(Photo credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)

Refreshed after the NHL's break for the 2026 Winter Olympic Games, the Buffalo Sabres hope to pick up where they left off and continue their push for the playoffs when they visit the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday in Newark, N.J.

The Sabres were one of the hottest teams in the league before the hiatus, going 21-5-2 over a nearly two-month stretch that propelled them up the standings into a playoff spot. They sit in the first wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference with a five-point cushion on the first team out, the Columbus Blue Jackets, and just two points out of second place in the Atlantic Division.

'We've had some time to reflect on it, to appreciate what we've done, especially the last couple months, but not to rest on that and our accomplishments so far because we haven't accomplished anything,' forward Alex Tuch said. 'A couple of good months. We're in the playoff race and we've got to bring it home.'

Buffalo captain Rasmus Dahlin is ready to lead that push after representing Sweden at the Olympics, a journey that ended in disappointment with a loss to Team USA -- and Sabres teammate Tage Thompson -- in the quarterfinals.

'Losing that game kind of switched my focus right away to Buffalo,' he said. 'I'm so excited to get this thing going. We have a really good thing going on, and now we know the fun begins. Now all the most important games start.'

Dahlin has 12 points (four goals, eight assists) in a seven-game point streak, and 20 points (seven goals, 13 assists) over his past 16 games.

The Sabres could be without Thompson against the Devils. Coach Lindy Ruff said Monday the team wasn't sure if the center, who had three goals and an assist en route to a gold medal, would play with the aftermath of Team USA's travel schedule. Team USA traveled from Milan to Florida on Monday, and Thompson was one of many on the team to accept the invitation to the White House on Tuesday. After New Jersey, the Sabres head to Florida to face the Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday and Saturday, respectively.

Buffalo centers Josh Norris (12 games) and Josh Dunne (13 games) and goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (five games) are each expected to be available to return from injury.

The Devils, meanwhile, need to snap out of a funk in order to climb back into the playoff race. At 1-5-0 over its past six games, New Jersey sits second to last in the Eastern Conference, 11 points behind the second wild card.

'It's a playoff game, every game,' said winger Jesper Bratt, who also represented Sweden in Milan. 'I think the consistency is something that we didn't have for a big part of the season and it's going to be key now. If we don't find that consistency, it's going to be hard to go where we want to go.'

It's unknown if center Jack Hughes, who scored Team USA's golden goal in overtime against Canada, will be available. The team was working on his travel plans from Washington to get him back for Wednesday.

Forward Timo Meier and defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler, who each represented Switzerland, are expected be at the morning skate Wednesday after travel delays impacted their returns to New Jersey.

--Field Level Media