Keys to Sabres’ post-break schedule

The Winter Olympics are over, with Tage Thompson and the United States beating Canada in overtime in Sunday’s gold medal game.

“It’s unbelievable,” New York-born forward Alex Tuch said after Sunday’s practice at LECOM Harborcenter. “They brought an unbelievable team, and to win gold… I know it means the world to all those guys, but it means the world to everybody that’s represented the U.S.”

• Recap and photos: Tage wins gold at Milano Cortina 2026

Now, it’s time for the Sabres to resume their playoff pursuit. On Wednesday, after a week of practices but 19 days without games, Buffalo will take on the New Jersey Devils to begin this final (and pivotal) stretch of schedule. Thompson could join the team in time for that game, and Swedish Olympian Rasmus Dahlin is expected back at practice Monday.

A 21-5-2 run since Dec. 9 – no team has won more games in that span – has the Sabres (32-19-6, 70 points) in the first Eastern Conference wild card spot, but they’ve got plenty of close company above and below them in the standings.

Here are the biggest keys to locking down a playoff berth during these final 25 games.

Recapturing momentum

This is uncharted territory for Buffalo and the rest of the NHL; recent seasons have included a February break for the All-Star Game or 4 Nations Face-Off, but never longer than a couple weeks. So, it remains to be seen how this three-week break (for everybody besides Thompson and Dahlin) will affect the Sabres. After their last game, a Feb. 5 loss to Pittsburgh, they insisted it won’t be an issue.

“I have no doubt,” coach Lindy Ruff said that night. “We’ve asked a lot to this point, and they’ve answered every call we’ve had. I have no doubt that they’re gonna do the work that’s needed to come back, and we can be better when we come out of it.”

They’ve since returned to the ice for a series of long, training camp-like practices, even pushing beyond the strength staff’s recommendations for Wednesday’s initial session – but not without some fun mixed in.

“We’ve been practicing really hard, moving really well,” Tuch said. “Guys seem to be dialed back in really quickly. Ramped up and ready to go for the Devils in a couple days.”

Major matchups

Of the remaining 25 games, 15 are against Eastern Conference opponents, including eight against Atlantic Division rivals. With the current standings in mind, these matchups could prove most impactful on the Sabres’ playoff hopes and positioning.

Tampa Bay: Feb. 28 (road), March 8 (home), April 6 (home)

The division-leading Lightning sit eight points ahead of Buffalo with two fewer games played, so while catching them may be a long shot, collecting some points against a tough opponent is essential.

In their first matchup right before the break, the Sabres took a late third-period lead before allowing last-minute goals in regulation and overtime.

Boston: March 25 (home) | Detroit: March 27 (home)

If the Sabres are to claim a top-three spot in the division, this late-March sequence will be huge.

They’ve gone 1-1-1 this season against the Bruins, who are just one point behind at the break. The teams have been in lockstep in the standings for weeks, and if that continues for another month, it’ll be quite the late-season matchup at KeyBank Center.

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Right after that, the Sabres host the Red Wings, who are currently two points ahead with one more game played. They haven’t faced each other since Nov. 15, when a thrilling three-goal comeback gave Buffalo its first road win of the season.

Columbus: April 9 (home)

Looking outside the top eight, the Blue Jackets (65 points) currently represent the biggest threat to a Sabres playoff appearance.

The Sabres are 0-1-1 versus Columbus, including a 5-1 loss on Jan. 3 that ended the 10-game winning streak. The Blue Jackets have since replaced coach Dean Evason with Rick Bowness, and they won seven straight before the break to keep their playoff hopes alive.

Returns from injury

Goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen missed five games (then The Winter Olympics) with a lower-body injury he suffered last month in Toronto. He returned to practice Thursday and is just about ready to come off injured reserve. Luukkonen went 7-2-1 with a .922 save percentage and 2.41 goals-against average in his last 10 decisions before the injury.

• From Friday: Luukkonen talks ‘silver lining’ of missing Olympics

Forward Josh Norris, too, has been a full participant in practice and should be in the lineup Wednesday against the Devils. Out since Jan. 14 with an upper-body injury, Norris has 17 points (6+11) in 19 games this season, 13 being Sabres wins.

Forward Zach Benson missed two-plus games before the break with an upper-body injury and hasn’t yet returned to practice due to another, undisclosed issue. The best way to summarize his impact: Buffalo is 28-10-4 (.714) with Benson in the lineup, compared to 4-9-2 (.333) without him.

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Another forward, Josh Dunne, is about ready to return from a middle-body injury. Out since mid January, the 6-foot-4 Dunne brings a physical, puck-holding presence to Buffalo’s fourth line.

Further out is defenseman Conor Timmins, who has begun rehab skates after breaking his leg in December. The Sabres had the NHL’s top-ranked penalty kill (85.4 percent) with Timmins healthy, but they’ve dropped to 15th (78.7%) since his injury.

Forwards Justin Danforth (lower body) and Jiri Kulich (blood clot) have also been skating lightly, but like Timmins, it’s unclear when they’ll resume practicing with the team.

Practice sound

In addition to Tuch, some other American Sabres (plus the Alberta-born Ruff) shared their thoughts on Sunday's gold medal game.