If Tage Thompson was supposed to be negatively impacted in some way by the all of his recent intense hockey at the Olympics and celebrations that followed Team USA's gold medal, well, no one told him. He didn't miss a game of NHL action, returning at the first opportunity for the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday night in New Jersey.

The Sabres, though, are also ahead of schedule, which makes it more confusing. They weren't expected to be in playoff contention this season. They probably figured that they'd sell off Tuch around the trade deadline, which is March 6. By accelerating their contention timeline, the Sabres have made the Tuch dilemma a confusing one.

Hughes was honored by the Devils before the game. The Devils showed video of Hughes' overtime goal in the United States' 2-1 victory over Canada on Sunday in the gold-medal game. Hockey fans roared with pride as they welcomed Hughes back to the rink. He took a victory lap with Thompson in a welcome home Olympic victory ceremony.

Sabres have exceeded expectations to this point in the season, but there is more work to do if they are going to make the playoffs.

The newest round of Buffalo Sabres rumors indicate that contract extension talks involving Alex Tuch will go down to the wire this season. The post Sabres Rumors: Tuch Saga Heading Down to the Wire appeared first on Heavy Sports.

Jack Hughes, Tage Thompson share special Team USA gold medal moment before Devils-Sabres originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here. The fans in New Jersey got a chance to salute the gold medalists.

Coleman has appeared in 44 games this season with the Flames, where he has recorded 13 goals, eight assists, 21 points, and 110 hits. With numbers like these, he would be a strong pickup for a Sabres club looking to cement themselves a playoff spot.