Don Granato has said that the focus for the Sabers in the early part of the season is mostly on their own game, with video and practices geared toward reestablishing the aggressive, up-tempo identity they forged over the course of last season.
That remained true Monday as they prepared for their first – and longest – road trip of the season, although Granato admitted Tuesday’s opponent did command some conversation.
Buffalo opens the trip Tuesday against the Edmonton Oilers, whose lineup features two of the NHL’s top-four point scorers from last season in centers Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
McDavid and Draisaitl each have five points through two games this season. The Oilers are 1-1-0 after falling in Calgary on Saturday.
“The top players in the league, definitely they command the respect you have to talk about as a coach and a team,” Granato said. “You want to minimize how much you talk about them, but you do.
“And they have just more than just McDavid. Draisaitl has earned that respect as well. So, yes, that’s a big challenge. Typically, you shut down top players, you raise your chances of winning significantly. And that is definitely the case tomorrow ”
Here’s what we learned from practice before the Sabers hit the road.
Video: Don Granato after Monday’s practice
1. Tage Thompson will likely see ice time against McDavid and/or Draisaitl, a responsibility he relishes as the Sabres’ top-line center.
He was asked how the Sabers can balance creating their own offense while limiting the Oilers stars.
“Just try not to out-chance them,” Thompson said.
“They’re gonna try to do plays every time they get the puck and I think just being patient and waiting for opportunities, just being in their face, making it difficult on them, trying to frustrate them and then make them make turnovers and then we’ll get our offense from there.”
2. The Sabres’ road trip features four games spanning eight days on the West Coast. Following their meeting with the Oilers, the Sabers stay in Alberta to play the Flames on Thursday, then finish the Western Canada portion of the trip in Vancouver on Saturday. After that, it’s back over the border to conclude the trip in Seattle on Tuesday.
The first long trip of a season is annually a bonding opportunity over team dinners, hotel stays, and the occasional road day off.
“I think it’s great,” Thompson said. “I think you do most of your team bonding on the road so I think it’s gonna be good. … I think it’s just gonna make our group tighter.”
3. The trip will also be highly demanding on the ice, which is where Granato’s focus was on Monday.
The Sabers split their first two games at home, winning the season opener over the Senators but falling to a talented, aggressive Panthers team on Saturday.
Granato lauded the Sabres’ pushback in that latter game – they weathered an early push with help from the goaltender Eric Comrie and fought back to within one goal in the 4-3 loss – but added that the group has work to do to recapture the identity it played with over the final two months of last season.
“You go into four different buildings that are tough buildings to play in, it’s a hell of a challenge and we need to be challenged, because we’re nowhere near where we were in rhythm and sync like we were last year,” Granato said.
“But from the camaraderie standpoint it’s always nice to get guys on the road, even the coaches. It’s just you and nobody else; it’s your 23 guys and the staff. And all day long together is a real bonus.”
Video: Tage Thompson after Monday’s practice
4. Speaking of camaraderie – Thompson entered the dressing room for his session with the media around 12:30 pm, more than 40 minutes after practice had wrapped at LECOM Harborcenter.
He and several of his teammates, including Comrie, spent that extra time on the ice playing games and working on skills, which has been a regular occurrence through camp and the early part of the season.
“I think it just says we love the game,” Thompson said. “I think we’ve got a lot of guys in here that are, you know, just hockey nerds, just love hockey, and just want to get better each and every day. And I think that’s pretty special.
“It’s pretty cool when you got a lot of guys standing out there after, working on things, having fun, playing some games. I think it speaks to the culture, too, like we’ve said before. Guys want to be here, guys want to hang out. And I think that’s how you see it, after practice.”
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