Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR 550) – The Buffalo Sabres have six days between their final preseason game and the regular season opener on Thursday, Oct. 13 against the Ottawa Senators.
There’s always excitement for opening night, and the Sabres have to control that as they go through practice next week.
“Personally, I don’t remember having this long of a gap, but with the way we practice, it mimics a game. So I don’t have any issues for our team,” said forward Zemgus Girgensons on Saturday.
With training camp over, it’s time for the focus to shift to making sure everyone's ready for Ottawa.
“I think all the guys have put in great work, because once the real season starts, it’s more mental," Girgensons said. "It’s like a switch goes off in you, and you bring a different game.”
There’s nothing that Rasmus Dahlin likes doing more than playing hockey. He and Peyton Krebs would rather just get the season going right now.
“It’s a long time until the next game, so we just have to make sure we have good practices. But I would rather play tomorrow,” said Dahlin.
“I’d, personally, rather have it three days off, because I’m excited to get going," added Krebs.
“I mean, it’s nice to have this little break to give your body the rest it needs to be successful throughout the 82 games, but I’m the type of guy after a tough loss, I just want to get back at it and redeem myself.”
Victor Olofsson has been on a line with Tage Thompson and Jeff Skinner this preseason. He says he can see benefits to getting the season started, and also having a few extra days to prepare.
“I kind of want to get into it and play, but it’s also good with a tough camp to get a couple of days here to relax and settle down a little bit before we get going again,” said Olofsson.
Olofsson enjoyed finishing last season on Thompson’s line. He says the chemistry came quickly for the trio.
“It comes kind of natural," Olofsson said. "We’re all offensive skilled guys, and we love playing with the puck and we read off of each other.”
Olofsson played hurt last season and had trouble shooting the puck. Sabres head coach Don Granato says that’s when he challenged his winger.
“Through his injury last year, we challenged him as coaches, telling him we know him as a shooter," Granato said. "When he had the wrist injury and he had to play 30 games with that super power nullified, we challenged him to use that time to find other ways to become effective. He observed other ways to interact with linemates, makes plays rather being the end of the play, and he became a better player.”
Granato thinks Olofsson is a wiser player, and it’s something he can use moving forward.
The Sabres waived defensemen Jeremy Davies, Kale Clague and Chase Priske on Saturday with the hopes of sending them to the Rochester Americans.
