Carrick, the 34-year-old on his fifth NHL team, credited the entire staff – specifically assistant athletic trainer Michael Adesso and skating and skills instructor Mike Ansell – for helping him rehab quickly and stay in game shape. And once the playoffs rolled around, all he could do was continue working behind the scenes and watching the games like the rest of us.
“Really figured [Boston] out after a few games, so credit to the guys,” said Carrick, who played 10 playoff games with the 2024 Oilers. “It was stressful for me to watch, but they did a great job.”
Carrick can make an immediate impact when added to the lineup, as the Sabres well know. In his team debut March 7 versus Nashville, he won two last-minute faceoffs in the defensive zone to close out at 3-2 win. The next night, Carrick scored to spark a third-period comeback in Buffalo’s 8-7 thriller over Tampa Bay.
The 10-year veteran won 57.3 percent of his faceoffs in 13 games with the Sabres, by far the best mark on the team in March – including 60.3 percent in the defensive zone. His being right-handed is key for the fourth line, which was centered by lefties Josh Dunne and Tyson Kozak in Round 1. And Carrick would be especially valuable against a Montreal team that dominated faceoffs (55.6%) against the Lightning.
Carrick also scored five goals in 13 games with his new team, compared to four in 60 with the Rangers before the trade. The March trip out west featured a two-goal night in San Jose and a third-period game winner two days later in Los Angeles.
“I think all the goals were probably a bonus,” Ruff said, “but a real good bonus.”