Sabres With Depleted Defense Heading Into Rematch With Playoff Foe

The Buffalo Sabres pulled back to a .500 record with a 5-3 victory over the Florida Panthers in the finale of their five-game homestand on Monday, but lost team captain Rasmus Dahlin in the second period with an unspecified upper body injury. Dahlin scored a power-play goal in the first to give Buffalo a 2-1 lead, but on an offensive zone faceoff early in the middle frame, injured himself winding up for a slapshot on Panthers goalie Akira Schmid. 

Head coach Lindy Ruff said after the game that Dahlin was considered day-to-day, and ruled him out of Tuesday’s first encounter with the Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre, saying that he would receive treatment from the club’s medical staff in Buffalo and avoid getting on an airplane. The Sabres play the Maple Leafs in Toronto on Thursday, which means he possibly could join the club for their first meeting with their closest geographic rival.  

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The Sabres on Tuesday announced that defenseman Matt Grzelcyk was placed on injured reserve, retroactive to October 1, when he played in the season-opening 6-3 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets. The move allows the Sabres to recall defenseman Dennis Gilbert from AHL Rochester without having to make another move to open up a roster spot. Grzelcyk could be eligible to return to the lineup as soon as Thursday if Dahlin cannot play in Toronto.

Buffalo made another roster move involving a blueliner on Monday, trading Amerks defenseman Ryan Johnson to the Pittsburgh Penguins for minor leaguers Caleb Jones and Daniel Laatsch. Johnson was a 2019 first round pick of the Sabres who signed with them in 2023 after four years at the University of Minnesota. The 25-year-old played 47 games over four seasons with Buffalo and went unclaimed on waivers after training camp last month. 

Jones, 29, is the brother of Florida Panthers blueliner Seth and has played 255 career NHL games with five clubs.

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