The Buffalo Sabres’ preseason injury worries picked up again Thursday night when Alex Lyon exited in the first period after hurting his shoulder.
Lyon’s injury came late in the period while he was stretching out for a diving save. He popped right back up, headed to the bench and pointed to the shoulder before Colten Ellis took over in net and finished the game.
Before leaving, Lyon had played 18 minutes and stopped seven of eight shots.
How serious the injury is remains unclear, and so does whether it will affect Lyon when the regular season opens one week from the preseason game against the Red Wings. The Sabres can at least afford to be patient here. They carried three goalies all of last season and were planning to do that again, which gives them more flexibility than they have on the blueline.
Lyon was a major part of Buffalo’s success last season, going 20-10-4 with a .904 save percentage and a 2.77 goals against average. He also stepped in as the club’s de facto starter early in the year while Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen was sidelined during training camp, helping push the Sabres out of their playoff drought.
If Lyon has to miss time, Colten Ellis suddenly has a real opening.
The Sabres claimed Ellis on waivers before the regular season, and he stayed with Buffalo all year. He appeared in 16 games and posted a .903 save percentage with a 2.90 goals against average. Looking ahead, both Lyon and Ellis are scheduled to be unrestricted free agents after the season, though Ellis’ situation could change.
Right now, Ellis is set up as a Group-6 unrestricted free agent. If he gets into 13 games and logs 30 or more minutes of ice time, he would become a restricted free agent instead. That’s a threshold Buffalo will have an eye on, especially if Ellis is in position to handle the primary backup role going forward.
For now, the Sabres are hoping Lyon’s shoulder issue is short-term and that he’s ready when the season begins. If not, they have enough depth to avoid rushing him back - and Ellis may be the one who benefits from a few extra early starts.
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Sabres Still Have A Connor Hellebuyck Decision They Can't Rush
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For the Sabres, the appeal is obvious, but the fit is not simple, which is why this cannot be rushed. Buffalo already has goaltending considerations of its own, including Ukko-Pekka Luukkonens limited no-trade clause, and the front office has reasons to be confident in the current goalie group it has assembled. Until the Jets find a return they value enough, Hellebuyck remains a monitored name rather than a finished transaction, and that leaves Buffalo watching a possibility without having to force the issue. [Read more 🡒]
Sabres Suddenly Have A Big Top Pair Decision Before Opening Night
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Lindy Ruff has already started talking through possible defensive combinations to cover the absences, and the discussion has put some familiar names back in the spotlight. Owen Power and Louis Crevier are among the candidates being considered for a bigger role, and the way Buffalo chooses to patch together its pairings could shape the look of the back end when the games start to count. [Read more 🡒]
Sabres Put Jiri Kulich In A Spot That Could Change Everything
Jiri Kulich is getting a preseason assignment that says plenty about how the Sabres view him. Buffalo plans to use him in multiple spots as camp unfolds, a sign that coach Lindy Ruff wants to see how the young forward handles different responsibilities while he continues to develop into a bigger role.
The next test comes against the Detroit Red Wings, where the Sabres will also give defenseman Gavin McCarthy his first NHL preseason action. Alex Lyon is set to start in goal with Colten Ellis backing him up, and Ruff had positive things to say about both Kulichs flexibility and McCarthys camp performance, leaving Buffalo with a few intriguing lineup choices still taking shape. [Read more 🡒]