today," Granato said. "His rehab skate today went very well, and we expect him to be ready to go tomorrow in practice."

Forwards Jordan Greenway and Peyton Krebs were absent from Wednesday’s practice as well.

Granato said Krebs is tending to a family matter and will join the team in Winnipeg on Friday while Greenway was experiencing soreness.

“He’s sore today," Granato said regarding Greenway. "I would expect him to practice tomorrow and be ready for Friday. So, it doesn’t look like it’s any worse than that.”

Buffalo is also expecting to get goaltender Eric Comrie (lower body) and forward Zach Benson (lower body) back from injured reserve soon as the pair continues to progress and skate with the team.

Granato shared that Comrie is “just about ready to play” and is “moving along really well." He expects Benson to have a chance to play this weekend as the group kicks off its three-game road trip in Winnipeg.

“There’s a good chance he’ll play on the trip. So, that’ll be another guy we welcome back. Hopefully help that quest for continuity,” Granato said.

Here's more from Wednesday's practice.

1. Granato emphasized the importance of players not trying to do too much in response to Thompson's injury. Rather, he said, it will be a group effort that carries them forward. 

“If you play as a team, you wear on the other team," Granato said. "If you’re ready to play as a team, you’re ready to capitalize on chances.

“When you lose a player like Tage, you can compensate by playing better as a team and a lot of times your focus actually gears toward that more. We hope that’s the case. We do know we can play better as a group of five that are on that ice and six as a goalie. We knew before this injury we still haven’t hit rhythm with that, consistency with that, and despite the loss of Tage, the focus and commitment to what we need to improve on hasn’t changed one bit in that regard.”

2. Dylan Cozens understands that he will need to step up in any way he can as a centerman and is hoping it will give himself an opportunity to get back on track and find his game.

The 22-year-old has recorded eight points (3+5) in 14 games in 2023-24 and is averaging 15:49 of ice time per game after tallying 68 points (31+37) in 81 games last season.

He thinks that focusing on his speed and going to the net more will allow him to get back to his game.

“Last year I felt like I carried the puck with speed a lot more and I feel like I haven’t quite gotten to that yet," he said. "Just carrying with confidence up the ice and being a shooting threat. I haven’t had as many looks I think so far this year, so I want to get more to the inside of the ice and get to the net more and skate with the puck with speed."

3. Casey Mittelstadt was a player who stepped up last season with Thompson out due to injury, stepping in at center between Jeff Skinner and Tuch. In the final 10 games of the 2022-23 season, Mittelstadt posted a team-high 16 points with five goals and 11 assists in that span.

Following practice, Mittelstadt said he isn’t looking at things any differently and is going to continue preparing and doing what he has been.

“I definitely think I have a little comfort in my preparation and what I do to get ready for games now," he said. "I don’t think it needs to change. I have confidence out there and I think I can take on a challenge, for sure.

“So, for me, I don’t think much changes, obviously. We’re going to miss the hell out of Tommer and what he brings to this team and what he brings to the locker room as well.”