It's time to fight for your spot in the lineup, and potentially on the roster.
That's the message Buffalo Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff appeared to send Friday morning with his decision to make Ryan McLeod and Louis Crevier healthy scratches. Both players had appeared in all 15 of the team's games so far during the 2026-27 season.
"Obviously it's frustrating being out of the lineup, without the team, helping out, but it's just kind of getting back to the basics," McLeod told Rachel Lenzi of the Buffalo News. "They could tell I was struggling, and it's kind of a bit of a fresh start."
Jiri Kulich will return from injury to replace McLeod, while Conor Timmins has been cleared to make his season debut to take over for Crevier on the third pair against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Although McLeod and Crevier haven't been the only Sabres players struggling in the early going, it was time for Ruff to start making some statements. The club's overall level of performance has dipped considerably compared to last year's memorable charge up the NHL standings.
McLeod, previously one of Buffalo's most dependable forwards, has scored just three points (one goal and two assists) and owns a team-worst minus-seven rating.
Crevier was acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks as part of the blockbuster Bowen Byram trade over the offseason. He was impressive throughout training camp and the preseason, which led the organization to give him a four-year contract extension, but he's struggled in the regular season.
They aren't the only players who may end up with a stint in the press box. Josh Norris has been borderline invisible most nights, while Josh Doan has been playing through an injury and could benefit from a couple days off to get closer to full strength.
Now that the Sabres are getting players back from injury — Alex Lyon is also nearing his return to restore the club's three-goalie rotation — Ruff and general manager Jarmo Kekalainen will have more flexibility to create their 23-man roster and 20-player game-day lineup.
Perhaps that increase in internal competition is exactly what the reigning Atlantic Division champions need to get back on track to compete within the Eastern Conference gauntlet.
Can Lindy Ruff push the right buttons again in 2026-27?
Ruff deserved to win the Jack Adams Award as the NHL's Coach of the Year last season. He was snubbed because the voters decided to make it a glorified lifetime achievement award for Jon Cooper of the Tampa Bay Lightning, but Buffalo's bench boss was far more deserving.
One of the main reasons for that, aside from the Sabres' obvious improvement in the standings, was his ability to make the right calls at the perfect moment.
The 66-year-old Canadian had a near-perfect feel for what his team needed in the moment. Whether it was juggling the middle-six forward group, switching the third defensive pair or deciding which member of the goaltending trio to start, he was on target almost every time.
Ruff has enjoyed quite as many options early in the current campaign because of injuries, but that's finally starting to change. He's set to have some options in every area, giving him the freedom to make calls like giving McLeod and Crevier at least one game for a reset.
A coach's impact can only extend so far, of course. If the Sabres don't start getting better across-the-board production, a few lineup changes aren't going to completely change the trajectory of the season. That said, some well-timed adjustments can certainly help.
That starts Friday night against the Blue Jackets and, with so many players performing below expectations, the game-to-game changes may continue for a while.
Now the question is how Buffalo's roster will respond to the message Ruff is sending.
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