Day 6 Notebook | Dahlin returns to practice as team departs for Europe

Rasmus Dahlin was back on the ice in a non-contact jersey for practice with the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center on Tuesday, his first skate with the team since sustaining an injury during the opening session of training camp last Wednesday.

“I was probably too excited,” Dahlin said when asked about the injury, which occurred in the opening minutes of that initial practice. “That stuff happens sometimes, and you’ve just got to deal with it and work hard to get back, and that’s what I’ve done. I’m very happy to be back on the ice.”

Dahlin had been skating on his own in recent days. Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said Monday that the defenseman is “real close to playing" and offered another positive report after practice on Tuesday.

“He had a real good day yesterday and hopefully it was a great day today,” Ruff said. “We’ll progress him back in. There’s not a real big difference between non-contact (and contact), but it looked like he got through today fine.”

Dahlin watched excitedly as the Sabres – icing mostly their full NHL roster – dominated their first two preseason games, scoring a combined 13 goals while displaying the hardworking qualities they hope will become their identity under Ruff this season.

The team has one exhibition game remaining, against the German team Red Bull Munich on Friday, before opening the regular season against the New Jersey Devils in Prague, Czechia on Oct. 4.

“I absolutely love it,” Dahlin said. “You can really see how hard the guys work. We have something really good going on. I mean, the work ethic, we’re working really hard without the puck. We’re doing the little things right and we’re starting off, what I think, on the right page here.”

Dahlin has managed to make an impression on Ruff, too, despite being sidelined for the start of camp. Ruff was asked Wednesday what he learned about the defenseman dating back to first conversations this summer.

“Probably his hunger for success,” Ruff said. “The fact that he wants this team to be a winner. He wants to be part of this team. I think sometimes it’s easy to say, ‘Well, I don’t want to be part of it anymore.’ He wants this group to be success, and he wants to be the guy who helps lead.”

Here are more notes from Tuesday’s practice at KeyBank Center.

1. The Sabres split their 57-man camp roster into two groups on Tuesday. The NHL group practiced Tuesday prior to departing for the start of the NHL Global Series in Munich, Germany.

A second group consisting of prospects and AHL players will remain in Buffalo and continue to play preseason games, beginning Tuesday night in Pittsburgh. Konsta Helenius, Noah Ostlund, and Vsevolod Komarov are among the players expected to make their preseason debuts in that game. Read our preview for that game here.

2. Here's how the group traveling to Europe for the start of the regular season - comprised of 15 forwards, nine defensemen, and three goaltenders - lined up for practice:

3. Ruff said that 19-year-old forward Zach Benson has exceeded his expectations through the early portion of training camp. Benson scored a goal and an assist against Columbus on Monday and has been his usual physically aggressive, defensively responsible self through two preseason games.

"He does a lot for a young man," Ruff said. "His competitive fire is something you admire right off the bat – for a young man and a young player. Sometimes the ability to make plays that you don’t think any guy that young would make really gives you that ‘Wow, that’s not bad for the age that player is.’ Watching all the games, I liked him. I like him more now, I will admit."

4. After over an hour's worth of drills, Ruff challenged defenseman Mattias Samuelsson to hit a length-of-the-ice shot into an empty net on Wednesday. If Samuelsson made it, Ruff said, practice was over.

Samuelsson, after scoring in the win over Columbus, hit the shot and was swarmed by teammates, a joyous end to a competitive practice.

"After he scored, he looked like a 50-goal scorer," Ruff said. "And he nailed it! That’s probably the most surprising part of practice for me."