Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR 550) – With Kyle Okposo missing practice on Monday, the Buffalo Sabres added forward Arttu Ruotsalainen to the taxi squad, while J.S. Dea was sent back to the Rochester Americans.
Okposo played in Saturday’s game, but was held out of the morning skate.
Don Granato said Monday was another maintenance day, and Okposo will play on Tuesday in New Jersey against the Devils.
This season is Ruotsalainen’s first in North America. He’s played 13 games with Rochester and has five goals and eight assists for 13 points.
You can compare that with players that have been up and down here. Dea has 12 points in nine games with the Amerks, Fogarty has eight points in 10 games and C.J. Smith has seven points in six games.
Since the Amerks’ season was delayed, the 23-year-old Ruotsalainen played 19 games with Ilves-Tampere in the Finnish Liiga, netting 16 goals and 11 assists for 27 points.
The forward had signed a contract with Buffalo last season, but since he didn’t make the big club, he had to go back to Finland. He played for Ilves-Tampere last season too, scoring 15 goals and 28 assists for 43 points in 44 games.
Ruotsalainen will remind you a little of Victor Olofsson. He cruises the offensive zone looking for the one-timer opportunity from the right circle. He scored many of his goals in Finland from that spot.
One of the reasons Ruotsalainen needed to start the season in Rochester was to learn the North American game. Olofsson had to do the same thing and learned a lot under Chris Taylor, but he seemed to have lost a lot of what he learned playing this season under Ralph Krueger.
“The smaller ice was a big thing, the glass is bigger in Europe and there are so many battles on the ice in the games, so those are the biggest things.”
Ruotsalainen had to learn the North American game from a defensive standpoint. He said that’s been what he’s improved the most.
“I think I’ve been pretty good at it in Rochester and played pretty well in the [defensive] zone. I had a lot of ice-time on the PK also and I like to play a lot, so I liked that.”
Ruotsalainen only had 13 games to learn, but the forward said that’s enough time.
“I think I’m a pretty quick learner, so it took maybe a couple of games, but after that, I felt pretty good.”
The 23-year-old has been a center his whole career, but in the AHL, he got to play some wing too. He really didn’t think where he played was a big deal.
“I think it’s good for me that I can play both,” Ruotsalainen said.
Ruotsalainen won’t play Tuesday unless there’s a trade or an injury. He is just glad he’s finally spending some time in the NHL.
“I’ve been waiting for this moment for a long time now, so I think I’m ready and hopefully I’ll get some ice-time here.”
Steven Fogarty was the captain of the Amerks before coming up to Buffalo. He said he liked what he saw from Ruotsalainen.
“I was really impressed," Fogarty said following Monday's practice. "I got to play with him for the first part of the season, but it’s hard. You come over here and you want to go right to the NHL, but he handled it well going down there and you see the numbers he’s putting up and the consistency he played down there.”
Chances are pretty good Ruotsalainen won’t play against the Devils.
Granato said that doesn’t mean he doesn’t want to get a look at him.
“We’re interested in seeing him at some point, because he has earned it by his work ethic, his commitment and all the intangibles,” said the Sabres interim head coach.
After practice, Dylan Cozens and Will Borgen practiced on their own.
Granato said the information they get from that skate will help them know how to proceed.
“If all goes well, then Cozens could be back within the next week. Borgen maybe a little longer than that,” Granato added.
Monday’s lines:
Forwards:
Skinner – Sheahan - Asplund
Hall – Mittelstadt – Thompson
Olofsson – Reinhart – Ruotsalainen (Smith)
Rieder – Eakin – Fogarty
Defense:
Miller - Montour
Bryson – Ristolainen
Irwin – Davidson
Dahlin – Jokiharju
There’s been a slight change to the Sabres schedule. The game on Apr. 20 against the Boston Bruins will now start at 6:30 p.m. ET instead of 7 p.m. ET.
***Photo: Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres)
