The Buffalo Sabres got the kind of second period you build a lead around, but they may have paid a steep price for it.
Buffalo poured in three goals in the middle frame to grab a 3-0 advantage against the Blue Jackets, yet the night turned uneasy when Mattias Samuelsson and Olen Zellweger both exited with injuries and did not return for the third period.
Samuelsson’s night ended around the midpoint of the second period, according to Mike Harrington from The Buffalo News, after he blocked a shot by Luca Pinelli. Harrington added that Samuelsson did come back for one shift, but that was it.
That’s a concerning development for a defenseman who put together a breakout season last year. Samuelsson finished with 13 goals and 28 assists and became an important piece on the blue line. A big part of that step forward was availability: he stayed healthy for most of the season for the first time in his career and played 78 regular-season games after averaging only 50 per year over the previous four seasons.
Zellweger’s exit came later in the second after he was hit by Carson Soucy. He needed help getting to the locker room and did not return. It was his first game in a Sabres sweater, whether preseason or regular season, after Buffalo acquired him in the summer.
Soucy hit on Zellweger. Zellweger needed help getting to the room #LetsGoBuffalo #CBJ pic.twitter.com/z2Lc68G9K8
- Buffalo Hockey Moments (@SabresPlays) September 23, 2026
Zellweger is expected to have a major role on this defense and could even be a replacement for Bowen Byram.
The Sabres were left short-handed the rest of the way, with only four defensemen available for the final period. For now, the hope is that Buffalo is simply being careful with both players and that neither injury threatens their status for the start of the season, which is just over a week away.
If one or both have to sit, Zach Metsa would move into a regular lineup role right away, while Louis Crevier would likely slide up to the second pair alongside Owen Power. That would also force Buffalo to keep another player who may have been on track for Rochester.
Ryan Johnson appears to be the leading candidate to stick in Buffalo from that group, though Vsevolod Komarov remains another possibility. One name that probably won’t factor in is former first-round pick Radim Mrtka, who struggled in the preseason game against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
In Other News...
Sabres Opener Brought Real Promise And One Early Concern
The Sabres preseason opener against Columbus offered plenty of reasons for optimism, even if the scoreboard will matter less in September than the habits behind it. Buffalo rolled to a 5-1 win, with Noah Ostlund scoring twice, Owen Power logging more than 25 minutes and finishing with three points, and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen looking sharp by turning aside all 13 shots he faced through the first two periods.
For a team trying to set a tone early, the bigger takeaway may have been the way the night unfolded physically. Mattias Samuelsson and Olen Zellweger both had to leave early, and Jiri Kulich was shaken up before coming back to finish, leaving Buffalo with at least one concern to sort through after a night that otherwise read like a strong opening statement. [Read more 🡒]
Sabres May Have Found A Blue Line Piece Nobody Saw Coming
Louis Creviers first appearance in a Sabres sweater offered a quick look at why Buffalo thought he was worth adding to the blue line mix. The defenseman, acquired from Chicago, stepped into preseason action and talked afterward about the work it took to settle his nerves early in his career, crediting the Blackhawks mental coach for helping him handle the pressure that comes with trying to stick in the NHL. He described himself as a defense-first player, but one with some offensive upside, which is exactly the sort of blend teams like to find in camp.
Lindy Ruff seemed to notice the same thing. The Sabres coach praised Creviers abilities and pointed to the role he has been carving out during training camp as Buffalo keeps sorting through its defensive options. For a player who did not arrive with much fanfare, every practice rep and preseason shift matters, and Crevier has at least given the coaching staff a reason to keep watching closely as the roster picture comes into focus. [Read more 🡒]
Sabres Are Giving Fans A Reason To Arrive Long Before Puck Drop
The Sabres are giving fans an early reason to head downtown on Saturday, Sept. 26, with Sabretooths Preseason Bash set to turn Ticketmaster Alumni Plaza into a gathering spot before Buffalo faces the Pittsburgh Penguins in preseason action. The team is leaning into a family-friendly setup, with entertainment, games and activities meant to make the hours before puck drop feel like part of the show.
For fans who like the atmosphere as much as the hockey, the plaza event is the draw, and it comes with a nice perk: the pregame festivities are free to the public. Game access is a different story, of course, since a ticket is still required to get inside the arena, but the Sabres are clearly trying to make the day feel bigger than just another preseason date on the calendar. [Read more 🡒]