Rosen scores four goals on the weekend for AHL Rochester after being demoted by the Sabres
Most of the Buffalo Sabres will be enjoying some time in warmer climates for the next 10 days, while teammates Rasmus Dahlin and Tage Thompson are in Italy preparing and playing in the Winter Olympics. Three other players; forwards Konsta Helenius, Isak Rosen, and defenseman Zach Metsa, will also be at work, after being sent down to the Rochester Americans right after the Sabres 5-2 loss to Pittsburgh on Thursday.
Metsa, who played 26 games for the Sabres, did not play in the Amerks wins over Springfield and in Utica on Friday and Saturday, but Helenius and Rosen combined for nine points in wins over the Thunderbirds and Comets. The Sabres 2024 top pick slowed down after a hot start in the NHL, going scoreless for six games, but had a pair of assists in the 4-0 victory over Springfield, and a goal and an assist in a 5-1 win in Utica on Saturday.
Rosen continued his torrid pace with the Amerks, scoring a hat trick on Friday and a goal and assist on Saturday, increasing his total to 24 goals in 30 games.
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Over in Italy, Team USA practiced for the first time in Milan on Sunday, with Thompson playing on the wing with Jack Hughes and Dylan Larkin. Former Sabre Jack Eichel centered the Tkachuk brothers, Auston Matthews skated with Jake Guentzel, and Matthew Boldy, and Vincent Trocheck centered the fourth line with Clayton Keller and Brock Nelson.
On the Alex Tuch front, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported that there continues to be discussion between the Sabres and Tuch’s representatives, but that it is “clearly not enough to get a deal done”. Buffalo, who have a five-point lead in the Eastern Conference wildcard race, reportedly are not interested in “making their team worse,” which would rule out trading Tuch at the deadline for a package of prospects and draft picks, but if they are not willing to pay the 29-year-old over $10 million per season, than it appears they are ok with treating him as an own rental, at the risk of allowing him to go to market in July and walking away for nothing in free agency. a wise decision considering how hot they’ve been.
While the short term goal of ending the 14-year playoff drought is likely the focal point of GM Jarmo Kekalainen and Sabres ownership, that decision will look pretty ill-advised if Buffalo makes the post-season, loses in the first round, and Tuch leaves this summer.
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