Buffalo Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff joked the organization isn't entirely sure when it will see All-Star forward Tage Thompson again.
"I don't know if any of the U.S. guys will be able to play this week," Ruff told reporters with a laugh after Monday's practice. "Obviously, we'll see. He was supposed to get back into the country last night, so we'll find out when he's hopefully available to play."
Team USA scored a 2-1 overtime victory over Canada in the Gold Medal Game at the 2026 Winter Olympics on Sunday. Subsequent interviews and social-media videos showed the American players were certainly enjoying the party after the memorable win.
United States President Donald Trump called the locker room after the game to invite the players to attend Tuesday night's State of the Union address, and said they would also be welcome to stay in the nation's capital for a White House visit on Wednesday.
A Florida nightclub, E11even Miami, is also advertising a night with Team USA on Monday after the team's transportation schedule was adjusted away from the Northeast because of a winter storm.
Tage Thompson must weigh celebrating with Team USA against the Buffalo Sabres' playoff race
Winning an Olympic gold medal is often a once-in-a-lifetime event, so it's understandable members of the U.S. roster are trying to create as many memories as possible in the aftermath.
It was an particularly special moment for Thompson, who was snubbed from the 4 Nations Face-Off roster last year but earned a place on Team USA for the Olympics. He tallied three goals and an assist across six games at the Milano Cortina Games.
On a personal level, nobody could blame the 28-year-old Arizona native for taking some time this week to finish the celebrations before rejoining the Sabres.
Here's the reality, however: Buffalo is locked in a tight Eastern Conference playoff race with 25 games left, and a few points may be the difference in the standings at the end of the regular season.
The Sabres' offense isn't nearly as dangerous without Thompson, who's recorded 59 points (30 goals and 29 assists) in 57 NHL games this season, and the team as a whole is looking to start strong after the break because it lost three of its final four contests before the three-week hiatus.
Buffalo is scheduled to resume play Wednesday night with a road game against the New Jersey Devils. Then it travels to Sunshine State for a back-to-back set against the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday and Saturday, respectively.
The Blue and Gold then play their first home post-Olympics home game next Tuesday against Jack Eichel and the Vegas Golden Knights.
So, while Ruff addressed the situation in a lighthearted manner on Monday, the question about when Thompson will play for the Sabres again is a legitimate one.
Perhaps the 6-foot-6 power forward will opt to accept the President's invitation, which would likely cause him to miss Wednesday's clash with the Devils, but Buffalo will hope to have him back for the Florida trip at the latest.
Thompson, who serves as one of the club's alternate captains, said before the season that helping the Sabres return to the playoffs was "always at the forefront" despite his desire to represent the U.S. at the Olympics, which is a goal he achieved in spectacular fashion.
Now, the American gold medalist will have to make a decision about how quickly to rejoin his Buffalo teammates as they attempt to end the franchise's 14-year playoff drought.