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PRAGUE, Czechia – Sam Lafferty has found a home centering Beck Malenstyn and Nicolas Aube-Kubel since the very first day of training camp, a union of three newcomers brought in to Buffalo this summer for their high-energy skating and fierce physicality.

The early returns have been positive. Lafferty has a point in each of the three preseason games he’s played – including a goal in the opener against Pittsburgh and the finale in Munich, Germany this past Friday. Aube-Kubel also has a goal and an assist, and all three players have brought noticeable energy each time they step onto the ice.

“I really like what they’ve done,” Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said. “Those guys have created good energy, they’ve scored goals, they get into the body. You look at what Malenstyn’s brought, Lafferty in the middle. [Aube-Kubel], I think, has skated great with the puck, created opportunities where they’ve scored nice goals.

“I don’t even know if they’re a bottom line. They’re playing in a bottom position, but they’re playing like a top line. I think any coach is happy when all four lines kind of play the same. They’re determined to be as good offensively and away from the puck as the other lines.”

Sabres.com caught up with Lafferty following practice in Prague on Wednesday to discuss his chemistry with his linemates, early impressions of the team, and more.

What’s been the most memorable moment so far in Europe?

“I would say playing in that game at SAP Garden in Munich. Obviously it was the first game in that building and it was just a really fun game to play in, cool to be a part of that. Yeah, you could see how passionate the fans were and also they were taking the game very seriously. But it was just fun to be a part of that. I think just a really cool thing for everyone involved.”

Sam Lafferty scores first goal at SAP Garden

How would you describe what camp has been like with Lindy as coach?

“It’s been great. I think we’ve just been getting a little better every day, building momentum. I think each day throughout this camp has built on the one before. Not only that, we’ve come together as a team. This trip’s been really good for that, spending time with the guys. I think it will benefit us a huge amount moving forward.”

Lindy said during his opening speech to you guys, the first days will be tough but you’ll get acclimated quickly. What has that process been like?

“Totally, you adapt to it. Practices are really up-tempo, we’re not going to the board out there. The plan is in place before, everybody knows the drills, and then we buzz through it. It’s good conditioning, good keeping the pace up. I think we’re just getting better and better.”

What goes into getting acclimated with new linemates the way you have with Beck Malenstyn and Nicolas Aube-Kubel?

“Those guys have been amazing. We’ve become pretty close off the ice, too, which I think helps. We talk about things and different strategies we’re going to have out there. Not only that, we’ve played against each other for a long time before being teammates this year, so I think all of us know how the others like to play. Obviously those two played together last year (in Washington). It’s been a lot of fun. They dog the puck and they’re relentless out there, so it makes my job as their center pretty easy, being positionally sound. And then I think we just all like to play the same way, so we kind of feed off one another.”

Is their chemistry from playing together in Washington noticeable when you’re on the ice?

“Yeah, totally. I think they have that chemistry already and it’s just kind of clicked right away. We get along great off the ice and it translates onto the ice.”

What was it like to play against them?

“It was always tough. Played against both of them many, many times my rookie year in Wilkes-Barre. Maley was in Hershey, I played him 12 times – more than that for preseason. And then Kubey was in Lehigh Valley, so I also played him 12 times. Yeah, that was a while ago, but I got to know those guys really well, understand how hard they like to play. I like to play the same way, so I think it works.”

How would you describe the identity you three want to have on the ice?

“Most of all, I think other teams don’t want to play against us. That’s the biggest thing. Being hard to play against and bringing our speed, bringing our energy. Give the team a huge shot of life every time we’re on the ice. Just bringing that energy night in and night out. That’s the biggest thing we’re looking to do and then we can obviously grow our games from there, putting the puck in the net and finishing our checks and all those little things that add up.”

Rasmus Dahlin has been named captain since the team’s been out here. What’s been your first impression of him?

“Just really impressive. It was just a treat to have him back on the ice with the boys in that game on Friday. Just his presence and the way guys feed off his energy – it’s a calming presence, but it also gives you an extra step watching him do his thing out there. Honestly, it’s a joy to watch. Yeah, he’s our leader. I’ve kind of had that feeling from day one coming to Buffalo. We’re just really fortunate to have a player of his caliber. Obviously well-deserved and he’ll be leading the way to us.”

Is he a guy who reached out to you after you signed here?

“Yeah, absolutely. He was one of the first guys, if not the first guy to reach out when I signed here. You can see, Rasmus and a lot of the other core guys that have been here a little while now, what they’re trying to build and what the expectations are around here. I think everyone’s on board. We’re just looking to keep chipping away one day at a time.”

The cameras caught you the other day singing Taylor Swift while you were mic’d up. Are you a Swiftie?

“I wouldn’t go that far, but we had a little team-building activity the day before and there was some music playing, and that was one of the songs that happened to be playing. It just was stuck in my head from the day before. Catchy tune.”

Hit the ice with Sam Lafferty & Beck Malenstyn

Notes from Wednesday's practice

1. The Sabres continued to skate at Skoda Ice Rink in Prague – but this time with a twist. The team bused from their hotel to O2 Arena, where they’ll open the season against the New Jersey Devils on Friday and Saturday, changed into their gear, then got back on the bus to head to the practice rink.

It made for a fun arrival video:

2. The team spent a portion of the skate on Wednesday working on the power play, sticking with the same units they’ve iced for most of camp:

Power-Play Units - Oct. 2, 2024

Unit 1
 
 
 
77 JJ Peterka
 
72 Tage Thompson
89 Alex Tuch
22 Jack Quinn
 
26 Rasmus Dahlin
 
Unit 2
 
 
 
24 Dylan Cozens
 
4 Bowen Byram
9 Zach Benson
17 Jason Zucker
 
25 Owen Power
 

3. Ruff and assistant coach Seth Appert have worked together on improving the power play, naming increased shot volume as one area of emphasis to break down opposing penalty kills. But the players have been a collaborative member of the process, too.

“From day one they’ve been engaged, they’ve had their thoughts in meetings,” Ruff said. “We’re going to have further meetings today. They like where we’re at, we like where we’re at. We’ve just got to continue to work at it.”

Lindy Ruff addresses the media

4. The team will skate at O2 Arena for the first time on Thursday, their final practice ahead of the regular-season opener on Friday. Stay tuned to Sabres.com for the latest updates.