Rasmus Dahlin, captain of the Buffalo Sabres, has taken a leave of absence to address a personal matter in Sweden, according to head coach Lindy Ruff. The announcement came after the team’s practice on Friday.
There is currently no set timetable for Dahlin’s return. In September, Dahlin shared in a public letter that his fiancée, Carolina, suffered heart failure during the summer and had undergone a heart transplant.
“I will say this, he said everything is OK, and through this, he’s got full support by our team,” Ruff stated.
Ruff further commented: “What this young man has gone through, I don’t think you can describe it and I don’t think you can feel what he’s feeling. I’m pretty passionate about the fact that no one would want to walk in his shoes and have to deal with what he’s dealt with. He’s undoubtedly got the support of everybody on this. This is larger than hockey.”
During Friday’s practice session, Michael Kesselring was absent for maintenance but is expected to play in Saturday’s game against the Hurricanes.
Regarding injuries, Ruff said forward Jiri Kulich recently underwent more tests due to fluid in his ears and will continue to miss time as they await results. Jason Zucker remains on injured reserve since November 4 with an illness and is not expected to travel with the team to Carolina. Zach Benson skated Friday morning while recovering from a lower body injury; Ruff indicated there is a possibility Benson could return for next Wednesday’s game against Utah.
The Sabres are preparing for their first multi-game road trip of the season. Over the next eight days, they will play four consecutive games away from home against teams including Carolina, Utah, Colorado, and Detroit. So far this season, Buffalo has played most of its games at home but is still seeking its first win on the road.
“We’ve been at home a long period,” Ruff said. “I think the road is sometimes a good place to bond together, and you spend more time together versus at home, you’re always back in your own place. I’m looking forward to the road.
“I know that we’ve got, if you break down the schedule, it’s four tough teams to play. Not that there’s any easy games as there is, but you look at it, you’ve got all teams that have gone pretty well.”
The Sabres begin their four-game trip Saturday against Carolina. MSG will air pregame coverage starting at 6:30 p.m., with puck drop scheduled for 7 p.m.
