Bowen Byram’s return to Buffalo will have to wait.
Chicago Blackhawks coach Jeff Blashill said Byram, 25, is dealing with a personal matter and will not play tonight against the Sabres at KeyBank Center. The former Sabres defenseman was traded to Chicago on June 23 in the blockbuster deal that sent the fourth overall pick and defenseman Louis Crevier to Buffalo.
The teams will see each other again Nov. 12 in Chicago.
While Byram sits out, Jordan Greenway is set to take the ice in Buffalo for the first time as the other piece of that trade. Greenway spent parts of four seasons with the Sabres, appearing in 158 games, and he made clear the move has brought a mix of emotions.
“You’re leaving a group of guys, we did a lot of good things last year,” Greenway said of the Sabres’ 109-point season. “So at first, it sucks.
At the same time, it’s a new chapter. I play hockey here now.
It’s the same damn thing, just somewhere else.”
Greenway’s path to this point hasn’t been simple. After two sports hernia surgeries and what he described as “terrible pain,” he found a rehab last season that finally eased the problem. From there, he earned steady minutes late in the year, working on a checking line and the penalty kill through the stretch run and into the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
“Very rewarding,” he said of the final months of the season. “Dealt with some stuff, obviously, over last two years, and being able to go out there and perform like I did, perform like we did throughout the playoffs was unbelievable.”
The Sabres are also expected to have Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen in net for tonight’s home opener after he played Thursday in the 6-3 season-opening loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Olen Zellweger is expected to debut for Buffalo after missing time with a concussion in the preseason, which means one of the defensemen from Thursday’s opener will likely be scratched.
In Other News...
Sabres Injury Uncertainty Is Starting To Put Real Pressure On Buffalo
Buffalos early season has already turned into a game of musical chairs, and the injury list is making it harder for Lindy Ruff to settle on anything resembling a steady lineup. With the Sabres sitting at 3-3-1, the constant shuffling has come as several players have been banged up, forcing the coaching staff to keep adjusting on the fly while trying to keep the team afloat.
Rasmus Dahlin still does not sound close to a return after the upper-body injury he picked up against Florida, with Ruff offering no meaningful update and labeling the defenseman doubtful for the next game. The concern only grows from there: Alex Lyon has had a slight setback and will stay off the ice for a few days, while Tyson Kozak was sent back to Buffalo for more evaluation, leaving the Sabres waiting for answers on multiple fronts at once. [Read more 🡒]
Sabres Slow Start Is Putting Jarmo Kekalainen To An Early Test
Buffalos uneven opening month has already pushed Jarmo Kekalainen into an early evaluation mode, with the Sabres senior advisor John Davidson acknowledging that the general manager has been frustrated by the recent run of losses. The broader concern is easy to see: Buffalo has played strong hockey at even strength, but the parts of the game that usually decide tight nights have dragged the club back toward the pack.
Management is now weighing whether this roster is ready to belong in the Eastern Conference picture or whether help will be needed sooner than expected. If the results do not start to match the underlying five-on-five play, the Sabres could be looking at roster changes before long, which makes the next stretch feel a little more pointed than a typical early-season slump. [Read more 🡒]
Devon Levi's Fast Start Is Making Buffalo's Goalie Problem Worse
Devon Levis early run in Edmonton is the kind of development that has to sting a little in Buffalo. After moving on from the young goalie following a difficult stretch with the Sabres, the Oilers have given him a fresh start and he has answered with a strong opening stretch, looking far more comfortable behind a team that has needed him to be steady right away. For a Sabres organization still trying to stabilize the position, it is the latest reminder of how quickly the picture can change once a goalie finds the right fit.
Buffalos own situation in net remains unsettled, and the conversation around it has only gotten louder as trade speculation continues to swirl. Connor Hellebuyck has been part of that rumor mill, underscoring how much the Sabres are still searching for a clearer answer in goal. Levis resurgence does not solve anything for Buffalo, but it does sharpen the frustration, because the one they moved on from is suddenly looking like a better version of himself somewhere else. [Read more 🡒]