At long last, Brendan Guhle is returning to Buffalo. On Monday the Buffalo Sabres recalled Guhle and Linus Ullmark from Rochester, where they have spent the first half of the season.
Guhle, 20, has 20 points in 35 games with the Amerks this season. Ullmark has also been impressive and was named to his first AHL all-star game after posting a .928 save percentage and 2.27 goal against average.
Both Guhle and Ullmark have helped guide Rochester to one of their best starts in recent memory. While the Sabres have struggled, the Amerks have thrived and currently have a 22-8-3 record, good for second place in their division.
Sabres/Amerks injury report for Monday, January 8. pic.twitter.com/P4USsiQ4Jf
— Sabres PR (@SabresPR) January 8, 2018
Bove’s take:
When Brendan Guhle arrived at his first practice with the Sabres on Monday morning he was already one of their most talented defensemen. If grooming his game in Rochester wasn’t a priority for Jason Botterill, Guhle would’ve made the Sabres out of training camp.
Whether or not he sticks around for more than a few days becomes the big question. Guhle worked with Jake McCabe in his first practice with the team, indicating, at least to me, that they intend on at least giving him a shot to play on Tuesday against the Winnipeg Jets.
Guhle's skating ability and offensive prowess make him a perfect fit on a Sabres' blueline that has struggled mightily. By no means is Guhle's game perfect, but in his shorts stints with the Sabres during the preseason and last year in three regular season games, it looked like he belonged in Buffalo and would be a staple on the roster for years to come.
#Sabres lines at practice:
Kane-O’Reilly-Pominville
Girgensons-Eichel-Okposo
Wilson/Pouliot-Rodrigues-Reinhart
Larsson-Josefson-NolanScandella-Ristolainen
Beaulieu-Bogosian
Guhle-McCabe
Gorges-Falk
Antipin absentJohnson & Ullmark the goalies.
— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) January 8, 2018
As for Ullmark, I'd imagine he heads back down to Rochester once Robin Lehner is cleared to return. According to the Sabres, Lehner is day-to-day with an upper-body injury. Then again, what exactly does day-to-day even mean anymore?
Live shot of Ullmark and Guhle arriving in Buff pic.twitter.com/2VmxwZr4Yq
— Kris Baker (@SabresProspects) January 8, 2018
