Stunning twist in Buffalo and it could sink the Canadiens, as Lindy Ruff clears Sam Carrick

Sam Carrick is back on the ice. Lindy Ruff confirmed Tuesday morning on WGR550 that the Buffalo Sabres forward has been cleared and will practice with the team today.

That's a real boost for a Buffalo bottom six that's been missing his bite all spring.

The 34-year-old had been listed day-to-day with an arm issue. He hasn't suited up in the postseason yet, sitting at zero playoff games while the Sabres pushed deeper into their bracket against the Montreal Canadiens.

Carrick finished the regular season with 9 goals, 7 assists, and 16 points across 73 games. Modest counting numbers, but the role isn't about points.

Where he hurts opponents is in the dirty areas. Faceoffs, penalty kill shifts, third-line minutes that grind a series down. Buffalo went 50-23-9 partly because that depth chewed up clock when the top end needed a breather.

His last 10 regular-season games tell you why Ruff wants him back. Four goals and a plus-5 rating in that stretch. Not bad for a $1,000,000 cap hit.

Why Carrick's return tightens Buffalo's series against Montreal

The Sabres split the season series 2-2 with the Habs, including a 5-3 home win and a 4-2 road win. Margins were paper thin in every game.

Add a healthy fourth-line center who kills penalties and wins draws, and those margins start tilting. That's the math Ruff is doing.

Buffalo went 7-3 in their last 10 games heading into this run. The lineup has been good, not great. A returning veteran fixes that without forcing the coach to shake up the top nine.

There's also the optics inside the room. Carrick is the kind of guy whose return doesn't make headlines until you watch him take a hit to make a play in Game 4.

Practice Tuesday is one thing. Game-ready is another. Ruff didn't commit to a return date for the next puck drop, and that's the only piece still hanging.

If the arm holds up through contact drills, the Sabres get a depth piece back at the exact moment depth decides series.