Buffalo Sabres centerman Casey Mittelstadt returned to practice Wednesday morning at KeyBank Center in a non-contact jersey.
However, head coach Don Granato said the Sabres don’t have a timeline for his return. He began skating on his own during the NHL All-Star break.
Mittelstadt, 23, has played in just seven games this season due to injuries. He suffered two upper-body injuries, the second of which required surgery.
Mittelstadt spoke to the media following practice and said it’s been hard for him to stay patient.
“That’s the biggest challenge,” he said. “Just try to stay patient and attack every day and just keep trying to get better every day, even if it’s just a little bit one day. There’s definitely gonna be peaks and valleys and I’ve talked about that a lot with the trainers and the medical staff. I think that’s the hardest part for me, I’m not a very patient person, any way shape or form.”
The Sabres host the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday night. Puck drop is slated for 7 p.m.
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to [email protected].