Buffalo Sabres hockey is officially back later today when they play the Devils in New Jersey. The last time they were on the ice was February 4th, when they lost 5-2 to the Pittsburgh Penguins and went into the Olympic break with a 1-2-1 record.
Even with the slight setback, they are still in a playoff spot at this point in a Wild Card spot. However, they aren't far behind the Montreal Canadiens and Detroit Red Wings, who are only two points ahead of them in the Atlantic Division.
The playoff race in the Eastern Conference is very competitive, with not much separating these teams. For the Sabres, they can't afford another four-game stretch coming out of the break as they had going into it.
While the Sabres have some pressure to get off to a fast start, there are a number of players who face even more pressure. If they struggle coming out of this break, they could end up losing their spot in the lineup.
These are four players in particular that need a fast start with the Buffalo Sabres, starting tonight against the Devils.
Josh Norris
The Buffalo Sabres center has been out with an injury since January 14th, but has been practicing during the Olympic break. He should be ready to return for this game on a new line with Noah Ostlund and Josh Doan.
When Josh Norris is on the ice, he has been a difference maker for the Sabres and has 17 points in 19 games this season. The challenge is that he hasn't been able to stay on the ice enough due to injuries this season.
There are questions about whether or not Tage Thompson will be available for this game. If he is unable to play, this is going to put pressure on the other forwards to try to fill the void of his absence. Norris is one of those players who could certainly do that.
Noah Ostlund
Staying on that line, Noah Ostlund is another player who is probably feeling some pressure to deliver coming out of the Olympic break. This has been his first extended run in the NHL, and he has appeared in 45 games this season and has 10 goals and nine assists to this point.
However, Ostlund has hit a bit of a slump with only one point in the last seven games and a +/- of -4 during that stretch.
One thing that is certainly in the back of players' minds is that the NHL Trade Deadline is right around the corner on March 6th. Jarmo Kekalainen is exploring all options on how to improve the roster and if Ostlund continues to slump, he may end up trading for his replacement.
Michael Kesselring
There is no hiding it, Michael Kesselring's first season with the Buffalo Sabres has been a disappointment. It has not been what many expected when the team made the JJ Peterka trade with the Utah Mammoth.
However, Kesselring has battled several injuries, and even when he returned in the middle of January, he didn't look fully healthy. Hopefully, an extended break helped him get over any lingering issues from the injury, and he can make an impact for this blueline.
In the final three games before the Olympic break, Kesselring was averaging less than 10 minutes of ice time per game. This a clear indication that the coaching staff wasn't confident that Kesselring could be productive on the ice.
Unfortunately, it is not sustainable for the team to lean as heavily as they did on their Top 4. They need a reliable third pair and Kesselring can be a big part of that or the Sabres could be looking to trade for players that can give them that.
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
Based on practices leading up to the game against the Devils, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen looks to be the starter in net. The Sabres goalie suffered an injury in January that forced him to miss the Olympics, but he looks ready to go and will have the first chance to show he should be the team's starting goalie down the stretch.
The goalie position has been a revolving door this season due to injuries, but Alex Lyon has looked like the team's best goalie. Luukkonen, though, was playing some great hockey before his injury, going 4-1-1 in the six games leading up to the injury against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
These next 10 days, the Sabres are going to have to play both Luukkonen and Lyon because of the schedule. It could be a tryout of sorts to figure out who should be the starter, and Luukkonen will have the first chance to secure that role.