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.
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Even with the two points banked, the performance in net was hard to ignore, as Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen had a rough outing and Buffalos power play never really found a rhythm. Those are the kinds of issues that can get pushed aside after a win in October, but they tend to resurface quickly if they keep showing up. [Read more 🡒]
Jiri Kulich Just Delivered The Sabres Moment Fans Were Waiting For
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The finish also brought out the kind of praise that usually follows hard-earned progress, with coach Lindy Ruff and captain Rasmus Dahlin speaking to Kulichs mental strength and perseverance. Kulich credited teammates Tage Thompson and Owen Power for the assist on the play, a small reminder of how much this goal meant inside the room as much as it did on the scoreboard. [Read more 🡒]
Former Sabres Goalie Suddenly Has A Real Chance In Edmonton
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For a player who arrived with some uncertainty around his role, the immediate challenge is no longer just getting into games but proving he belongs there for a stretch. Levis early work has put him in a position the Oilers did not necessarily expect this soon, while former Sabres teammates such as Jordan Greenway and Connor Clifton also continue to surface in their own games around the league. For Buffalo, it is another reminder that a familiar name can still matter somewhere else, even if the next step in Edmonton is still playing out. [Read more 🡒]