Sabres goalie Alex Lyon’s path back to the net hit another snag Tuesday, while Buffalo got more encouraging signs on a few other injured players.
Lindy Ruff said Lyon would have been ready to make his season debut in Montreal if not for the left shoulder injury he suffered in the preseason. But after a setback in practice, Lyon was back in Buffalo while the Sabres fell 4-3 in a shootout to the Canadiens.
“Now we’ll just see with rehab and stuff where he ends up,” Ruff said this morning in Scotiabank Arena.
Ruff added that Lyon is still moving forward in his recovery. For now, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen remains the man in goal. He played Tuesday and is expected to start again tonight against the Maple Leafs.
There was also some movement on the injury front with captain Rasmus Dahlin, who is day to day with an upper-body injury. Dahlin has a 50-50 chance of playing Saturday when Buffalo finishes its three-game road trip in Montreal.
“I’m not going to rule him out yet,” Ruff said.
Dahlin left Monday afternoon’s 5-3 win over the Florida Panthers after shooting the puck and reaching for his lower back. Tonight will be the second game he has missed.
Winger Jason Zucker is also getting closer to his return. Zucker had sports hernia surgery in early August, rejoined the team last week and took part in the pregame skate this morning.
“We’ve got a detailed plan for when he’ll get back,” Ruff said. “The more he practices, the closer he’s going to get.”
Ruff said he has a target date for Zucker’s debut, but wouldn’t say when it is.
On the blue line, Conor Timmins is nearing a return to skating after a lower-body injury in the preseason finale, when he crashed into the boards. Matt Grzelcyk is also progressing from a lower-body injury.
In Other News...
Sabres Crease Suddenly Sits At Center Of A Bigger Trade Watch
Igor Shesterkins season-ending injury has sent the Rangers into the goalie market, and Buffalo has suddenly found its crease drawn into the conversation. New York general manager Chris Drury is taking a hard look at available options, while Rangers goalie scout Scott Clemmensen has been out identifying potential trade targets, with Sabres netminder Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen among the names drawing attention.
The bigger intrigue is where that search could lead if New York decides to get aggressive. There is speculation about a larger trade structure that would involve the Sabres and Jets, with Luukkonen potentially part of the return headed to Manhattan and Connor Hellebuyck emerging as a possible fit for Buffalo, though nothing has been completed or announced. For the Sabres, it is the sort of rumor that puts their own goalie situation squarely in the middle of a much wider market. [Read more 🡒]
Sabres Goaltending Trouble Puts A Familiar Trade Rumor Back In Play
Connor Hellebuycks situation in Winnipeg has lingered long enough to feel less like a hot rumor and more like an ongoing test of patience for everyone involved. The former Jets starter remains suspended after requesting a trade and not reporting to training camp, and while there has been plenty of outside speculation about where he might land, nothing has been completed.
For Buffalo, the timing keeps this possibility in view because the Sabres goaltending picture is unsettled, which naturally pulls attention back toward any established name who could alter it. Winnipeg, meanwhile, has opened the season well without Hellebuyck, adding another layer to a stalemate that has no easy answer and still leaves the door open to more chatter as the situation develops. [Read more 🡒]
Sabres Face A Big Division Test In Toronto With Questions Up Front
Buffalo heads into Scotiabank Arena for its eighth game of the season with a chance to measure itself against a familiar Atlantic Division rival that sits right alongside it in the standings. The Sabres and Maple Leafs have identical records and points, which gives this one an early-season edge: it is still October, but the margin between feeling settled and chasing from behind is already thin.
For Buffalo, the bigger backdrop is what has been happening around the roster rather than just the matchup itself. The team has recent performance notes, top scorers to monitor, goalie and injury updates, and a few player milestones in the mix, all of which make this a useful test beyond the two points on the line. However it unfolds, the Sabres are going to learn plenty about where they stand in the division, and about how much they can lean on their current structure with some questions still hanging up front. [Read more 🡒]