Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR Sports Radio 550) - Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin returned to practice on Tuesday in a non-contact uniform, but did everything as normal during the session.
"I was very, very, very happy to be back on the ice," said Dahlin following Tuesday's practice in Buffalo.
Training camp in Buffalo is over, and it’s been three very hard practices, a scrimmage and two preseason games.
Dahlin says he is already a fan of new head coach Lindy Ruff.
"I absolutely love it. You can see how hard the guys work. We have something really good going on," Dahlin said. "The work ethic, we’re working really hard without the puck, we’re doing the little things right."
This was basically Dahlin’s first practice with Ruff, but he’s been watching the others.
"He knows what he’s doing," Dahlin said of Ruff. "He’s very hard on the guys about the details, about working hard, and doing the little things right. I love it."
Dahlin definitely feels he will be better under Ruff.
"We’re trying to play quicker, out of our zone, and that just makes you have more energy in the O-zone," he said.
"You just try to keep it simple, and don’t try too much. We’re trying to get it out of the zone quick, and defensively, we’re trying to play harder. It fits my game, for sure.
"We’re here to win now, so that’s what I’m most excited for."
There were way too many times where the general manager, the coach and the players themselves questioned their compete. Dahlin thinks that’s a thing of the past.
"The practices are really hard, the games are really hard. Lindy always talks about how winning is hard, but talking to all the guys around the locker room. Everybody loves it. We love working hard, we love the hard practices, we love being tired. It’s a really good thing."
We’ve seen enough of Dahlin to know that when he makes a mistake or the team isn’t playing well, he takes it all upon himself to shoulder the team. Ruff says it can’t just be him, though.
"Really, his teammates have to help him. I can help to a certain extent, but teammates have to step up," said Ruff following Tuesday's practice. "Tage Thompson, Alex Tuch, Dylan Cozens and Mattias Samuelsson, those are the guys that have to step up and just say, 'It’s not on you, it’s on us.' This is an 'us' thing. It’s not fair that he wants to carry the weight on his shoulders. Let's divvy up that weight, and split it amongst ourselves, including the coaching staff, and make sure it’s a 'we' thing when things are good, and it’s a 'we' thing when maybe you lose a couple."
Here are the 27 players going to Europe with the Sabres:
Forwards:
Peterka – Thompson – Tuch
Benson – Cozens – Quinn
Malenstyn – Lafferty – Aube-Kabel
Zucker – McLeod – Greenway
Kulich – Krebs – Rousek
Defense:
Byram – Power
Dahlin – Jokiharju
Samuelsson – Clifton
Gilbert – Bryson
Clague
Goalies:
Luukkonen - Levi - Reimer
A group of Rochester Americans players are in Pittsburgh on Tuesday night to face the Penguins. Dan Dunleavy and Rob Ray will have the radio-only call at 7 p.m. ET on WGR.
