After developing in Rochester, Guhle earns his chance in Buffalo

For the first half of this season, the Buffalo Sabres chose patience as their approach when it came to the development of defensive prospect Brendan Guhle. Veterans were recalled to fill injury-induced holes on the back end while Guhle adjusted to the professional game as a rookie in Rochester.
With two games remaining prior to Buffalo's bye week, the Sabres now see an opportunity to give Guhle his shot at the NHL level. The defenseman was one of two recalls, along with goaltender Linus Ullmark, to join the team for practice on Monday morning.
"I think he's just earned his way up," Sabres coach Phil Housley said. "He's in a good spot. He's in a winning environment down there which is great for the culture of the team. It's just a great opportunity to see what he can bring to practice."

The Sabres, who have practiced with eight defensemen for the majority of this season, are currently without Victor Antipin as he works his way back from an illness. Guhle rounded out the group of eight on Monday, but Housley said the plan is to get him at least one game ahead of the bye week.
Ullmark, meanwhile, joined the club as insurance with Robin Lehner taking a maintenance day. Lehner took a slap shot off of his neck in Philadelphia on Sunday and is considered day-to-day.
The benefits of allowing Guhle to begin the season in Rochester were twofold. It not only gave the young defenseman a chance to learn the pro game; it allowed him to develop within the winning culture that's being cultivated in Rochester this season. The Amerks are 22-8-3-3, placing them two points out of first place in their division.
To provide a sense of how close the team has grown in a half season, consider this: Guhle went out of his way twice to say that, while he was in the midst of his first practice of the season with the NHL club, he couldn't help but think of his teammates back in Rochester.
"It's just a great leadership group," Guhle said. "Everyone's included. No one's got to try to put on a face. Everyone can be themselves. It's just a great group of guys, I don't know what else to say. I've only know them for a few months now. It seems like longer."
Guhle said he's used his time in Rochester to hone his decision-making skills and defensive awareness. Of course, the explosiveness he's shown through three training camps and a brief three-game stint with the Sabres on emergency recall last season is there too.
Just last week, Guhle put his skating on display to score this overtime winner:

In 35 games this season, he's scored 20 points (7+13) and leads the Amerks with 91 shots.
"I really like his mobility obviously, but I like the stick detail that he has defensively and what he does from our goalie working out," Housley said. "Obviously you look at him and he's joining the rush and he's making things happen back there."

Whether this is a long-term recall remains to be seen. Whatever the outcome, expect Guhle to be on board.
"I know that I just want to become the best player I can be, and the management feels the same way," he said. "Wherever I am at a certain point is what they feel is best for me, and I'm going to agree with that."

Ullmark credits team for All-Star nod

Ullmark was selected to represent the North Division as an AHL All-Star for the second consecutive season last week, one of two Amerks representatives along with forward C.J. Smith. If it were up to the goalie, they'd have even more.

"It means that I have a great team in front of me, first of all," Ullmark said. "If I play good and we still lose, you might not go there. It's a lot easier to go there, and I think we deserve a lot more people going to the All-Star, not just me and C.J. That's just how I feel. We have an All-Star team."
Ullmark is tied for the AHL lead with 17 wins in 26 games this seaon.

Monday's practice

Housley said that Antipin will need to regain lost weight before he's able to return to the lineup. The defenseman did not travel with the team on their recent three-game road trip as he battled flu-like conditions.
"I think he's just got to work his way back in. He lost some weight, he's ill, and those things don't happen overnight," Housley said. "He's going to take some time to gain some muscle, add some strength back, and right now he's just starting that. It's going to take a little bit of time for him."
With Antipin absent, here's how the Sabres lineup looked at practice:
28 Zemgus Girgensons - 15 Jack Eichel - 21 Kyle Okposo
9 Evander Kane - 90 Ryan O'Reilly - 29 Jason Pominville
20 Scott Wilson / 67 Benoit Pouliot - 71 Evan Rodrigues - 23 Sam Reinhart
22 Johan Larsson - 10 Jacob Josefson - 17 Jordan Nolan
6 Marco Scandella - 55 Rasmus Ristolainen
82 Nathan Beaulieu - 47 Zach Bogosian
45 Brendan Guhle - 19 Jake McCabe
4 Josh Gorges - 41 Justin Falk
31 Chad Johnson
35 Linus Ullmark