The Sabres went to work with a long, demanding practice session to open camp, making good on the message Ruff and general manager Kevyn Adams imparted on players when they reported for physicals and their first day of meetings on Tuesday. Players were told to view the first days of practice not as the start of camp, but as the start of the season.

Ruff told reporters following their skate Thursday that Dahlin is expected to miss only a few practices after he left their first session with a middle-body injury that occurred on a routine pass.