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Sabres’ Stafford returns vs. Oilers on Monday

Buffalo Sabres v Toronto Maple Leafs

TORONTO, ON - DECEMBER 27: Drew Stafford #21 of the Buffalo Sabres skates against the Toronto Maple Leafs during an NHL game at the Air Canada Centre on December 27, 2013 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Leafs defeated the Sabres 4-3 in an overtime shoot-out. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)

Claus Andersen

The game Monday night between the Buffalo Sabres and Edmonton Oilers will see a couple of players re-entering the Sabres lineup.

Interim coach Ted Nolan announced injured forward Drew Stafford will return to action and likely start on the team’s top line. John Vogl of The Buffalo News shares the story.

“He looks like he’s ready to go, so hopefully he can resume where he left off,” Nolan told reporters today in First Niagara Center.

Stafford has been out since Jan. 25 and will be on a line with Tyler Ennis. Normally Matt Moulson would be on the left side, but with him out until after the Olympics with an injury, it’ll be Linus Omark lining up there against Edmonton.

As Bill Hoppe of the Olean Times Herald shares, Nolan is trying to give Omark a jump start against his old team.

“We want to see what everybody thought he was capable of doing when he came into this league,” Nolan said. “He’s a highly skilled player. But as we know, skill can only get you so far. It’s the will and determination that’s going to push you further. So we want to see him play with a little more grit combined with that skill set.”

Safe to say if Omark isn’t motivated facing the team that buried him in the minors after not meeting their expectations, there might be an issue.

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