The Buffalo Sabres opened the week with a 23-man roster that already has a few dents in it.
Monday’s initial group for the 2026-27 season includes three goalies, six defensemen and 14 forwards, but several of those names are carrying injury questions into Thursday’s opener at the Columbus Blue Jackets. Goalies Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Alex Lyon are on the roster despite both getting hurt in preseason action last week, and defenseman Olen Zellweger is there too after suffering a concussion.
One newcomer made the cut up front: rookie Konsta Helenius.
To get down to the 23-man limit, Buffalo placed six players on injured reserve, among them defenseman Mattias Samuelsson and Conor Timmins. Samuelsson is week to week after taking a lower-body injury while blocking a shot last Tuesday. Timmins’ injury hasn’t been specified, though he did finish Saturday afternoon’s preseason finale, a 3-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Ruff is expected to give more detail after Tuesday’s practice at KeyBank Center.
The goalie situation is the one to watch. Ruff said Luukkonen left Saturday’s game after tweaking something on his lower body, while Lyon appeared to injure his left shoulder in Thursday’s 3-2 overtime road loss to the Detroit Red Wings. If neither is ready by Thursday, Buffalo would likely turn to Colten Ellis.
Zellweger’s injury came in last Tuesday’s 5-1 win over Columbus, when he suffered a concussion. Ruff said Friday that the new Sabre is in concussion protocol and has been skating.
Buffalo also put goalie Topias Leinonen, defenseman Jack Rathbone, and wingers Conor Sheary and Jason Zucker on injured reserve. Leinonen has a lower-body injury, Rathbone a lower-body injury, Sheary an upper-body injury and Zucker a sports hernia.
The Sabres had Sunday and Monday off before returning to the ice Tuesday.
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